As if running 5 kilometers weren't hard enough, the Mancos cross-country team endured a 10-hour drive and camped out the night before its race in Lyons on Saturday.
Head coach Brady Archer understood how difficult of an undertaking the weekend would be, but was happy with his team's response.
"The runners showed some toughness in being able to drive for 10 hours, camp, and then race as well as they did," he said.
Competing against 36 teams in the St. Vrain Invitational, the Blue Jays boys finished in fourth place, and the girls were 14th.
Ro Paschal led the way for the boys, finishing sixth and running the 5K in 16:49. He was followed by Simon Kearns in 12th place at 17:28.
Nic Archuleta and Jake McKie crossed the finish line in 44th and 52nd with times of 18:42 and 18:53, and Asa Kearns finished in 75th at 19:33.
Teslin Stecher was 94th (20:01), Caleb Yoder finished 104th (20:13), Vincent Grego was 113th (20:24), and Zane Goodell was 122nd (20:38).
Zane Wilson (22:36), Alex Fleitz (24:03) and Joseph Knezek (24:31) rounded out the boys squad in 197th, 213th and 219th.
The girls' 14th-place finish was fueled by Emma Most and Brittney Peacock. Most led the team with a 44th-place finish (22:00), and Peacock wound up in 60th (22:55) even though she wasn't one hundred percent.
"Brittney was pretty sick," said Archer. "But she went out and ran a great race for the team."
Hannah Skinner and Kaylee Rose were next, finishing close together in 84th and 85th and times of 24:08 and 24:10. Mimi Archuleta finished in 122nd with a time of 27:16.
Considering the long drive, the camp-out and Peacock's illness, Archer said the adversity his team overcame this weekend will make them stronger.
"This is the type of meet that will pay off for us when we get to our regional meet later in the season," he said.
The Blue Jays' next meet is the "Ramble at the Reservoir," hosted by Ouray at Ridgway State Park next Friday, Sept. 18 at 2:30 p.m.