The season concluded with a series of fun competitions including a plank challenge, 100-meter dash, bucket-filling relay, Anything But the Baton relay, puzzle relay and three-legged race.
/Season-ending results
Corbin Elston claimed first place in the plank challenge, while Dylan Elston won the 100-meter dash in 18 seconds. Harper Myers finished first in the three-legged race and shared first place with Shaleigh Dickinson in the bucket-filling relay challenge. Kasen Carwin captured the Anything But the Baton relay, and Dickinson earned first in the puzzle relay.
/Watching confidence grow
Sidney High School senior Emily Bashtovoi said one of the most rewarding parts of the summer was watching participants grow more confident with each practice.
“My favorite part of having the younger runners join us this summer was getting to watch them grow in their confidence,” Bashtovoi said. “The first couple of days, they'd very shyly walk up to you and ask, ‘What are we doing today?’ When you told them, ‘Oh, just an easy mile or two,’ their eyes would get big like they thought you were crazy.”
As the weeks went on, Bashtovoi said those same runners began embracing the challenge.
“They not only got more comfortable with running, but also with talking to the coaches and older runners,” she said. “Seeing that kind of maturity develop in such a short time was neat to witness.”
One moment, she said, stood out during a longer training run.
“I asked the girls I was running with if we should slow down,” Bashtovoi said. “One of them looked up at me and said, ‘No! I can do this.’ It made me laugh to see such grit. Kids will definitely keep you in line if you give them the chance.”
/Looking ahead
Bashtovoi said the club benefited both the younger participants and the high school athletes who helped lead workouts throughout the summer.
“I think the Youth Running Club was a successful addition to our team's summer,” she said. “I hope it continues in the years to come because it's a great opportunity to expose the future generation to cross country before they reach middle school.”
