GHS’s Cross Country team had their Senior Night meet last Tuesday, Oct. 2, which brought several personal records. The seniors celebrated with the team after running on the hilly 5k course at St Anselm College in Goffstown. 

Coach Michael Veilleux expected a good race but with no personal records. He found it unusual to see 11 runners hit PRs on this course. The most impressive PR was by senior Alan Severance, with an 18:29 lifetime PR, which he has since beaten. According to Veilleux, the beautiful St A’s course is normally harder and slower than at Derryfield park, the challenging state course. 

This season has been emotional for the seniors. For Coach Veilleux, it’s bittersweet because the seniors are the leaders on the team. “It’s hard to think I’ll never get to coach them again,” Veilleux says. For seniors like Cassy Dorn, it has been emotional to be with these people for years, to have seen their highs and lows and to grow with them. Seniors received posters and gift bags prepared by the underclassmen. They celebrated with family and friends, as well as Mr. Mailhot, at the beautiful St A’s course. 

Senior Cassy Dorn tied her season PR of 26:50, which she has since beaten. She thinks that the race went very well and she pushed hard to get there. “I told myself that even if my lungs are collapsing, as long as I hit that finish line, that’s all that matters,” Dorn says. 

Dorn joined cross country as a freshman, though she has been running since 5th grade. Running is a part of her lifestyle, and though she will probably not be running for college teams she plans to continue running independently. “I do it because it teaches you to be able to push yourself; it’s great for goal setting,” Dorn explains.