Severn Runs

October 17th marked the 14th anniversary of the Baltimore Running Festival. There were over 24,000 participants, whether running the 5k, the relay, the half-marathon, or the full-- and over thirty of them were from Severn. Every year, the Severn Cross Country team trains for and participates in the half-marathon, doing long runs every Friday and building up mileage to get to 13.1.
Training for the half can be difficult. Running is a mental sport-- runners have to push through the pain of injuries like shin splints and tendinitis in order to finish. But it's all worth it. Senior Erica Mott says that running the half-marathon was, "the highlight of my athletic career. It was the most fun I've ever had. People were lined up on the side of the road the whole time, cheering us on."

Although the cross country team has run the half for nine years now, this year was slightly different. Three runners, seniors Archer Willauer and Neel Lakhanpal and junior Camryn Rosen ran the full marathon -- 26.2 miles. To prepare, they increased week by week from fifteen up to eventually twenty-two mile weekend training runs, building up stamina and running for about four hours at a time. "The early Saturday mornings spent training were all worth it. I've never felt so accomplished," says Camryn of her commitment to the extra long runs. Archer Willauer ran the marathon in under four hours-- a hugely significant accomplishment for any marathon runner, let alone for a first-timer.
Whether it's the half or the full, running at that distance is an amazing thing, and Severn congratulates all of the teachers and students who participated.