Cross Country team takes part in inaugural competition

Sedona Red Rock High School Cross-Country Team Competes for the First Time

The Sedona Red Rock High School cross-country team participated in their inaugural competition on Saturday, August 30, at Buffalo Park in Flagstaff.

During practice on August 26, Coach Cody McKessen mentioned that the team had five athletes signed up, with two more expected to join after submitting their medical records. The middle school team already has seven members on board.

“For middle school students, it’s a bit easier,” McKessen remarked. “With high school students, it’s still fun, but they realize the effort needed for training and competition.” He explained that the teams typically run about 40 to 50 miles each week during practice, hitting the track six days a week.

“On Saturdays, there’s usually either personal practice or a three-mile tournament,” he continued. “They know practice follows the tournament, similar to how other sports operate. You play your soccer game, and then there’s more soccer.”

Senior Aubrey Doyle pointed out a challenge the girls’ team faces. “We need five members to qualify as a girls’ team, but right now, we’ve only got two, so we compete individually,” she explained.

Cross-country competitions generally maintain a standard distance of 5 kilometers, or 3.2 miles, and each athlete has individual goals. Doyle, who is entering her sixth year with the team, aims to finish in the 20-minute range.

“After our regular practice, we do conditioning or sprints—whatever it takes to build strength,” she added.

Ryan Pfaf, a senior who is starting his second season, said, “I’d like to complete the 5K in under 25 minutes. My best time last year was around 32 or 33.” However, given that it’s still early in the season, he would be satisfied with a time under 30 minutes.

Even though the team is small, some athletes plan to step back after this year. Freshman Juni Spielman, who ran cross-country for the first time last year, shared her experience. “I had a great season and really fell in love with the sport,” she said, expressing her main goal is simply to enjoy running and aim for a solid 5K performance. She finished 14th in the 5,000-meter race with a time of 22 minutes 18.7 seconds.

Junior Sunny Flores is also entering his second year with the team. “I feel like I’ve started the season on a positive note,” he reflected. “I haven’t run in a while, but I’m looking forward to practicing regularly again.”