{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"The News Journal","provider_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net","title":"Local cross country teams look to repeat recent success &ndash; The News Journal","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"jA9fUHMQpd\"><a href=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/local-cross-country-teams-look-to-repeat-recent-success\/\">Local cross country teams look to repeat recent success<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/local-cross-country-teams-look-to-repeat-recent-success\/embed\/#?secret=jA9fUHMQpd\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;Local cross country teams look to repeat recent success&#8221; &#8212; The News Journal\" data-secret=\"jA9fUHMQpd\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/qa.thenewsjournal.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Top-Corbin-runner-2x.jpg","thumbnail_width":480,"thumbnail_height":343,"description":"Local high school cross country teams have a lot to live up as they are preparing for the 2021 season. Corbin Coach Tyler Harris said the \u201cRunnin\u2019 Redhounds\u201d currently have six boys and seven girls slated to run at the varsity level. The boys\u2019 team is two years removed from a team state championship and are the defending state runners-up. In 2020, both Corbin teams were regional runners-up and went on to compete at the state meet. \u201cI\u2019m looking with some of the returning runners it is going to be good to have that experience,\u201d Harris said noting that several of his runners were on the state championship and\/or state runner-up teams. Harris said with the strength of the team, he has worked to build a more difficult schedule with the goal of, once again, excelling at the state meet. \u201cThe foundation is strong,\u201d Harris said noting that in a recent two-mile time trial some runners were coming in around the 12-minute mark. \u201cWe had a few in the lower 13\u2019s, but those are new runners,\u201d Harris said. \u201cThey are going to show great progress.\u201d Harris said unlike the distance events in track and field, there is more of a strategy to cross country running than just bursting off of the starting line and going all-out. Being successful requires a runner to have a good combination of speed, endurance and the ability to keep pace on the hills. Harris said the course at Bourbon County where the state meet was held in 2020 showed the need to be solid on the hills. \u201cIt was a challenging course that was way different than the course at the Kentucky Horse Park,\u201d Harris said. \u201cIt was the finish that really killed us because a lot of runners are used to coming to the finish on flat ground. Bourbon County has a hill at the finish.\u201d On the girls\u2019 side, Harris said Corbin is coming off of an eighth-place finish at state. \u201cThe girls are kind of on a similar trajectory to the boys a few years ago,\u201d Harris said. \u201cThey are moving up and trying to break through.\u201d For both teams, Harris said the biggest thing is to get his runners to run with confidence. As part of the that, Harris said he has worked to make practices as challenging as possible. \u201cOur strategy is to make the practices challenging so the races feel easy,\u201d Harris said noting there is a fine line between starting off fast and getting caught at the end, and starting off slow and having too much ground to make up at the end. \u201cThe good thing about a 5K race is that you have time to make moves,\u201d Harris said. Because of that training, Harris said his teams will be in as good as shape as anyone when the season begins. While the season will begin on Aug. 28 at Bourbon County, Harris said the Redhounds will have their first race action on Aug. 13 during the NIBROC 2-mile race. Williamsburg Yellow Jackets Coach Bryan Berta said Williamsburg has eight boys and seven or eight girls that will compete at the varsity level. Under state cross country regulations, teams may enter up to seven runners in a meet, with the top five scoring points for the team. \u201cWe have a lot of new kids,\u201d Berta said. Even though finishing as the regional runner-ups allowed them to advance to the state meet the last several years, Berta said the goal is to bring home the region trophies. \u201cI\u2019m hoping we can put in enough work and be disciplined enough to be competitive at the region this year,\u201d Berta said noting that Lynn Camp, Jackson County and Middlesboro will all be tough competition. To be ready for the region, Berta said he has worked to make the schedule tougher. \u201cIf athletes face stronger competition, they tend to work a little harder,\u201d Berta said. Unlike other sports such as golf, wrestling and track where athletes are competing as both individuals and as part of a team, cross country runners are at a disadvantage as they can\u2019t see what their teammates are doing on the course. Berta said at a smaller school like Williamsburg, the runners know each other well and really pull for their teammates. \u201cSome runners will stand at the finish line to cheer on their teammates,\u201d Berta said. \u201cYou will also see the boys cheering for the girls during their race and the girls cheering for the boys during their race.\u201d Berta said with the weather heating up, he will learn a lot about his runners in the next few weeks. \u201cJust like any other sport, cross country runners have good days and bad days,\u201d Berta said. \u201cWith the new kids that is hard to determine until you get them out in the first couple of practices in the afternoon heat. We want them to do their very best, but, at the end of the day, we are trying to help them learn to be active and productive members of society.\u201d &nbsp; &nbsp;"}