Although running is a common punishment in other sports, it is the basis of cross country, one of the most popular athletic programs at Chesterton High School. Distance running, despite being arguably the most physically demanding activity, appeals to many students for a variety of reasons. Cross country (XC) provides easy access to natural dopamine, individual achievement, and unmatched exercise, three factors that cultivate the friendly and uplifting environment that the CHS Girls’ team is known for.

For many runners, their XC journey began with track and field. Sophomore Riley Pacilio has been a part of the team for just two months, but after the 2025 track season, she could not get enough. During track season, she tried both sprinting and distance events, ultimately realizing that distance was more her calling. 

“I like being able to talk while I run,” says Pacilio on distance versus sprints.

For others, Chesterton Cross Country is their birthright. Sophomore Paige Clancy has been a distance runner for four years, since seventh grade, and initially joined because all her siblings had run their part. After discovering all the joys the team has to offer, including friendships, discipline, and good energy, Clancy realized why her family was so invested. Likewise, junior Julia Fox also wanted to fulfill her legacy on the team. 

“My brother did it, so that’s why I originally joined,” says Fox, who reports that the bonds she has formed over running have kept her a part of XC for a total of five years. 

Only having run one race so far this season, Fox has already beaten her previous record of 25:12 by over a minute and a half, establishing her new best as 23:52, which means her pace is steady and fast. Sophomores Paige Clancy, Riley Pacilio, and Natalie Williams all PR’d as well, with Williams beating her final record from last season by forty seconds. 

The Girls’ Cross Country team is a great example that sheer dedication is enough to achieve a goal, for besides perfecting the technique of the strides, there are not many ways to improve besides training vigorously, and that is precisely what the team does. The team practices Monday through Thursday after school and Fridays before school, usually running at least triple the high school meet distance, which is over three miles. Although this notion sounds grueling and impossible, not a single member of the team has that as their final takeaway. 

“It’s kind of just like therapy,” says Pacilio, “going out for a run, I just feel so much better afterwards.”

“Runner’s High” is a phenomenon that gives this post-jog feeling a name. During exercise, the body releases endorphins, anandamide, dopamine, and other “feel-good” chemicals, and the longer or more intense a workout is, the higher the level of the chemicals released. These neurotransmissions just might provide an explanation as to why the Girls’ Cross Country team is so close-knit. It is nearly impossible for the runners not to have their canonical positive and supportive attitude when all those good feelings are circulating through them. 

Additionally, XC requires athletes to not only run for their own accomplishment, but also that of the team, and because of this, the competitive spirit of Girls’ Cross Country is much more lighthearted and motivating than that of other teams. Everyone wants everyone to make themselves and the team proud, and that is reflected in the words of encouragement that create good friends, not just decent teammates.

As if the guaranteed support system the runners provide for each other was not enough to turn them from peers to pals, Girls’ Cross Country values team bonding as much as they do running. The runners have become a family, together almost constantly for training and other fun activities. Every year, the girls attend an XC camp at Indiana University, which is where new members take the opportunity to build and solidify their presence in the family. Other team bonding activities include Pasta Parties every Thursday at a runner’s house, crafting, and outings like beach days or bonfires. Indeed, as much time as the team spends having fun and building each other up, it is no surprise that the girls are as much a friend group as they are a team.

“We can talk about anything. Honestly, I don’t think there’s a topic we haven’t covered,” says Williams on the overall relationship of the team.

The CHS Girls’ Cross Country team is the home, family, and solace of thirty very happy, devoted, and fast runners, all of whom represent Chesterton High School in the best way possible. Their ability to put mind over matter and power through the pain of extremely severe physical activity is truly unrivaled. The skill of perseverance aids many aspects of life, and these girls have got it down pat; they juggle academics, athletics, and personal feats with their eyes dead-set on the finish line. However, this kind of willpower cannot be hard to achieve with a team full of like-minded individuals cheering them on.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Jennifer Jendrzejczyk

The Girls' XC team at the Larry James Invitational