The long distance running team has always been exceptionally strong at Tahoma High School. Whether it is track or cross country the runners are performing at another level. Especially the varsity girls cross country team of 2022. “These ladies are something else” said the head coach, Jeff Brady, who has been coaching the program for 25 years. There are seven girls on the varsity team who compete, five seniors and two juniors. They have been practicing hard since the end of their successful track season, with mileage of up to 45 miles a week. Sara Sanders, a senior who has been on varsity since freshman year, explained what a typical week of practices looks like“we have a variety of easy runs,speed workouts and tempo runs that build up where we need to be”.  The teams has 3 big invitationals left until state which is Nov. 5, where they compete over in Pasco Washington on a golf course. They must not only stay physically strong throughout the next couple of weeks but also mentally strong. “ I try to think of everything I am doing for a purpose: to better our team,” says senior Kate Sanders. The tahoma team has consistently shown that they do not work individually but push each other to the best of their abilities. Their short term goals may improve their times but overall their goal is always to work together to improve their overall placing.  Not only do these girls have a bond on the course but off the course as well. Assistant coach Anne Hobson says, “These girls are different from teams in the past. Their connection goes past running and into their personal lives as well.”  They are not only racing for themselves but for their teammates l. They go through all of it together, all the good workouts and races but all the bad races and workouts as well.  “ We share everything together creating this unbreakable bond,” says Kylie Casteman, a senior.  This is viewed by younger runners which is why Tahoma Cross Country has continued to have such a successful program. As the girls enter their final races they share their pre race ritual, “ We always huddle together and talk about our goals right before the race” , says Julia Stuard, a senior. “ We always wear lucky bows and sports bras,” shares Ella Benjamin, a junior. Together these ladies have put in exceptional work that they hope will pay off and win them the state title this year. Follow their “Path to Pasco” by watching the live streams of the races.