The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

The Student News Site of Monta Vista High School

El Estoque

Runners prepare for domination

Summer practices speed cross country to a stirring season.

Cross country opened to a strong start Aug. 18, carrying over the majority of its top players from the previous season. In order to prepare a team that runs up to 2 1/2 hours per day through trails by Stevens Creek Canyon and Hunter's Point, nearly all the runners trained vigorously over the summer. This included drills known as "intervals," which involve sprinting for two to three minutes and then jogging slowly, with stringent repetition.
   
Some runners, such as senior Jean Feng, accompanied their training with weight lifting to condition arms, legs, and abdominal muscles. Other runners jogged around Cupertino, from local stores like Target to the rolling hills of Linda Vista park. "Just trying to keep it from feeling like a chore," explained junior Kranti Peddada, who varies his routes depending on his mood.

On Sept. 6, at the first meet of the season, MVHS will once again face its rival, Lynbrook. But the runners feel prepared. The 30 students who showed up for practice included several incoming freshmen, who have demonstrated "strong potential," according to the experienced and returning members of cross country.

This year, with such a promising team, MVHS both hopes and expects to excel at future meets and qualify even more runners for CCS finals. A few of the top senior athletes to look out for this season are last year's captain Feng, who "can run faster than some of the boys," said sophomore teammate Michael Serio; Curtis Gatley, who has been recognized for his dedication; and Melinda Chen, who ran nearly every day this summer.

Maintaining a regimen as intensive as that of this summer, our cross country team hopes to employ their skill and dedication to lead us into a competitive season.

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