Troy’s New Winter Running Club Wraps Up Its Season

Troy Middle School’s Cross Country coaches Courtney Correa and Stephanie Oswald started a new club at the school in November that they wondered how many students would really be interested in. They began the Winter Running Club to give their team incentive to keep in good running shape during a season when many prefer to hibernate. They opened the club to all of the school’s seventh- and eighth-grade students and were surprised when they had more than 40 sign up and participate. They met once a week after school and ran the track, softball fields and other outdoor areas around Troy Middle School and William B. Orenic Intermediate School for up to 30 minutes, then they went inside to do stations and play games that kept their heart rate up.

“Running in the winter is chilly,” Correa said, “but as long as we bundle up and dress for the weather, we are good. The students were great about wearing the appropriate clothes. Sometimes they wore too many layers and got too warm. We always suggest layers because they can take them off if they are too warm.”

The coaches also kept an eye on the weather and made sure the students didn’t run in conditions that weren’t safe for them. They also provided incentives for them to try to get in 100 miles during the club’s November – February season, and several of the students achieved that milestone.