While the majority of the student body spent labor day weekend relaxing and recuperating from the first couple weeks of school, the cross country team took a jaunt up to Soda Springs for their annual trip to Camp Winthers. The team uses this weekend to not only bond as a team, but run their first time trial of the season. Traditionally, the trip begins with a 4-8 mile run as soon as the bus arrives, with the time trial following the next morning. However, this year the fires in Yosemite brought smoke into camp making for unsafe air quality.

Being cross country runners, it is very rare for the team to modify runs, let alone cancel them. Cross country runs in virtually all weather conditions from 108 degrees to the pouring rain, so it came as a shock to be told that the Friday afternoon run was not only shortened but eliminated altogether. Coach Chris Knorzer explained to the team that the air quality was in the yellow and how he did not want to risk anyone’s health. This was one hundred percent understandable for on the bus ride up, the smoke hid the majority of the mountain tops and it seemed as if the bus was driving straight into a cloud.

Some of the runners were concerned that skipping the afternoon run would affect their times in the race the next day, for it is generally not advised to take time off the day before a race. However, overall the time trial was widely successful. The course is a 5K (3.1 miles) which is the length of most high school cross country courses, but because Soda Springs is at altitude (5000 feet above sea level) times here are slower than on a course the Rocklin team would usually compete on.

Still, the course record was broken on both the girl’s and the boy’s teams. George Miao (senior) smashed the previous boys record of 18:25 with a time of 17:45. Geoff Leonhardt (junior) also beat the previous record clocking in at 18:14. On the girl’s team, Erin Greenwood (junior) beat the previous record of 21:59 with a time of 21:52.