C-C runners start Aug. 31

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions and Lady Lions opened the 2022 cross country season Wednesday, Aug. 31 at Haskell, but results were not available at press time and will be reported next week.

Albany coach Ginger Norton said the first meet is more about learning to apply strategy and tactics for a race after nearly a month of preseason practices.

“We’ve been working out three times a week in the mornings and some shorter workouts in the afternoons because of the heat,” Norton said. “We did a timed run Monday morning.”

Norton said she looked for how her runners paced themselves during their first race of the season.

“We want to make sure they know where to increase their pace at the end,” she said. “They need to know where to pick off runners in the middle and the end and not just sprint out at the very first.”

Another factor, Norton said, will be how Albany athletes handle running in a larger pack than they do in practice.

“I’ve been trying teach them not to buddy run with each other,” she said. “It’s all right every now and then, but don’t just keep running together.”

Norton said no junior high runners were scheduled to run at Haskell. The younger athletes will face their first competition Tuesday, Sept. 6 at Eula.

The Eula meet will open a busy stretch for the high schoolers, who will compete Saturday, Sept. 10, at Abilene’s Sherrod Park and Wednesday, Sept. 14 at Hawley to wrap up the first half of the schedule.