Most Chamblee students have either forgotten about middle school or are trying their hardest to erase those memories. The cross country team is an exception. Each year, team members welcome a handful of eighth graders from Chamblee Middle to join their ranks. This gives them the opportunity to race with the team and develop a solid training pattern.

Head cross country coach Jennifer Tinnell, in particular, is a firm believer in encouraging eighth graders to join the team.

“The way to build a program is to get eighth graders involved,” said Tinnell. “We want to get them young and keep them.”

The three middle school runners are Mac Patterson, Andrew Johnson, and Michael Fessenden. Because of differences in the release times and bussing schedules between the high school and middle school, they are forced to practice on their own.

“It’s a lot of compromise,” said Tinnell. “They have to be self disciplined. Then, they get to run in the meets.”

Patterson admits it is hard to get motivated sometimes after a long day of school and a full schedule.

“I get home around 5:30 with an hour of homework,” he said.

Fessenden agrees that it can be a struggle to lace up and get out the door.

“It depends on how hot it is,” said Fessenden who usually runs four or five miles per practice.

Students take interest in running cross-country for a variety of reasons. Some run to stay in shape for other sports like basketball or swimming, some run to spend time with friends, and some run for the sheer competition.

“My dad did cross country when he was in high school,” said Patterson of his reasoning for joining the team.

Fessenden said he joined “mainly because it sounded fun and some of my friends were doing it too.”

Fessenden, Johnson, and Patterson have posted some impressive times this season for young runners. At the Alexander Invitational, where many of the team members had personal best times, Fessenden ran five kilometers in 21:21, Johnson in 20:58, and Patterson in 25:90.

Both Fessenden and Patterson look forward to running cross-country in high school, but Patterson is toying with the idea of attending Druid Hills rather than Chamblee to avoid the magnet program.