Lehi hosted an XC race on the track called the Wagon Wheel. It is a 5k done on the track which is a lot of laps! James was planning on racing until his hamstring started hurting a few days before the race. He was still planning on running until Friday night or Saturday morning when his coach said he didn't want him to run it. The coach said if anything he could run the JV race at a slower pace. James and I talked about it and decided that it would be better just to rest his hamstring and not run at all. It was a bummer but for the best. NXR (Nike Cross Country Regionals) is the third weekend of November so he needs to be recovered for that.
They recognized all of the seniors at the Wagon Wheel Race. We got to walk James on the field while they read about him. Marshall wrote a really nice tribute. This is what it said,
"It seems like James has been running since the day he was born. It has been awesome to see him find the joy of cross country and distance running since 7th grade. From winning Alpine Days that year to a 12th place finish at state, this senior year James has seen a lot of success as a runner. However, the race results don't compare to the successes he's gained as an individual. Thanks to the disciplined principles of running and the relationships he's had with coaches and teammates and even the competitors on the course, James has truly found joy that will take him far into the future. We'll miss seeing his big smile in races but look forward to seeing that same big smile in the races of life when he serves a mission and attends college."
