For members of Mancos High School’s cross-country and track teams, offseason training has become a consistent ingredient to success.
Thus, when Simon Kearns, Teslin Stechar, and Caleb Yoder heard about the first annual National High School Trail Championship, there was little doubt that the three high school runners would join.
Billed as a 5-mile trail race featuring switchbacks, climbs and descents through the Rocky Mountains, the one-day event took place near Salida on July 29. According to event organizers, the race was open to all current high school athletes. Individual racers or three-person teams could sign up.
Leading the way for Mancos was soon-to-be senior Simon Kearns, who placed fifth overall with a time of 35:57. Kearns’ time was especially impressive given that he did not compete in track and field last spring while attending the High Mountain Institute in Leadville.
Also competing for the Bluejays was Teslin Stecher, who parlayed a summer of cross training in the pool as a member of the Durango Swim Club into a 17th-place finish (38:38). Rounding out the Mancos competitors was Caleb Yoder, who finished 26th overall in a time of 41:28.
Fort Collins High School standout James Gregory finished first in the competition with a time of 34:33. Thirty-four total runners participated in the event.
“The race was on a hilly, muddy course on and around S Mountain,” said Mancos High School cross-country and track coach, Brady Archer. “It rained the entire race, and it had been raining most of the day before so it was very wet. It was a good chance for (our runners) to see where they are fitness-wise against some good teams from across the state.”
With their final summer training race behind them, all three Mancos runners will look ahead to the upcoming cross-country season, which will begin in less than a month. Last year, the Mancos boys team finished fifth overall in Colorado’s 2A classification. With several standout runners returning, the Bluejays will look to move up the standings this upcoming year.