Most students groan and complain at the thought of running miles early in the morning, but some actually choose to wake up in the early hours of dawn simply to run and get more exercise. These students arrive at Canyon Vista before school, and run up to 3 miles at a time, 3 days a week.

“Cross country is a fun way to stay healthy, and it helps me relax and keep my mind off of things,” 8th grader Ian Chiu said. Cross country chooses a different route every time they run, meaning they have a total of 15 different routes. They start from one mile and gradually work up to three miles in one run.

Coach Govea likes when a large crowd shows up to run. “I think so many students wake up early to run because they absolutely love running and they realize how wonderful of an exercise it is. And it’s much better to run first thing in the morning to get your energy level up and before it gets too hot,” Govea said.

Not only is it an enjoyable sport, but running also has many health benefits. Studies show that running can help to prevent obesity, high blood pressure and stroke. If you’re feeling slow and sluggish, running can help increase energy levels.

Cross country meets every Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 7:15 a.m. on the patio between the gym doors and pool. The season is approximately 6 weeks long. In order to compete in the meet at the end of the season, you must be in 7th grade or 8th grade, and have signed up by September 12th. Coach Govea is even putting on a meet just for the 6th graders at the end of the season.

Cross country is a great way to exercise, and is a fun before school club for people who love to run.  Although it may be too late to sign up now, Coach Govea encourages those of you who wish to join next year to start running and exercising now.