Written By: Zoe Glasmann and Aune Weeg
Cross Country (XC) coach Mr. Wentz, along with a handful of runners, has been constructing a path behind Providence Academy in order to provide the team with a new, comfortable place to run.
The project began this past spring break and summer, as a solution to the team’s struggle of finding a closer place with easier terrain to run on. Wentz noticed that later on in the XC team’s season more runners suffered from injuries, and he believed this could be prevented to some extent by running on softer terrain.
“The hope is that the trail will be an on-campus place that we can use to do workouts and running. It will be softer than running on pavement every day,” explained Wentz.
The new path will create an opportunity to run closer to Providence, building a richer sense of community. Its entrance is located across from the East soccer fields, and it winds through the woods. From the very beginning, the trail has been a source of bonding for the XC team and coaches.
“We had groups of five to ten kids who came and helped to cut out roots, trees, and clear up a lot of stuff, so it was pretty cool,” Wentz stated.
Perseverance was especially necessary for the task at hand. Wentz started by uprooting buckthorn, and eventually moved on, with the help of the team, to bigger projects such as clearing trees. Together, they leveled out the path in some areas where hills and gnarly roots were in the way. Here, a technique called “bench cutting” was employed, in which one must cut into the hillside, providing a level path. Without the XC team, the trail wouldn’t have had such vast improvements.
“…one of the Cross Country families lent a Bobcat, so I was able to bench cut with the Bobcat a lot faster,” Wentz stated with gratitude.
Ultimately, Wentz hopes to provide a serene place for the team to practice with minimal injury and to escape from the rest of the busy world.
“…it feels like you’re kind of in the middle of nowhere when you’re back there because you don’t hear the traffic. It is beautiful. You can see animals, turkeys, and things like that; hopefully it can be refreshing when you’re running farther away from the business of life,” concluded Wentz.