Clara Beckwith-Jamieson & Joanne Chang / Staff Reporters
The cross country team has been competing weekly in races at Mundy park since September 21. During the races, the junior teams ran 4 km, and the seniors ran 5 km.
The team raced in Fraser Norths last Thursday, October 27 which also doubled as the district qualifiers, because of its cancellation the previous Wednesday, October 19 due to wildfire smoke in the area. The senior girls took fourth and the senior boys took third, both qualifying to compete in provincials on November 5, while the junior boys took sixth place but did not qualify.
To qualify for provincials Gleneagle competed against 27 schools with only six senior girls’, five senior boys’, and four junior girls’ and boys’ teams moving on to provincials. However, there were not enough senior girl runners to form a team, so the junior girls moved up to form one team.
Cross country team runners Asher Barrett, grade 9, Ella Kalnins, grade 12, Hanson Zhou, and Jennifer Zhou, both grade 11, took first place in races throughout the season.
The whole team has also been “getting better every race,” said Patty Anderson, cross country coach and PE teacher, “they are a dedicated group.” The runners have been doing well, but Anderson adds that “our main goal is to have them enjoy running and do their best.”
To prepare for their races, the team ran hills on the crunch and headed out to Mundy park to run loops.
Hanson Zhou said that “every race is kind of a struggle because you always challenge yourself a little bit more” but that he has “been improving [his] time every single time.”
Kalnins has been racing for Gleneagle for four years but was injured during the last cross country season. She said, “[I am] trying to prove myself after my injury and trying to get back to the fitness level.” Kalnins is “super happy with [this season] so far.”