By Josh DeLuca
Contributor
Hamilton High School’s cross country team the Huskies, is currently ranked No. 1 in Arizona and has had an impressive start to the season. However, they still face a fierce competitor: the extreme temperatures of the Arizona heat.
Cross country is a fall sport, but in Chandler, September feels more like the peak of summer, with average temperatures reaching a scorching 102 degrees Fahrenheit.
To fight the relentless heat, the Huskies Head Coach Mike Scannell has adapted by scheduling the teams practices in the early morning hours.
“We have to run at 5:00 a.m. in the morning before the sun comes up. We cannot train after school ever. It just doesn’t work,” Scannell said.
To ensure safety and well-being of the runners during these early morning practices, Scannel emphasizes the importance of keeping cool and hydrated throughout the training sessions.
“We bring out ice rags, ice sponges, ice water, ice gatorade, you name it. Anything that’s cold, we have to bring to practice. We have to adjust the length of the intervals so that the kids don’t overheat within one interval,” Scannell explained.
The heat makes its highest effect during competition and meets the Huskies compete in.
Boys varsity athlete Theo McDaid is a senior on the team and has been dealing with challenges due to the heat first hand.
“Early in the season, we’re not even allowed to run meets unless it’s before 7:00 A.M. It definitely makes the times way slower. After the races, we’re all drenched in sweat. It’s just a tough time,” McDaid said.
Scannell elaborated on the issue by explaining how it is difficult competing nationally against cooler states.
“In Arizona, we never race in temperatures aiming close to 70 degrees. We race sometimes north of 90, sometimes north of 100. Because of that, our times in Arizona are much slower than the times that you’ll see from some of these cooler weather states,” Scannell said.
Hamilton recently competed in the 43rd Annual WoodBridge Classic in Southern California where girls varsity athlete Lily Clawson definitely noticed a difference between competing and racing in two different states.
“It was a lot easier to train and compete in California, but in Arizona, it’s just a whole different level. The heat makes it harder to breathe and harder to think. It just makes running in general a lot more difficult,” Clawson said.
The extreme heat affects not just the performance during races, but also has significant and important consequences for athletes' future opportunities, like college scholarships.
“Coaches from other states just don’t understand how difficult it is to run when it’s over 100 degrees. They’ve never raced in those conditions once. The worst effect for us is that we don’t run as fast, and we’re compared nationally to other teams,” Scannel explained.
Despite the intense challenges by the Arizona heat, the Hamilton high cross-country team remains committed to their goals, proving that their hard work and perseverance can lead to success in any conditions.
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