Winning isn’t everything. Many people believe they should only be involved in an activity or a hobby if they excel at it, but rewards come in many different forms. Senior Caleb Peterson proves each day that persistence and doing something because he loves it is key while running cross country.

Fog rolls across the hills as the sun peaks over the horizon. The sound of footfalls in the grass echo through the early morning stillness as dew transfers to each runners tennis shoes. The cross country team has been hard at work for hours before most students arrive at school. Each morning they focus on the whole race physically, mentally, and even emotionally. Cross country isn’t a quick sprint and as such requires strong leaders who understand the mental game of setting a pace to finish strong.