Fall sports are kicking off at Leesville, and the men and women’s cross country team are setting goals for the upcoming meets.

For many new members of the team, this season they will race their first 5k and 3k.

Owen McClelland, freshman, said, “I’m excited to race and really push myself.” The approaching meet at Wake Med will be the first time new members of the team will be giving full race effort.

Returning runners from last year also have ambitious goals for this season’s meets. Vincent Russell-Hinnant, sophomore, wants to decrease his race time by three minutes from last year. Russell-Hinnant said, “I’m shooting for a 19 minute.”

Claire Barr, sophomore, wants to get a ”sub 25 min” time, decreasing her most previous 5k time of 26:40. 

Without constant training and summer workouts, these goals would be impossible. Players on the team report running about 4-7 miles every practice. Russell-Hinnant said, “I run as much as I can until practice ends and I have to go home. I run because I want to win.” 

Cross country runners show commitment and dedication, even attending summer workouts at 6:15am weeks prior to the start of school. These practices take place at local areas like Lake Lynn and Umsted Park.

Co-captain Caroline Murray, senior, said, “I tried to go to as many workouts as I could when I was home during the summer.” 

After weeks of practice, the cross country team will compete in their first all invited meet on September 9, 2026 against Rolesville.