By Allie Pecorin

Several members of the state champion Girls Cross Country Team will make their way to Portland Meadows, Oregon, on Thursday to compete at Nike Cross Nationals – a cross country event which welcomes the best runners in the nation each year.

During the regional meet held in Terre Haute, Indiana, several weeks ago, the girls, running as the North Naperville Cross Country Club, placed second, securing a direct qualification for Nationals.

“No matter what race [the team] is in, they should be able to engage themselves in a way that their focus is to be their best,” said Coach Dan Iverson.  “I want them to do their best – period.”

The girls will make up one of 22 teams who qualified to run at the meet.  Iverson said that some publications have the teams ranked to place as high as thirteenth, though he believes that they have the potential to place in the top ten.

The meet itself is a three-day event, which offers qualifiers exciting opportunities to train, test new running technology, and design gear. Nike is footing the bill for the team, which consists of seven girls and two coaches.

Junior Maria McDaniel, who is favored to finish first for NNHS described the weekend as a “big running party.” However, she emphasizes that the team will be focused on their primary goal of doing well.

“One of the reasons we have such a powerful team is because we are so focused,” McDaniel said.

The girls have adjusted their training schedule to allow them to be as successful at Nationals as they were last month, after placing first in the state meet in Peoria.

Iverson said that, though the team’s original training schedule was focused to help them be in peak condition at the state meet, he believes that the girls should be equally physically prepared for the national meet. He expects the team to be successful if they can avoid distraction.

“I think people who maintain focus on what they can control and maintain focus on doing their very best will trump any nuances in the training,” Iverson said.

Sophomore Ellie DeTurris, McDaniel, and freshmen Judy Pendergast are expected to be the top runners for the team.

The race is 5 kilometers long, and is interspersed with hay barrels and other obstacles for the runners to dodge. The team is looking forward to being as successful as they can.

“I’m not really sure what to expect, but I’m going in with a positive attitude and an open mind,” McDaniel said.

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The team’s performance landed them a state championship last month in Peoria.