National champions hoist their banner

The UBC Okanagan women’s cross country running team celebrated their national championship title last night. The women raised their gold-title banner at UBCO after the women's volleyball game. They hard-working, competitive team won the title in Ontario this November.

“That’s really what drove us to nationals, was the competitive nature of the team,” said Head coach, Colin Wallace.

He’s a former Heat runner and he's in his second year as the coach. During his first year, the women took second place at nationals. Now they’ve won first. But it doesn’t come easily. The team worked hard to gain a more competitive edge.

“You put in the work and it turns out to be this really special event because we worked our butts off and it paid off,” said runner, Anna Merino.

Merino finished her final season with the team this year with a gold medal title. Not a bad way to go out. The team is losing a few veterans this year. Merino had some tips to pass on to this year’s up-and-coming runners:

“I would say everything counts. Every single step. Every single easy run and interval run. Every tiny thing when no one's looking, because they can’t see you on the trails - you will remember the things you did and did not do when you cross the start line,” said Merino.

The women continue their off-season training throughout the year and have a few races lined up before their official season starts next fall.

Veronika Fagan, a Heat runner was selected as winner of the BC Athletic Junior Women Cross Country Athlete of the Year Award for 2016. It’s safe to say this team has momentum.

Photo: Back Row (Left to Right) Anna Merino, Rachel Garrett, Sarah Coghlin, Alexis Gee, Josie Storey, Colin Wallace (Head coach). Front Row (Left to Right) Camille Galloway, Alex Beswick, Rachel Parker.

Photo Credit: Greystoke Photography