1st Wind Runners 2011
 Back row: (left to right) Philipp Tolxdorf, Brenna Rowland, Gabbi Czymbor, Wesley Twiggs, Anna Brook Opalinski, Christopher Grego, Martin Tolxdorf; Emily Faltemier, Anna Arato, Daniel Faltemier; Katherine Doss, Jacob Faltemier, Kevin Zhou, Gabriel Grego, Conner Going and Gavin Gleason. Not pictured: Teddi Lesoine and Jonah Braeger. |
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The First Wind Runners Middle School cross country team celebrated their inaugural season recently with a delicious "Ice Cream Social" at Island Time Frozen Yogurt on Centre Street, in their outdoor courtyard. The runners had an opportunity to compete in seven meets this fall. Two home meets were held on the Greenway, which started at the Atlantic Avenue Recreation Center. The Cross Country meets include races for students from third to eighth grade. The cross country season concluded in dramatic fashion with two individual girls and the entire boys’ team qualifying for the 3k state meet in Lakeland, Florida. Eighth Graders Three eighth graders competed for the boys First Wind Runners this season. Two eighth graders led the First Wind team throughout the season and both peaked at the state meet running personal best times, Wesley Twiggs 11:26 (6:09 mile pace) and Philipp Tolxdorf 11:42 (6:17 mile pace). Christopher Grego was also a strong member of the team at our home meets (13:11/6:36 mile pace). Six eighth graders competed for the girls First Wind Runners this season. The girls team was led by Emily Faltemier (12:25/6:50 mile pace) and Teddi Lesoine (13:19/7:10 mile pace) throughout the season and at the state meet. Anna Brook Opalinski (13:41/ 7:21 mile pace), Brenna Rowland (17:00/8:30 mile pace) Gabbi Czymbor (18:28/9:14 mile pace), and Kate Walker (19:06/9:33 mile pace) demonstrated solid work ethics that helped them persevere and improve throughout the season. Sixth Graders The First Wind boys team was well represented with six sixth grade runners. Daniel Faltemier led the sixth grade group while battling well against the 8th graders. Daniel ran a personal best at state (11:47, 6:20 mile pace). Martin Tolxdorf also competed well this season and ran a personal best at state (14:26, 7:46 mile pace). Four other sixth graders worked hard and had improved times throughout the season: Conner Going (13:40, 6:50 mile pace), Gabriel Grego (15:19, 7:39 mile pace), Gavin Gleason (16:45, 8:23 mile pace), and Kevin Zhou (17:20, 8:40 mile pace). Three sixth grade girls competed on the team. Anna Arato (14:43, 7:55 mile pace) led the girls trio followed by Katherine Doss (15:58, 8:35 mile pace) and Ellese Leblanc (17:46, 8:53 mile pace). Two pre-middle schoolers competed with First Wind this season. Jonah Braeger was the lone 4th grader competing and ran well (17:15/ 8:38 mile pace). Jacob Faltemier was the lone 3rd grader training and competing with First Wind. Jacob ran in the developmental race at the state meet (12:53/6:56 mile pace) and earned a first place medal while competing against other 3rd grade runners. We are proud of the extraordinary effort and positive attitude of each runner on the team. They have all demonstrated the strength and good character they will need to take on challenges they will face in life. The First Wind Runners was started by the Amelia Island Runners Club last winter. Coach Roy Benson, who moved here in 2009 after he retired from coaching at Marist High School in Atlanta, designed the program and organizes the workouts. He previously coached at the University of Florida, ran competitively for approximately 40 years, is a professional running coach, exercise scientist, speaker and author. Benson continues to run a Nike running camp in the summer for middle and high school students, and his latest book, Heart Rate Training, was published just recently. We are very fortunate and thankful Coach Benson is willing to volunteer his time and expertise to coach the team! We also want to thank Ed Hardee for taking photographs of our home meets and the Turtle Trot, Chuck Carnes for photographs of the Turtle Trot, Current Running (Vince Grupposo and Tom Tucker) on 8th Street for helping us get our uniforms, proper shoes and running gear as needed, the City of Fernandina Beach for use of the Greenway and Recreation Center, Fernandina Beach High School for use of the track, and the Amelia Island Runners Club for all of their support. We hope to make middle school cross country running a new tradition in Nassau County. The runners will be continuing to train together during the off-season to prepare for track with Coaches Benson, Chris Twiggs, Tom and Valerie Faltemier. We will also continue to meet at the Greenway behind the Recreation Center each Sunday afternoon for an easy family fun run for all ages at 4:00 p.m. For more information contact Valerie Faltemier 904-206-3221 or Tom Faltemier 904-557-1732.
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