The Sam Rayburn High School boys varsity cross country team is off to a running start with three wins under their heels already this year. 

Team members Joseph Perales, Jose Ortega, David Gonzales, Matt Williams, Lee Hernandez and Miguel Benitez took first place at the Lamar Consolidated Invitational Cross Country Meet on Sept. 7, placed second at the Wildkats Invitational Cross Country Meet in Willis ISD on Sept. 20, and took first place again at the Sam Rayburn High School Invitational Cross Country Meet on Sept. 28. The team competed in 3-mile runs against 18 teams in Lamar and 30 teams in Willis.

While the boys take top honors with ease, the preparation leading up to competitions is far from easy.

“To be a good cross country runner it takes dedication to the sport,” said the team’s coach Gerardo Espinoza. “It means eating, sleeping and training right. It means training in the summer when it’s hot and humid and getting up early each morning to run as a team before school. It means respecting your team members and knowing it will take all seven of you pulling in the same direction to win. It means having the burning desire to win.” 

The team meets every morning around six and runs five miles. During their athletic period, the boys run interval runs including 400s, 800s on the track and half mile repeats on the open field. 

The boys varsity cross country team isn’t new to winning competitions as it has won the district championships the last two years, and Espinoza said because some of the present team members were part of those wins, the team is driven to take that title again this year. 

“The tradition of winning was established by former competitors,” Espinoza said. “The challenge to keep going is always there along with the desire to accomplish something no other team has. These athletes know what it feels like to be champions and they have the burning desire to be the best. And there is no other feeling like knowing you’re the best.”