By Caleb Martin ‘27 and Luca Boley ‘27
Mid-September marks an apex in the cross-country season, and for many runners, the Carlisle Invitational is the race where fast times and fierce competition come together to create an unforgettable experience. This year the annual event will take place on Saturday, September 27.
This is a race commonly known for its very fast course with mowed grass, minimal elevation gain, and next-to-no obstructions.
“You really can’t match the experience,” said Noah Hykes, a junior at Warwick. “I sure will miss this meet when I graduate.”
Others were less enthusiastic, like Joshua Yoder, a senior at Conestoga Valley, who said, “Um. I lived.”
The start of a race like this is a huge event, with over 350 people on the starting line. Some people enjoy this chaotic start, like, Ethan Stoltzfus, a senior at Conestoga Valley, who said, “There was a lot of shoving. That was pretty fun.”
“There’s a lot of fun energy,” Yoder said. “It’s just cool how many runners there are.”
Tenth grader Eliza Hess agreed, saying, “I really enjoyed that the race was just such a good environment, and it was a very big race, and you get to meet lots of new people.”
After taking a poll, most people agreed that among their goals they want to set a PR (personal record) or at least do better than last year. Ian Widders, a junior at Warwick High School, said, “It’s a great place to PR, but still not [an] easy [place] to.”