By Moses Leos III

Despite inexperience, the Lehman Cross Country program closed its season with a seventh place finish at the 14-6A District Meet at Decker Lake in Austin on Friday. 

It was the culmination of a season of learning for a program that will return all but three runners next year. 

For Lehman head coach Ramez Antoun, the 5,000-meter Decker Lake course – which was the same they ran at the beginning of the season – provided the runners a barometer of their progress. 

“Our kids were able to compare apples to apples to how their times changed from September to October,” Antoun said. “They shaved off considerable amounts of time … it’s encouraging and it’s motivating for them.” 

Continuing the gains made during the year will be the focus for the Lobos. While Antoun said the runners understand their current status, it’s up to the team members to advance what they’ve learned. 

The team will work on that aspect by holding each other accountable during the offseason. 

“They have to maintain those gains for next year, so we don’t have to start over,” Antoun said. “The bulk of our runners are coming back. They have to maintain where they are at for next year. Otherwise, we’ll be back in the rut where we’re at now.” 

Help could be on the horizon, as Antoun and assistant coach Brad Baker have submitted research to start a dedicated cross country class at Lehman. 

Currently, no class exists for cross-country, forcing students to train on their own. 

But Antoun said a class isn’t the “end all, be all” for the program. While successful programs have a dedicated class, not all programs that start one are successful. 

Maintaining consistency is important, ranging from nutrition to hydration. 

“Our kids have to buy in that being a runner is a lifestyle. It’s not a uniform, it’s a commitment,” Antoun said. “You can’t just decide to be a runner. Once you get good, you have to maintain where you’re at.”