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Move to cross country is ‘eye-opener’

Justice Bell

Running cross country is a new development in Justice Bell’s athletic career.

As a student athlete, Bell balances athletics, course work and extracurricular activities.

Bell is a senior biochemistry major with a minor in African studies, a member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. and a presidential scholar with the university’s Alice Carson Tisdale Honors College.

The hours before practice are the best times to complete her responsibilities, Bell said.

Bell started her journey as a Lady Panther by sprinting on the track team. She joined the cross-country team at the request of the coach.

For Justice, after the first meet of the season, it became evident that track and cross country are distinct disciplines.

Bell says the first race was an “eye-opener.”

“It showed me I could push myself,” Bell said.

The first meet of the season was at Charleston Southern University.

According to Bell, as an onlooker, the pace of cross-country runners was deceiving. Cross-country runners look like they are jogging but that is not the case.

Bell’s main goal is to achieve consistent 10-minute-mile times.

She sees this as an opportunity to improve her athleticism “by pushing myself and pushing each other.”