Four cross-country runners from Lake City Secondary School made their mark at zones and provincials this autumn.
The North Central Zones were held in Vanderhoof Oct. 21 and saw all four qualify for provincials, which were held in Surrey, Nov. 4.
Grade 10 students Ella Thiessen, placed 33rd and Nadia Wallin, 21st as juniors while seniors Kiera Dyer, Grade 11 placed 53rd and Anika Wallin, Grade 12, placed 14th.
The length of the course was 4.2 km for the juniors and 5 km for the seniors.
Coach Chloe Menard said they always go for a jog on the race course the night before to come up with a race plan for the next day.
“There were two sketchy sections this year due to heavy rain and mud as well as considerable slopes, but that never stops a good fall leaf-throwing opportunity,” she said.
Anika started cross-country running while attending Nesika Elementary School and then joined the cross country team at LCSS in Grade 10.
Weather was a little bit of an issue at the North Central Zones held in Vanderhoof, she said.
“It was cold and everyone had very cold fingers,” Anika said.
Running at Crescent Park in Surrey for provincials was not as cold, but quite muddy and a bigger event with more runners.
“There were 300 senior girls and I raced against 150,” she said. “We were separated into A, AA, and AAA.”
Happy with her results, Anika said she had a lot of fun.
“I sprinted at the end and passed two people.”
Anika thanked Menard for all her help as the coach.
Presently Anika has switched her focus to cross-country skiing.
She attended a ski workshop in Vernon the weekend of Nov. 18 at Sovereign Lake where her first competition of the season will be in two weeks.
Running helps keep her fit for skiing, she said, noting she hopes to do some track and field in the spring for her final year at secondary school.
Anika’s sister Nadia has been running cross-country since Grade 3 and joined the secondary school team in Grade 9.
This was her second time competing at provincials.
“It’s so fun to meet new people and race against different levels,” Nadia said.
“I felt pretty good. It was a two-lap run and the first lap went well then I got a cramp at the end, but it went pretty good overall.”
Nadia is also a cross-country skier and she attended the workshop in Vernon as well.
Ella said it was her second year attending zones and provincials.
“Last year I got eighth at zones and I was hoping to do better this year,” she said. “I came second and Nadia got first.”
Echoing Anika, Ella said it was cold in Vanderhoof and her hands were numb.
At provincials she also improved over last year.
In 2022 she placed 88th so she was happy getting 33rd this year.
There were 230 juniors competing and it was a pretty big competition, she said.
“We were the last race and by then it was getting warm. It was really muddy because it had rained the night before.”
She estimated a 100-metre strip was pure mud.
“It was a pretty hard race but I think everyone was probably under 30 or 40 minutes,” she said.
Ella said running is something her whole family enjoys, adding it’s in her genes.
Praising the athletes, Menard said they are a “the most lovely humans, truly dedicated to sport, academics and are so kind.”
Next year, she hopes the school can host the North Central Zones, she said.
