An Okotoks running club is helping with a runner’s trip to Arizona.
Foothills Comp 2021 grad Erika Cunniam received the Big Rock Runners Grade 12 Scholarship award of $750 on July 17 which will help her when she heads to Tucson in August to begin her career with the University of Arizona Wildcats cross-country team.
“Running challenges me to try to perform to do my best and see what my limit is in the sport,” said Cunniam, who lives in High River. “I am always trying to achieve new standards and goals for myself just to see how good I can become.”
One of her goals was to get a scholarship to an NCAA Div. I school.
“It is pretty competitive for the NCAA and I had to run times that were good enough to get me where I wanted to go,” she said. “That was my motivation in high school to get good enough times and markers for NCAA coaches to notice me.
“I am honoured that’s how it worked out and my dream of running in the NCAA has come true.”
Cunniam’s last major race was at the 2020 Alberta indoor provincials in Edmonton in which she won gold in the U18 Female 1,500m and 3,000m on Feb. 29-March 1, 2020.
Two weeks previous, she had taken bronze in the 3,200m at the elite Simplot Games in Idaho – one of the top high school indoor track meets in the United States – in a time of 10:51.86.
She was only able to compete in one high school provincial track championship at the Comp due to COVID restrictions. She made the most of it – winning gold in the Junior girls 1,500m and 3,000m in 2019.
Cunniam, the overall winner in the 2018 5K Sheep River Road Race as a Grade 10 student, will run 6,000m races during the NCAA cross-country season in the fall.
At present, she is running 70km a week as part of her training.
The scholarship from the Big Rock Runners will help her with her dreams.
“It means a lot to me to receive this and they are rewarding what I accomplished so far,” said Cunniam, an honour student at the Comp. “I am thankful that they allowed this to happen this year despite COVID.
“They are helping local runners succeed in this town… This money is going to help me with groceries and things when I get down there.”
Cadence Laplante, who is going into Grade 12 at Holy Trinity Academy in September, received the Grade 11 scholarship of $150
She is a member of the Okotoks Track and Cross-country Club (OTCC) which is run by the Big Rock Runners.
“The club is like a home or a safe space – at first I didn’t want to join at all, but after being here for two years, it is incredible all the support from the coaches and the people,” Laplante said.
Laplante qualified for the 2019 high school cross-country provincials as a Grade 10 student, and has set a goal of cracking the top 10 at provincials this fall in her Grade 12 year.
Last year’s cross-country season was cancelled due to the pandemic.
“I miss everything (about competitive running),” Laplante said. “I think I would have been a stronger runner if there was a cross-country and track season in Grade 11, but I’m in the same boat as everyone else.”
The OTCC is a club to promote cross-country and track among junior and senior high school students.
The Big Rock Runners is a social club for all runners regardless of age or ability. The runners meet every Saturday at 9 a.m. at the Okotoks Recreation Centre.
For information about the Big Rock Runners go to bigrockrunners.com
Sheep River Road Race
A fall tradition is back.
The Sheep River Road race is a g, after a year's hiatus due to the pandemic.
"We are a fairly small club and we didn't want to start registration and then have to cancel," said Mark Toombs, Sheep River Road Race chairperson. "We are quite happy to announce we can do it."
This year's run is Sept. 18 and both the 5K and 10K courses are the same as 2019, starting behind the fields between the Comp and the Foothills Centennial Centre and meandering down by the Sheep River for spectacular fall scenery.
There will also be a 1K kids run.
To register for the Sheep River Road Race go to bigrockrunners.com
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