Cross country runners compete in first meet Sept. 1

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions and Lady Lions opened the 2021 cross country season Wednesday, Sept. 1 at Haskell, but results were not available at press time and will be reported next week.

Albany coach Tate Thompson said four high school and four junior high runners were scheduled to compete.

Thompson said he approaches the first meet as a learning experience for his athletes.

“What I look for the first meet is to figure out what their limitations are,” he said. “This is the first time they’ve run competitively, and for a lot of them, it will be the first meet they’ve ever run in.”

The runners’ first outing helps them learn how to pace themselves, get a good start for the season, and get used to the race atmosphere.

“They have to get their feet wet at some point,” added the coach.

Thompson said the runners eased off on their training mileage in advance of the meet.

“The days leading up to it were real light,” he said. “We had about a 20-minute light jog to get moving the day before the race and will do the same thing the day after the race just to keep them moving but not be too hard on them.”

Thompson said he tries to make sure the athletes train on a soft surface.

“That way their feet and knees aren’t hurting them too bad,” he said.

Albany is scheduled to compete in the Eula meet next week before taking a two-week break from competition.