Senior
Brittany Ream of Holly Springs High School has a story to tell about how cross country has helped her to live her best life.
In
middle school she recalls being bullied.
"I didn't like the way I
looked," she says. "The way I did anything really. I hated myself and would self-harm. Anyone out there struggling needs to hear my story, because cross country
helped me change my life.
"Cross country is a beautiful thing and you meet some extraordinary
people," she says. "I think that many of us look up to people we think are more attractive
than us when really we should look at ourselves and see that we are made the
way we are for a reason that you may or may not see at the moment. Cross country
has made me a much happier person, and instead of inflicting the pain on myself
in a negative way I chose to push myself."
Ream is a four-year runner for the Golden Hawks.
"I shaved 10 minutes off of my
5K time," she says, "and have slowly made my way up to third on the team."
Her coach, Thomas
Myers elaborates on Ream's success.
"Brittany ran above a 30 minute time trial her freshman year
and her first race was not much better," he remembers. "She joked with me a few weeks ago
that she didn't feel like getting out of bed for summer workouts during her
freshman year, and she didn't."
This
season, Ream has achieved a PR of 20:18 when she finished seventh at the Southern
Wake Athletic Conference (SWAC) Championship last week, a 48-second improvement
over her 2016 effort.
"Wake Med is a favorite course because
many tend to go too fast during the first mile," Ream says. "I always try to negative split
because that's just how I run, so it's always a good feeling being able to pass
people on the up hill finish. It's a great feeling to leave everything I have
out on the course for my team."
Although
she doesn't have any pre-race rituals, Ream prepares for her races by lacing up
her Saucony spikes and "trying not to focus on the race too much. My team and I
go out five to 10 minutes before and have a prayer circle, and maybe our Hawks Jacks,
which is where we do jumping jacks in a circle spelling out Hawks, then come
together and hype each other up and shout 'Lady Hawks.'"
Ream
enjoys training at Umstead State Park and Sugg Farm.
"If I'm not
having a good day I like courses with hills," she says. "But for an everyday long run I like
Umstead State Park. It has a good mix with both hilly and flat parts. I love my
home course Sugg Farm because it has good memories of all four years of
running, that I will forever cherish."
She
enjoys racing the cross country standard distance and says it's her favorite
event along with the 1600 on the track. She posted a 5:47 PR during her junior
year outdoors.
"My least favorite event would have to be the 3200," she says, "because I tend to lose track what lap I am on, and pacing tends to be a bit
weird, but it's still a fun event either way."
Ream
stands out as the only varsity senior racing for her school.
"I
would like to think I'm a good teammate," she says. "I always cheer for everyone. I bring
extra water if it's going to be a hot day. I try to stay positive so the
workouts go faster. I also think I help encourage some of the girls behind me
because I used to run their times. Honestly without this team and my coaches I
know that I would not be the person I am today."
Coach
Myers describes Ream's maturity as her strength.
"She sets obtainable goals for
herself and goes after them," he says. "She does set a big picture goal, but she
realizes that she can't just focus on the big goal or she will miss the steps
it takes to get there. I see so many runners with race anxiety and I think it's
because they see the finish line before the race starts and Brittany sees each
phase of the training and race course and the finish line is the reward.
"I know she has one more goal and if she can get to the state meet
through the toughest region in the state, all I can say is, 'Wow! Oh wow!' Her time may not stand out to everyone but her coaches will know. She has
nothing to prove to us. She already stands out to us, state meet or not."
When
she's not running, Ream describes herself as a regular student.
"I
take AP classes," she says, listing her activities at school. "I forget things, I am in two clubs, I like to volunteer and
help others out whenever I can, I like hanging out with friends whenever I can,
and of course I stress out about things as well."
She especially enjoys her
chorus classes.
"I've always loved music and love learning how music
works the way it does, with music theory. Chorus music also can be very
challenging and beautiful which is also a bonus."
Ream
looks forward to competing after high school. This fall, she committed to
Wingate University.
"I am super excited because I never
thought I would be where I am today," she says. "Also for the millionth time it feels like,
I want to give a huge thank you to my coaches, teammates, family, and
friends who have supported me every day of my running career because I would
not be where I am, and who I am without them in my life!"
