You run in rain. You run on gravel. You run in pain. You run in mud. You run up hills.
But you run. And you keep running.
For St. Timothy High School senior cross-country runner Jessica Brolsma, all that running takes her places.
This time, to the provincial high-school cross-country running meet Oct. 19 in Drayton Valley.
The 17-year-old, St. Tim’s Grade 12 finished 17th in the gruelling qualifier at Calgary’s Canada Olympic Park (C.O.P.), running four kilometres – all up hill.
By the time she hit the peak, she’d left it all on that hill. There was nothing left in the tank.
“It was pretty tough, but it’s a good feeling after you get to the top,” Brolsma said. “It was challenging.
“It started at the base of C.O.P. and it kind of went on to this cross-country ski course there. The finish was around the top.”
St. Timothy cross-country running coach Travis Cummings was even more impressed Brolsma was able to qualify with the injuries she’s been dealing with.
“Jessica Brolsma fought through injury and qualified for provincials in the senior girls race,” the coach and accomplished cross-country runner enthused.
Brolsma downplayed the stress fracture in her lower leg.
“I was a little banged up. Training’s been challenging for the last month or so. It’s still in the process of healing a bit.
“You just have to work around that.”
Now it’s off to Drayton Valley for provincials, where the course won’t favour hill-climbing specialists quite as much as it did at C.O.P.
“I’m pretty confident going in. Every course has its challenges. You quickly learn to work around those and find your strengths within each course.
“It’s (provincials) an awesome opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it.”
