Running with your best friend

Amanda Ross, Sports Writer

Running with a passion.

Sophomores Madelynn Dake and Mary Clare Bean are new additions to the Xavier girls’ cross country team. The two have been best friends since birth. Their moms were friends before they were born, so they grew up together. Running on the cross country team is a new experience for them both.

“We both started cross country this year and running with Maddo (her nickname) makes the practices so much more bearable,” Bean said. “We can talk about a bunch of things and it has been a great way to become closer.”

Dake and Bean are always together during meets and practices and they spend a lot of time together outside of practice and school.

“Her personality just matches mine so well. Sometimes you have friends that don’t have the same sense of humor or interests as you, but ours are pretty much the same,” Dake said. “She makes me laugh and I know that if I need her, she’ll always be there for me.”

It is more than just running to the both of them.

Sophomores Madelynn Dake and Mary Clare Bean pose at Xavier High School before a meet. Photo Submitted.

“Cross country is the one sport we both do, so it means a lot that we get to do it together,” Dake said. “Cross country has become something really special to me and I’m so happy I get to share it with her.”

The season will hopefully continue for Bean, Dake and the cross country team.

The Xavier girls’ cross country team is striving to make it to state. They are all pushing one another to get their fastest times.

“Running with your best friend helps with performance because you push each other to get better, and when one person isn’t pushing themselves, the other motivates them to keep going,” senior co- captain Megan Meyer said. This is hard to do when you run alone.”

Bean and Dake add many elements to the team atmosphere.

“They are both always outgoing and making jokes. They always keep things exciting,” senior Rilee Lansing, a member of the varsity cross country team said.

The team will compete on Thursday, October 24 in Independence