Runners take to Plains

PLAINS- The Plains High School Cross Country team gathered with coach Tony Banovich at the Sanders County Fairgrounds for the first official practice of the season. The team has only a few weeks before the first competition of the year.

The team will either compete on Aug. 6th in Kalispell or on Aug. 7th at the Eureka Invitational.

Cross country racing takes athletes off the track and gets them out into open spaces. Courses typically range from four to twelve kilometers or about 2.5 to 7.5 miles in length. Events are not called off due to foul weather. Cross country runners compete in rain, sleet and a wide variety of temperatures.

The most common length in high school sports is five kilometers or a little over three miles. Since athletes are not simply running around a track and the fact that the terrain varies widely from event to event, there are many schools of thought on strategy.

Some recommend athletes start strong to separate themselves from the pack while other coaches train athletes to pace themselves, staying with the group before making a move. While it was not immediately clear which category coach Banovich falls into, what was clear was that he was not merely going to give his athletes a course and send them on their way. He hit the road with them.

The Plains cross country team has a mix of returning veterans and newcomers to the sport. While the boys team has enough members to qualify as a team for competitions, Banovich said he was hoping for a few more girls to sign up in order to ensure they would qualify. Teams need a minimum of five members in order to compete in tournaments.

Six runners met at the fairgrounds for a team meeting before setting out on a practice run along River Road West. A few members of the team were absent due to volleyball practice taking place at the same time at the Plains High School gym. Currently, the team is made up of five boys and four girls.

Coach Banovich said he would be taking the team through a few warm-up runs before gradually increasing the distance of the workouts. Banovich is also the long distance coach for the high school track and field team.

“Some of the kids have been running during the summer so we start out easy with the others,” said Banovich. “We will gradually build up the distances so they get stronger and stronger without anyone getting injured. After that we will see where everyone is. We don’t worry too much early in the season.”

There will be a time-trial in Plains before the start of the official cross country season. Teams from Thompson Falls and Hot Springs will be invited to participate at that event on August 31st. Banovich said the time trial is a good way to get those new to the sport used to competing.

“It’s unofficial but it gives them the chance to get the feel of competition,” said Banovich.