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Countless miles, extraordinary determination, and lasting memories — that’s cross country. Get ready to cheer on Blacksburg High School’s girls and boys cross country teams as they compete this fall! The boys team has won the Class 4 Cross Country State Championship twice in a row, and they have a great chance at winning again! On the girls side, they're in great shape and look forward to a successful season as well. Head Coach Howard, Coach Cox, and Coach Matthews have all prepared these athletes with the training to reach their potential. Laura Baker, a senior, shared her favorite memory from summer training. “I definitely liked when we went to Mountain Lake and the team was very supportive," she said. Athletes that train under these coaches run 6 days a week. Blacksburg Cross Country is known for doing mountain runs, an intense form of hill training that puts the runners significantly ahead. Senior, Daniel Bandera said, “The mountain runs are fun once you finish, but the climb is treacherous.” Additionally, they do core, weights, and stretching to be at their best and to prevent injury. While injuries do take place from time to time, this program sees very few compared to other schools.
There were lots of team bonding activities before the start of the school year so that the athletes could get to know each other better. Two of those things were a camping trip and team day. There is a large group of seniors on the team stepping up into a leadership role. It’s great for the younger runners to have so many people to look up to. The team had some fast competition at their first race of the season: Blacksburg Relays! It was on August 31st at our home course behind the school. Runners raced in teams of 5 and each athlete took a turn racing a 2k (1.24 miles). After the competition, the top teams were awarded with a baton. The fastest girls and boys relay teams won and the others competed well. 7 girls and 5 boys placed in the top 10 for individual split times.
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If you are able, please consider attending some of these meets to show your support of this talented group of student athletes! Encouragement makes all the difference when racing. The VHSL postseason races (Regions and States) will be the most crucial for a big turnout!
If you want the full effect of a cross country meet, Knight’s Crossing in Salem, VA is a great experience. This will take place on September 7th at Green Hill Park. The race is a 5k (3.1 miles), just like the teams remaining races for the season. Other races this season are: Clash with the Titans (9/14), Oatlands Invitational (9/21), Virginia Tech XC Meet (9/28), Great American XC Festival (10/5), The VA XC Showcase (10/19), Metro Invitational (10/23), Region 4D Cross Country Championship (11/5), Class 4 Cross Country State Championship (11/16), Nike Southeast XC Regionals (11/23). Wish our Bruins luck!
Written by Alexis Plaster
Photography by Elayna Weatherspoon, Daxson Clay
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