Tommies Open Cross Country Season in Truro
The St. Thomas University (STU) Cross Country teams got their season underway last weekend in Truro, with the men finishing third and the women taking sixth.
Kensea Aaron was the top finisher for the Tommies men’s team, placing fifth in the eight-kilometer race with a time of 32 minutes and 29 seconds.
It was the first race of Aaron’s second season with STU. He made an immediate impact as a rookie last year, earning Atlantic Collegiate Athletic Association (ACAA) Rookie of the Year honour and a spot on the All-Conference team.
Aaron’s result was one of the early positives for a men’s team that will be looking to improve as the season continues. Despite some challenges with the course, Aaron was motivated by his opening performance.
“I was pleasantly surprised with my performance in this race. You never know what you will get at the start of the season, but I finished about 80 seconds faster than I hoped,” said Aaron. “The course was over 500m too long, which made pacing a little bit difficult, but at an exhibition this is less of a problem. Overall, it just felt great to be back!”
Former teammate, Owen Mclntyre, says the team has taken a big hit from losing many of their key runners from last season.
“I believe this season is more competitive and we’re more likely to give Crandall [University] a hard time,” says McIntyre. “It seems like the males are picking up right where they left off.”
Looking ahead to the rest of the season, Aaron is excited about the group STU has assembled and the level of competition they will face.
“I’m super excited to watch the whole team develop this year. We have brought in some really great recruits" says Aaron. "Crandall has a really impressive squad this year, and the whole conference is more competitive than last year which is super exciting. We host the ACAA championships this year and I think we will have a few people putting pressure on that leading pack where anything can happen."
The women’s team finished sixth in Truro, with Kaitlyn Hamming and Lauren Evans leading STU’s runners.
“Adding Lauren Evans has been huge as she finished top 10 for STU in her debut. A standout runner for the women's program to help boost the team standings is what we needed and she seems to be the one to do it,” said Mclntyre.
For both teams, the meet was the first chance to see how their preseason training translated to competition.
That October date will be an important one for STU. The university is scheduled to host the ACAA Cross Country Championship at the end of the month.
For now, the Tommies have several weeks of racing and training ahead of them. The Truro meet provided the first results of the season, but there is still plenty of time for both teams to adjust before the championship.
“I have high hopes that for ACAA’s we could see some podiums,” said Mclntyre.
The Tommies will now turn their attention to the ACAA Cross Country Championships on Oct. 31, when they return home to Odell Park in Fredericton to compete for a conference title on home turf.
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