Pictured: Mansfield cross country runners take their training to the extreme at a remote location adjacent to Booneville City Park. Afterward, the Tiger endurance athletes were treated to a swim at the local pool.

Mansfield long-distance runners enjoyed a week of much cooler temperatures. After a scorching sequence of hot days one week earlier, the Tiger cross country players produced a record number of miles in training this past week. As a reward for their hard work in preparations for the upcoming season, a large coalition of the distance runners was treated to a swim at a local pool.

On Friday, August 6 the Mansfield distance team took their third specialty trip for a change in scenery. This time the morning run was followed up with a dive into the Booneville Public Pool.

Thirteen members of the MHS cross country team arranged their schedules for the morning trip to Bearcat Country. Collectively the 13 players pounded the pavement around the nearby park for a total of 59.5 miles of road work. That’s an average of 4.58 miles per player.

“The morning was absolutely gorgeous for a good cleansing run,” said Mansfield cross country coach John Mackey. “The temperature was mild with a bit of light rain in the air. The kids really responded to the cooler morning especially after a big week of upgraded intensity.”

The coach continued describing the last day of pre-season summer training for his team.

“After their run, the clouds opened for even better weather for a nice swim. I appreciate Coach (Joshua) Brown for joining the group with supervision. I also would like to thank the Booneville parks director and the employees of the pool for their watchful attention.”

Not only did Mansfield runners produce nearly 60 miles on the morning of the swim, but the entire group also posted 353.1 miles for the week. That brought the total miles for the group’s 15 days of pre-season training to 958.5 summer miles.

“Attendance was certainly better last week,” explained the coach. “There were fewer conflicts, the temperature cooperated, and the hint of a swimming pool trip didn’t hurt either.”

Senior Darby Jones once again led the pack with a steady-paced run. The former Farm Bureau All-Star put up a six-mile non-stop aerobic run to win the week in individual running with 38 total miles. She knocked out 112.1 miles for the 4-week training period.

Senior McKenzie Griffin was a close second for the week with 37.5 miles. The former player of the year did however win the total miles for the summer. Griffin cataloged 136.25 total miles for the cycle. She was also the first Mansfield cross country player from this season to pass 100 miles for the summer. 

The two seniors mentioned above also recorded perfect attendance through the summer. Likewise, both made all three destination trips for the MHS cross country team this past month.

The bus trips offered to all members of the running group centered mostly around historical landmarks. This latest return trip to Booneville was more about fun. According to the head coach, it was all about rewarding commitment to the endurance sport. 

“The chance to refresh in the cool waters of a public pool reserved only for Mansfield athletes is a pretty good reward when you put in the long miles that these kids do,” stated Mackey.

This week also saw the return of two-time All-State runner Faith Rainwater. The senior had been away for the month of June helping relatives in Pulaski County take care of a newborn baby.

Rainwater, last season’s player of the year and a member of the River Valley Best of Preps team, charted 19 miles for her short week return.

Rainwater’s twin sister Hope and All-Star junior Jadelynn Wood both recorded over 60 miles for their pre-season efforts. Wood’s little sister Laney led the junior girls in recorded miles with 42.5. All-Region freshman Trinity Triska nearly equaled that total and led the younger team in total attendance.

Eleventh grader Ashton Hinkle led all boys in total summer miles. The Tiger’s top senior high boys prospect accumulated 73.6 miles for the 4-week cycle. 

Leland Powell off the junior boys’ team posted 39.2 miles this pre-season. He was also tops in attendance for the junior high squad.

First-year player Holden Powers led all rookies with total mileage at 33.6. He posted 5 total miles with chunk runs at Friday’s Booneville trip. The seventh-grader also led in attendance among all beginners. 

Gunner Williams, also a seventh-grader, was second in attendance and mileage. Williams signed out with 31.7 miles over his nine days of training.

Mansfield’s cross country runners will turn their attention back to individual training the last week of summer break. The group rejoins on August 16 as the new school year begins.

The Tigers’ first competition run of the season will be August 31 at Perryville. All four divisions will run a reduced 1.5-mile race due to expected high temperatures.