St. Peter's cross country team begins summer training

St. Peter's cross country team has begun its 2016 season with two weeks of summer training. The eight practices before school officially begins will prepare the team for their first meet on Monday, Aug. 29, and set the stage for a busy September filled with a full schedule of conference meets and invitationals.

Getting in shape for a new season is never easy but the St. Peter Rockets team always finds ways to make it fun. To finish up week one, the team had a "destination run" leaving their home course at Wheeler Park and running to Forever Yogurt in downtown Geneva. After a tough second week, the team will have relay races on the hills of Johnson's Mound Forest Preserve in Elburn, followed by root beer floats. To cool off, water bottles are usually emptied on each other's heads in a team bonding water fight. Later in September, the team will complete a longer destination run on the Fox River Trail ending at Graham's in Geneva.

Once school begins the fun comes in a busy race schedule including four conference meets, two invitationals and eventually the Illinois Elementary School Association State Series where the team will have the opportunity to qualify for the IESA State Meet in October.

St. Peter School is a Catholic grade school affiliatied with St. Peter Church in Geneva. To learn more about the Rockets, visit stpeterrockets.org/cross-country.