Runners start training

By Sam Waller

Albany cross country coach Tate Thompson welcomed five runners this week for the start of training for the upcoming season, and he hopes to add to that number before district competition.

Thompson said he will have four girl runners and two boys to start the season.

“The last couple of years, we haven’t had boy runners,” Thompson said. “There are not a whole lot of boy runners in the district, so that’s going to give us a good chance of advancing those two guys.”

On the girls side, junior Briley Tabor returns after competing last year.

“She was only a few places out from advancing to regional last year,” Thompson. “She’s got a really good shot of getting out as well.”

If Thompson can recruit another girl or two, Albany would be eligible to qualify for regional as a team.

“We’d have a better shot of advancing with a team,” he said.

Following an organizational meeting on Monday morning, Thompson said the athletes had their first training session on Tuesday.

“We started with just paperwork and equipment, then we got out and ran (on Tuesday).”

Albany’s first meet is Sept. 1 at Haskell. The runners will also compete in meets at Eula, Hamlin, and Anson.

“Right now, we’re just focusing on progressively getting them into shape and getting some miles in,” Thompson said. “We’ll do some low-impact stuff, too, just to save the pounding on their feet and knees. We’ll go to the city pool and do some endurance drills.”

In addition to weight training, Thompson said practices would feature work on different parts of a race.

“Hills, building stamina, and exercises like that will be key,” he said. “We’ll break those up and try to explore every aspect we can.”

Albany will compete in District 10-2A against runners from Anson, Cisco, Hamlin, Haskell, Hawley, and Stamford. Thompson said details for the district meet are still being worked out.

The Region II-2A meet is scheduled for late October at Lynn Creek Park in Grand Prairie.