Want; The single thing every runner needs to succeed in the sport is to ask themselves, how much do they want it? Three GlenOak runners asked themselves this question and had great performances.
Senior Ryan Bridenthal along with juniors Sean Lynch and Canaan Sommers are all on the boys varsity cross country team. This week they all ran below 16 minutes at the Federal League Championship meet on Oct. 12, which led them to a 2nd place finish out of eight teams in attendance.
All three runners credit the change in their training program for helping them to become greater at the sport this season.
The traditional training program for boys cross country last year focused more on longer mileage during the summer and regular season. There were also regular static stretches after every practice along with 20 pushups and 50 crunches.
This year the team is using a training plan from collegiate cross country coach Jay Johnson.
“I’ve coached high school, collegiate, and professional runners for more than two decades, including three USATF champions in cross country, indoor track, and road racing. I studied kinesiology and applied physiology at the University of Colorado, where I was a member of the varsity cross-country team featured in Chris Lear’s cult-classic Running with the Buffalos,”Johnson said.
This year’s new training plan focuses more on lower mileage and more timed runs, and 20-30 second stride intervals are incorporated throughout the team’s runs to allow the team to speed up for a short period of time during a race.
During practice, the athletes do a warmup that consists of different movements such as versions of skips and different hip exercises to stretch the athletes out before practice and get their heart rate up. After practice is over the athletes do post-run work, which consists of many different stretches on the ground as well as standing up to open up their core and get ready for the next day.
Bridenthal feels that these practices helped him immensely this year. He ran a 15:43 at the Federal League Meet.
“I’ve been taking our new training plan seriously and I think it has had great results,” Bridenthal said.
Bridenthal also feels he has seen improvement in the entire team.
“I think this is the best GlenOak team during my four years of high school. This was the first time three GlenOak runners went under 16 minutes in a season let alone one race. I think this puts us in a fantastic position going into the postseason,” Bridenthal said.
Lynch has also been enjoying a successful season running 15:54 at the Federal League Meet on Oct. 12. He was also Canton Repository Runner of the Week. While Lynch is proud of his recent personal record, he feels he will not be able to do it later as the season continues.
“I would love to PR again but unfortunately the courses are not the best but there will be great competition,” Lynch said.
Sommers has been having a great season along with his teammates, running a 15:49 at the Federal League meet. Sommers has also been elected Canton Repository runner of the week and along with that, he has been nominated student-athlete of the week twice this school year.
“My biggest accomplishment this season would be getting First Team All Federal League, with the Federal League Meet being one of the most competitive leagues in the country. I am very proud to say I am First Team All Federal League for two years now,” Sommers said.
Saturday, Oct. 19. the GlenOak Boys Cross Country team will be competing at the District Championship on their home course. The boys will continue to battle with quality competition as the season starts to come closer to an end.
