It was 106 degrees at Pecos Park, but that didn’t stop the cross country girls at Gilbert Classical Academy.

Despite the heat, GCA finished fourth at the SeventhAnnual Pecos Run on Wednesday afternoon behind Northwest Christian, Globe and Tempe Prep.

Junior Ainsley Snyder was shrugging off some leg pain before the race and said she was just hoping to place top 20 but found herself finishing fourth.

Snyder had run the course twice before and knew it was a long stretch, but she knew she could get though it and keep going.

“Our coach had been saying this mantra that she keeps in her head which is, ‘hope, hold on, pain ends, you’re stronger than you think you are,’” Snyder said.

On the back stretch, Snyder was motivated when told that she was in seventh at the time.

“I was like. ‘OK I’m going to place top five,’” Snyder said. “I’m going to get up there, I just had to keep going.”

Freshman teammate Ayla Young  placed ninth and sophomore Tally Thompson  placed 12th.

“I improved a lot from last year so that’s what I’m mostly proud of,” Thompson said. “Not the place, it’s all about improvement for me.”

Competing in the heat can be difficult for runners, but family and teammates made it easier for Thompson. But not only do teammates motivate these girls, but the cross country community as a whole.

Everyone, including the competing teams, were cheering Young on when she was getting to the finish line.

“A lot of people here are runners so they all know what it feels like, so every time I pass someone I say, ‘Come on, keep going’ and when I stop to walk, people pass me and say the same thing,” Young said. “So I really like how we support each other.”