They’re off. This is the start of the Grade 3 girls race in the Lloydminster Public School Division cross country meet at Bud Miller All Seasons Park last Wednesday with 275 kids taking part. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Run like a rabbit.
That’s what all 275 runners from grades 3 to 9 had in mind at the start line of this year’s Lloydminster Public School Division (LPSD) cross country meet.
Clocking fast times in the 10 different heats would pay off according to race director Craig Blythe at Bud Miller All Seasons Park last Wednesday.
“For us, this is the finale. There’s also the districts coming up, so runners with fast times at this race will get to move on to race (Oct. 5) at Silver Lake,” he explained.
Blythe set the pre-race scene as LPSD staff volunteers helped parents to register their kids.
“Today, grades 3 to 5 students will run 2 kilometres and grades 6 to 9 students will run 3 km,” he said.
“We also have some runners from St. Walburg, Maidstone, Neilburg and Hillmond joining us today, so it will be a huge event.”
Candice Steveson, a Grade 3 teacher at Neilburg Composite brought eight runners with her ready to compete.
“We practise Mondays after school and they do six laps around the track. It’s wonderful to see all these young kids,” she said.
Steveson was not surprised to see one of her students known on a first name basis as Chester, win the first 2 km race for Grade 3 boys.
“He doesn’t even break a sweat. He just turns it on and he goes. He’s a natural, absolutely a 100 per cent natural,” gushed Steveson.
Chester crossed the finish line out of breath and got a welcome hug from his mom Krystyna.
“I’m very very proud. You never know what it’s going to turn out like,” she said.
“He’s always been fairly athletic, but he really pushed himself in this race. He was a minute faster than his other ones. He was just under nine minutes.”
When Chester was ready to speak about how his race went he said, “I gained the lead half way through.”
The all-round athlete also plays soccer, hockey and baseball.
Chester was handed a popsicle stick that the first 10 finishers can exchange for a ribbon in keeping with the character of the meet.
“It’s a fun event because students from the first week of school get to begin practising with coaches and getting outside and enjoying the fresh air and getting exercise and meeting new people,” said Blythe.
“It all culminates with the race and some friendly competition.”
Blythe says they’ve got a ton of parents who come out and cheer the kids on and an amazing staff of volunteers.
Jason Neville, director of education at LPSD pitched in with registration and popsicle stick duties.
“There should be a ton of kids here from schools all across LPSD, so I’m looking forward to it,” he said with the race about to start under sunny skies and no wind.
Some of Blythe students soaked up a few of his running tips and self confidence from running a fast time at the Edmonton Marathon this summer.
One of his young Grade 6 runners, Blake, for example, laced up hoping to finish first by wearing bib #1 by following Blythe’s tactics.
“You have to focus on where you’re going or else you’re going to bump into someone,” he said.
“Always stay running, but sometimes take a little break cause you need to slow down your blood from flowing too much.”
The youngster did well finishing 4th in the 3 km.
Another Grade 4 runner taught by Blythe, named Gurscheen was brimming with confidence from lessons learned by coach Blythe.
“I think I’ll do great, but I’m a little nervous,” she said with her parents looking on.
The key Blythe told her was not to go real fast when you first start.
“You jog and then run because some people when they are spent at the first, they stop in the middle,” she said.
