By: Corey LeBlanc
In the home stretch of a 20-minute interval, when you are trying to replicate the "effort you want [to reach] in a race," there is nothing like having a teammate driving and supporting you.
Just ask Graydon Staples, a third-year runner with the StFX cross country program.
"It is extremely helpful to have someone to push you in training," the Horseshoe Valley, Ont. native says.
The X-Men student-athlete is speaking about how beneficial it has been to return to training with his teammates in recent weeks, even though they are not preparing for an Atlantic University Sport (AUS) meet season.
'And, it makes everything more enjoyable," Staples adds.
Describing his team as "like one big family," veteran runner Andrew Peverill says being reunited with his Saint Mary's Huskies' teammates has made a "world of difference" both on and off the trail.
He adds they are "challenging one another."
"It is great to have that support," the Lower Sackville, N.S. native notes.
Peverill says runners, during solo training, are often their own worst critics. He adds teammates are there "to help catch you when you fall."
Emily Trites, a freshman with the UNB Reds, says coming together with her teammates has been "very helpful." She says she wasn't as motivated while training on her own.
"It is much more fun," Trites adds, when it comes to being around people who are "such similar in focus."
Even though his student-athletes remained dedicated to their training over the summer months, Saint Mary's head coach Kevin Heisler agrees coming together as a team helps them "take it to another level."
"It motivates them to work even harder," he says.
Heisler adds establishing that "team atmosphere" serves several purposes, including providing Huskies' newcomers with the chance to meet people and make new friends, along with those benefits that stem from training together.
"It has been quite upbeat," he says, in describing the mood of his student-athletes, as they train without a conference campaign to focus on.
Heisler adds having the opportunity to be with their teammates, both on and off the trail, has been a "boost for their morale."
When asked about the mood within his program, UPEI Panthers' head coach Mike Peterson describes it as "better than expected."
Heading into their training sessions he admits he was wondering what he might have to do "to keep them interested." But Peterson says it hasn't been a concern.
"It has been pretty upbeat," he says, adding the Panthers have been pushing each other.
As for his student-athletes having the chance to train together, Peterson calls it crucial.
"And not just when they are pushing each other during workouts; it is the social time they share before and after practice," he explains.
Even though cross country programs across the conference are making the best of what is an unprecedented situation—losing their varsity running season due to health restrictions aimed at dealing with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic—it doesn't mean there isn't the residue of disappointment.
"We were kind of expecting it," Peverill says of the cancellation, "but it still took the wind out of our sails."
He adds losing the chance to compete in AUS races as "a little bit demoralizing."
Trites says she was "definitely looking forward" to her first conference season.
"It was disappointing, but we all realize the decision was made to keep everyone healthy, which is most important," she adds.
Staples agrees, describing it as "definitely the right move."
"It was not worth the risk," he says.
Chris Belof, her head coach with the Reds, says his student-athletes were "certainly disappointed and frustrated," but their focus quickly turned to the "bigger picture."
"Everyone certainly understands why we are doing what we are doing," he offers.
Belof says his program continues to focus on the positive, including having the opportunity to "train and continue our routine."
"We realize how well we are doing here and how lucky we are," he adds of the COVID-19 pandemic situation in Atlantic Canada.
Although they have been dealing with "challenging times," Heisler notes his Huskies are "happy and thankful for the chance to get together to train."
Considering the situation in other regions of Canada and around the world, he says they realize they are "quite fortunate" to have these opportunities.
Acadia Axewomen head coach Ralph Williams says his student-athletes have overcome their initial frustration with losing their season, while maintaining the "commitment and desire to want to continue to do well."
He credits his runners for being "very competitive and raising the bar."
"We have a group of mature student-athletes who are willing to do the work," Williams adds.
Nevertheless, there remains regret when it comes to his fifth-year runners not being able to compete in their final conference season. He notes those student-athletes, who "helped create our success," remain committed to helping their teammates this fall.
Although they would rather be preparing for AUS races, he says they are making the best of an unprecedented time.
"We are focused on coming back stronger than ever," Peverill says of next season.
Staples says the StFX program has been focused on "keeping things as normal as we can."
He notes his head coach (three-time Canadian Olympian Eric Gillis) stresses the importance of "getting into a good groove," if they want to be one of the stronger teams in the 2021 season next fall.
Noting the recent success of their "still new" program, including three AUS bronze medals in the past four seasons, Williams says the Axewomen are making the necessary preparations to continue that momentum.
He adds they are "focused on the long run."
"No pun intended," Williams notes, with laugh.
Pointing out that they have a "pretty new program" (Panthers cross country launched in 2015), Peterson says they are continuing to focus on "closing the gap" with perennial conference powerhouses, such as Dalhousie and StFX. Even though the season has been shelved, he adds that they haven't stopped working on "establishing a culture around what it takes to reach that level."
"We will take advantage of having another year to grow," Peterson continues, noting the youth on the UPEI roster.
Belof praised AUS student-athletes, coaches and programs for their continuing response to the situation.
"Everyone has been really great," he says, noting he and his AUS colleagues have been in contact regularly.
He suggests that keeping the momentum going—at least as much as possible under the circumstances—is a key for the conference.
"We have been taking pretty big steps, nationally, which has been really exciting to see," Belof says.
'Nose to the grindstone'
Along with team training, some AUS student-athletes have or will compete in races.
Some Huskies crossed the finish line a couple weeks ago in a 5km in Dartmouth, while several Axewomen are planning to be at the start line for the annual Valley Harvest 5km run. StFX held its own intra-squad run, which also included local high school athletes.
Heisler says "we hope we will have some upcoming competitions to help test our fitness."
With the possibility of races in the coming weeks, Peverill adds the Huskies continue "to put their nose to the grindstone."
Peterson notes, like most programs in the conference, the Panthers are running time trials of various lengths every couple weeks. He says the sessions will "culminate" in a final race, one that will adhere to provincial health guidelines related to the global pandemic.
"That has been keeping everyone engaged," he adds.