XC Running

 

Stuey's Fall sport is cross country running.  Back when I was on the running team our season ran from September through November.  But here in Alaska they started running in August and the season ends in October. So every day since early August Stuey has had running from 4 to 6 PM.

Unlike most of the other kids on the team, Stuey just started running this year.  When he started his legs were not used to the pounding and he had to go slow.  But he stuck with it, and as the season has progressed he has gotten faster and faster.  He has even been in 3 races (one was a 'fun' relay).  In the 5K he improved his time over 2 minutes between one race and the next!

I am really impressed at how the team trains.  When I was a runner we just did the same old boring flat trails every day.  But the Kodiak team trains on Pillar Mountain on the same trails I ride my mountain bike down.  Super impressed.  When I was in high school those trails would have been way too steep for me.  A couple of times while mountain biking I have even bumped into the XC team going the other way.

Since Stuey started running his fitness level has improved dramatically.  We've gone hiking up mountains a few times since he started and he has just zipped up the hills.  I think he is going to have a HUGE advantage skinning up the mountain when ski season begins - and yesterday we saw the first 'termination dust' on the mountain.  So just as running season is winding down ski season is winding up!

Patrick

'Fun' relay at the golf course