Rattlers x-country season underway

By JAMES TUBB on September 10, 2022.

jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb

The Medicine Hat College Rattlers cross country team is kicking off their 2022-23 season at home.

The MHC and the Rattlers are hosting the ACAC Cross Country Running Regional Race No. 1 on Saturday with eight of the 10 x-country schools in attendance. There will also be some local community members running in the community race. Rattlers cross country coach Bill Corcoran said he’s looking forward to the race and is hopeful for high finishes.

“We’re going to field our strongest women’s team this year, all of our good players are available so we’re looking pretty hopeful they can get a top three finish which would be a really good improvement from last year,” Corcoran said. “On the guys side, we have a couple runners who are sitting out this week for various reasons but we should have a pretty strong team there as well. So hopefully, a middle of the pack finish.

Saturday’s race kicks off a big season for the Rattlers cross country team, as they are set to host the 2022 Canadian Collegiate Athletic Association cross-country running national championships this Nov. 11-12.

Corcoran said he’s starting the 2022-23 season with 14 runners, an up tick from last year when he started that campaign with eight before ending at 14. He says he is excited for the entire season but also getting to see his runners enjoy the big stage on home turf.

“I’ve been to all 23 nationals, since they started in 2002 and have been lucky enough to have hosted a couple when I was up in Grand Prairie. It’s a highlight for these athletes careers to run in a national race in front of a home audience,” Corcoran said. “I’m beyond excited about hosting nationals this year.”

Before then, he calls Saturday’s race a “rust buster” as the first race of the season is about getting back into running form.

“It’s just about getting out there and getting used to running 8 or 6 Km fast again,” Corcoran said. “The nice thing about running the first race of the season on this course and then nationals as the last race this season on this course, it’s a really good gauge of how far the athletes have come. I suspect many of them will be a minute, maybe two minutes faster over either 6k or 8k by the time they get into November. It’s a benchmark and sets a base or starting point.”

Saturday’s races get underway at 12:15 p.m. with the 2 and 4 KM races before the 6km starts at 1 p.m. and the 8 k.m. gets off at 2 p.m. Corcoran said anyone wanting to watch the races taking place at the college is welcome to do so.

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