FORT BRIDGER — The 3A West Regional cross country track meet was held at the Fort Bridger State Site on Friday, Oct. 13, which was a windy day under blue skies.

Aspen leaves fell from the trees with the wind. Prior to the start of the varsity cross country races, the air was filled with excitement as people waited for the count down to the start of the girls varsity race. Athletes ran, trotted and danced across the grass limbering their muscles so they could demand the utmost from their legs as they hit the 5K course. Others laid on the grass and did stretching exercises to length and warm up their muscles for the challenge the athletes faced at the starting gun.

All 3A west regional teams – Mountain View, Lyman, Star Valley, Cody, Powell, Riverton, Lander – were at the meet except for Pinedale as Pinedale doesn’t field a cross country team.

The teams will compete at the state meet in Sheridan this week, today and tomorrow.

When the girls varsity runners broke from the starting line at 1 p.m., a small runner from Cody streaked to the lead and widened the distance. No other runner even came close to her during the distance and she broke through the finish line well ahead of any competitor.

Lead racers in the boys race were closer together when the shot set them off at 1:30 p.m.

All athletes pushed themselves to try to get their best PRs and several collapsed just after crossing the finish line.

One athlete from Cody had the following on the back of her jacket, “No timeouts. No half times. No substitutions. Pure determination,” which sums up the drive and dedication  cross country runners exhibit as they strive to improve their times during the season. They must accomplish

Pictured: Lyman’s Kaleigh Douglass has consistently turned in the fastest time for Lyman High School this year and in the past. PIONEER PHOTO/Virginia Giorgis