Runners bring home medals from Nationals

After winning the OCAA finals by a single point, the men's cross-country team was just hoping they'd be able to hang onto their Ontario crown at the Nationals, but they exceeded even their own expectations.

The 10-member team finished third, while John Mason finished sixth individually after finishing the eight kilometre course in just under 28 minutes, only 51 seconds behind the winner. And to make matters more interesting, the race took place on a snow-covered course in temperatures that were hovering near zero degrees.


“A snow storm started just as they were warming up,” said John Loney, the teams' coach. “But they didn't mind it one bit because we had trained for tough courses like that with hills, and we did a lot of running in sand to simulate what would happen if we got a race where the footing wasn't so good.”

“We trained in all kinds of weather to make sure we were ready for whatever challenge,” continued Mason. “We knew it was going to be tough, especially after winning the Ontario's by only one point. But everyone stepped it up even more and it got us into the medals which was a bonus.”

With 25 teams participating in the event a bronze medal is nothing to sneeze at, especially considering the team upheld their Ontario title by earning the top spot of the three participating OCAA teams, which included Humber and Conestoga. And some of that drive has to be attributed to the close nature of both the men's and women's teams.

“When you're such good friends with your teammates and hang out outside of practices, it really helps the on course performance of the team, because you know they're there to support you and they're not just an individual,” said team member Casey Kulchycki.

But the men's team wasn't the only Fanshawe medalist at the event, as Loney himself won a bronze medal in the coaches' and community race, pulling in five kilometers in 18.36 minutes. His win was capped by a snowball bombardment as he crossed the finish line.

“He didn't know we were third at that point because he was out running when the results were posted,” explained Mason regarding the teams' impromptu attack. “So we figured that it would be a good celebration for him.”

“It gave me a real appreciation for the course- it was tough and I ran it well, but I was tired,” said Loney. “And when I was done it sort of made me appreciate the effort that they had put out, because it wasn't an easy course, it was a course that really tested your abilities.”

The team also made waves at the completion, not just for their success, but for their fashion statement as they all donned pink jerseys in support of breast cancer.

“The pink shirts were great and it was a phenomenal idea to wear them,” said Kulchycki. “They helped our race so much because if you're wearing pink, you'd better race that much harder.”