Golden Hawks cross country team builds baseline at Seneca opener
On Friday, Sept. 18, the Laurier Brantford cross country team began its Ontario Colleges Athletic Association (OCAA) season by competing in the Seneca Invitational in King City, Ont. Facing a tough course and the step up to collegiate race distances, the squad used its first official meet to test summer conditioning and build momentum heading into October. Seneca’s terrain provided a physical test for the roster as runners navigated inclines while adjusting to six-kilometre and eight-kilometre events.
Even in the face of such a challenging course, head coach Kara Hughes said the team showed resilience and skill. “I think based on the difficulty of the course and it being everyone’s first race back, everyone did well,” said Hughes. “With our training, we are preparing everyone to run those distances, so I think everyone did a good job.”
For some athletes, the opener served as their first taste of varsity competition. Golden Hawks student-athlete Stacey said stepping onto the course was a startling experience, though made easier by the team’s support. “It was jarring for sure to go to my first varsity competition, but my coaches and teammates did their best to keep me calm and really helped me feel supported,” she said.
Though physical preparation is critical for long-distance races, Stacey said the mental demands of varsity racing became her most important lesson from the meet. “I think the most challenging part of the race was trying to stay confident,” she said. “I was feeling okay at the beginning, but as more people kept passing me, I felt like I just couldn’t go on, like I wasn’t a competitor. Everyone tells me running is a mental game, and I know I have to get mentally stronger to feel like a competitor. I didn’t do so well, but I finished the race and I know I have room to improve.”
That willingness to learn is what the team is relying on as it prepares for its next meet at the Fanshawe Invitational in London, Ont., on Oct. 3. Transitioning from the hills of Seneca to Fanshawe requires a shift in race tactics. “Fanshawe is a really flat course compared to Seneca, so there is more of a focus on speed endurance in a relatively flat setting,” said Hughes. With new members of the team scheduled to participate in the upcoming meet, Laurier views its season opener as an essential stepping stone toward the OCAA Provincial Championships coming up in late October. “I think a solid baseline was set, so now we just have to continue working,” said Hughes.
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