Mud Sliding

During fourth period last Thursday, the announcement that there would be no Cross Country practice sounded throughout the school. Several of the cross-country runners were disappointed by this announcement – running in the rain is one of their favorite things to do.

Between fourth and fifth period, Jacob Kornfeld, a junior at Hanover High, spread the idea of holding practice anyway. However, instead of a real practice, the team would be mud sliding. After school, a group of about twenty-five runners met outside the locker rooms in old sneakers and stained shirts ready to go and get dirty.

They took off at a slow jog and headed towards the practice golf course off of Reservoir Road. En route, several runners jumped in puddles and drenched everyone around them. By the time the team arrived at the golf course, everyone was soaked through. Unfortunately, no mud was to be found. The team continued across the road in search of the sand hill, but it proved to be more roots than sand.

After crossing streams that had turned into small rivers, the group returned to the practice golf course. They settled on a steam flowing over a grassy area. The boys went first, showing off their sliding skills. Shirts off, and headfirst, they took off to make sliding records.

After everyone had warmed up, the boys had a contest. Caitlin Haedrich and Isabelle Dietz marked the line from which they had to dive. Emily Muller stood where the record line was. After several rounds and many far slides, Spencer Hardy was pronounced the winner by several feet. As the group made these daring attempts, the cars that drove by honked to show their enthusiasm.

Next was the girls’ race. Several girls, including the author of this article, had a difficult time going face first. Their solution was to go either on their knees, or on their sides. My resolution was to dive slowly on my stomach into the stream.

In general, the results of the girls’ race were shorter than those of the boys. However, Caitlin Haedrich not only held the girls’ record, she also beat Spencer Hardy’s record winning the title of overall winner.

By the time the last runs were taken, many people were shivering, so the team returned to the high school. The overcast day had been turned into a fun-filled, very memorable day for all the participants of mud sliding.