Spartans place fifth in provincials

Justin Seward
Times Reporter

 

The Strathmore Spartans high school cross country team did not disappoint at provincials as, although they were 21 points out from finishing first, the coaches were satisfied with a respectable fifth place finish out of 51 schools.
The coaches made sure they got a run in beforehand on their overnight stay in Edmonton and made sure they got the proper rest and diet in before the provincial race. Upon arrival in Grande Prairie, the runners did a walk through the course, which helped the athletes’ strategies on the course.
“It was one of the nicest courses I’ve seen,” said coach Paul Sonsteby. “It was not particularly tough. I’d say our zone course was a tougher run, which typically happens. This course in Grande Prairie was grass, wide-open Nordic trail, some hills but nothing too tough and the short single track.”
From coach Jerry Flaws’ perspective, who ran the track a day prior, he thought it was challenging for the pack of runners throughout the course of the race but if runners were committed, they could make up ground in times.
“It was challenging enough to be a provincial course but it wasn’t difficult to take away from good times,” said Flaws. “Our kids put up some good times.”
What Flaws liked about the course was that it enabled the runners to stretch out at the beginning and pull away from the pack right up until the single short track, where it was a sandy uphill climb with roots.