Friday was a great day to be a Bryn Mawr cross country runner. The sun was obscured by clouds, allowing a nice breeze to cool the 3 mile stretch of our first cross country course of the season. There was only one hill on the entire course. And, of course, Haverford’s home course-the nature trail-was overrun with about a thousand people and their overly excited dogs. I didn’t think that I was going to get a hurdle workout this early in the season, but I was glad I had kept up my skill over the summer by vaulting over fallen logs, small brooks and the occasional wayward child. After that rigorous training schedule, the runaway mini poodle’s attempt to sabotage my race was futile.

Despite the exuberance of our four-legged running companions, the various Haverpeople around the course were in very good spirits; they were especially excited to be reunited with their former teammate and the newest member of the BMC XC coaching staff, the former Goat Matt. Matt, on the other hand, was pretty excited that he got to tell people to pass his former teammates. That, however, could have been because we all got Peace A Pizza after, which made it the perfect start to the season.