My name is Rory Abberton, and on Friday, December 2, I will run my last collegiate cross-country race for Chico State at the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country Championships in Seattle. As my athletic career comes to a close, I know I will always be a part of a great program, and it will always be a part of me.

I began running competitively when I was 14 years old and have put in thousands of miles, training my legs and lungs to push myself to achievements that were previously unimaginable to me. But since I came to Chico State, nothing has evolved more than my mind.

I had no idea what was in store when I first arrived on campus in the fall of 2018. My definition of success was running fast times and winning races to solidify my name as one of the program's greats. It took a few years to see the greater value of being a Chico State runner; to understand how running is interconnected with so many aspects of being a student and that success, after all, isn't black and white.

My first season in uniform was thrilling. I improved race after race and was one of seven runners selected to compete at the NCAA championships in Sacramento. Because Sacramento is so close to Chico, I knew there would be a vocal Chico State support group in attendance. However, it blew my naïve freshman mind to find more than 500 Chico State alumni draped in cardinal and white scattered across the course as we arrived. Chants of "Chiiiicoooo! Chiiiicoooo!" came in waves throughout the day. This was my first introduction to what it means to be part of the Chico State family. The generation-spanning support was powerful. All these people with jobs, families, and lives of their own, chose to be in Sacramento to support student-athletes. I ended up running my best collegiate race yet, helping the team finish third in the nation and sending the fans home happy. Their impact stayed with me, though. On the return trek to Chico, I reflected on the passion displayed and the bond between myself and what before had been 500 strangers.

Read the rest of Rory's story at Chico State Today.

Check out Rory's running advice on tiktok.

Rory will graduate in May with bachelor's degrees in organizational communication and communications, along with minors in management, project management, and marketing, and he plans to pursue a career in public relations.

Friday's race takes place in University Place, Washington, at 10 a.m.

Watch a live stream of the race and/or follow the action via splits and live results.