News From Here and There…

Jessica Smith and Helen Crofts have had a successful season competing in various meets around the world.  Smith is currently ranked 2nd in Canada at 800m (2:00.43)
a time she achieved by placing fifth in the final at the FISU Games held in Kazan, Russia.  Smith has one more chance to improve upon her rank as she will travel with the 61 member Canadian team to the Francophone Games being staged next week in Nice, France.

Crofts returned to action this year after missing most of the 2012 season due to injury and made the most of her recovery by establishing a personal best 2:01.35 established in the semi final round of the FISU Games.   It was a rewarding season for Crofts who last May completed her collegiate career with SFU by winning the 800 meters at the NCAA Division 2 Championships.

Alex Siemens had her debut run last Saturday as a member of the Idaho Vandals Cross Country team.  Siemens placed placed 23rd in a field of 106 runners and was the sixth finisher on the Idaho team.   Her time over the 4-k course was 15:11 an almost identical clocking of teammate Abby Larson who placed 24th.  Idaho sophomore Halie Raudenbush won the race in a time of 14:26.

Seventeen eager secondary school aged runners were on hand last Tuesday for the first cross country practice of the year.   Coach Sue Northey put the runners through a brisk workout in the warm afternoon sun and the coach was pleased with the enthusiasm of the team and their response to some demanding work.   The first major meet of the season for this group will take place on Saturday, October 5 when they travel to Yakima, Washington for the giant SunFair meet.  Other priority meets include the BC Athletics Championships at Clearbrook Park (October 25) and the BC High School Championships to be held at Aldergrove Park on November 2.

James Meehan conducted his first junior development practice of the season on Wednesday and 37 boys and girls were on hand.  The group had a warm up run, went through some drills and then did a variety of short runs.  Practices for this age group (9-15) take place at Clearbrook Park on Monday and Wednesday at 4:00 p.m. and Saturday at 10:00 a.m.  All practices take place at Clearbrook Park. 

The first test of the season for the JD group will be the Grand Prix series that kicks off on Wednesday, September 20.  Interested newcomers are welcome.