Fifty-four youngsters arrived at Frey Park to participate in the second meet of the 5th Annual Elementary School Cross Country Series, sponsored by Lynn Parks and Recreation.
The series introduces children from pre-K through fifth grade to an inexpensive, healthy lifetime activity. Many of the participants were first-timers. The goal of the series is to help youngsters understand the effort needed to complete a cross-country course — with success defined as finishing the event with little or no walking.
Before the start of each race, organizers demonstrated two running efforts. The first was a fast pace, with runners instructed not to follow anyone who starts that way. The second was an easy, comfortable pace, emphasizing steady effort.
Two races were held — a short race of 0.86 miles and a long race of 1.48 miles. Both featured some of the best performances the series has seen, with many youngsters starting cautiously and completing the course with little or no walking.
The girls’ short race produced an exciting finish, as third grader Chloe Keating from Sewell Anderson edged her teammate Ricqualla Ferguson, both finishing in 7 minutes, 52 seconds. Just one second behind was Mila Miller, a fourth grader from Shoemaker, who finished in 7:53.
In the boys’ short race, Brody Melon of Belmonte (Saugus) ran a sizzling 6:27, which equates to a pace of about 7:30 per mile — an impressive performance for a third grader. He was followed by Jackson January, a fourth grader from Shoemaker (6:58), and Johonny Guevara, a fifth grader from Tracy (7:10).
In the girls’ long race (1.48 miles), Allyson Sandoval, a fifth grader from Tracy, took first in 16:07, followed by Gloria Ramirez, a third grader from Ford, in 19:18.
Alexander DiCiero (grade 3) and John McKanas (grade 4), both from Belmonte (Saugus), repeated their 1-2 finish from last week in the boys’ long race. Both improved their times, finishing in 12:21 and 12:52, respectively.
The remaining meets are scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 18, and Sunday, Nov. 2, with registration beginning at 1:30 p.m.
The series offers a great opportunity for youngsters preparing to compete in the Massachusetts State Elementary School Cross Country Championships to learn proper pacing for a successful result.
More information on www.lwrun.org
