Year three of the State Championship is within reach for the Wahconah boys this year. The team has consistently placed very well in the county meets and is focusing on giving the Sectional meet in Westfield on the 11th of November their absolute best. Cross Country is all about pushing one’s limits and not stopping no matter what, and that is exactly what our team does.
Some people wonder what goes into training for a 5k race that the boys have mastered. It turns out that the training is a lot more complicated than people think. In a typical practice, athletes will run between one and four times their 3-mile race. On workout days, they run hills on Warrior or Fox Road or do speed workouts by doing intervals on the track. Each day has a different purpose for improving an aspect of the race. A great degree of endurance is required, and that is why long runs are designed to keep the legs moving for up to 90 minutes, even if the varsity team averages 18-19 minutes per race. Some days implement fun activities into the run. The team played manhunt for an entire practice in the woods and ran about five miles through the trails. On other days, they competed in a scavenger hunt around town looking for items like a burrito from Hot Harry’s or even a picture at the town line. Running provides so many opportunities to have fun!
But when it comes time to compete, the team is very serious about their race. On meet days, the boys’ team, led by captain Aidan Garcia, always aim to place their varsity in the top ten and always score 3-4 in that range. Noah Wesley and Fritz Sanders trade places in every race in podium positions at the top five. Neither of them are seniors and will provide very strong races for the remainder of their careers. Caddy Gladu and Aidan Garcia are always close behind. Races can be over 100 runners, so these places allow the team to score well. Cross Country adds up the places of the team and the team with the lowest score wins. That is how Wahconah has consistently beaten Pittsfield, Taconic, Hoosac, Mount Everett, Monument, and Lee at every opportunity they have. And with many of these teams in their division, it provides an immense potential to earn a trip to states after the qualifying meet.
Boys Cross Country has been very successful this year and hopes to beat the streak at states again this year. It has been over 25 years since Wahconah sent their team to states for 3 consecutive years, and it looks like this crew will have the race of their lives to make it!
UPDATE: They qualified for the State Championship!
