The elementary cross country teams traveled down to the International School of Busan (ISB) for their first race of the year, the South Korea Association of International Schools (SKAIS) divisionals, on Oct. 5. The rising stars marked respectable times for their first race. With new coaches and rookie sensations, a bright future blooms over the horizon.

The two new coaches, Ms. Spaeth and Mr. Crewe, bring true running experience to the DIS program. They both participate in organized races off campus.  Despite their expertise and coaching tips, the third graders could not hide their worries and concerns for their initial jaunt. However, they put their anxiety to the side and hit the tape. 

Coach Crewe said, “I think a lot of them were nervous about the route cause they’ve never been [to ISB] before, so they had some questions about ‘How will I know where to go?’ So you could see some anxiety, but that’s normal for any race.”

After the countdown, the youngsters hit their stride. “Once you get in the race your mind focuses and they were able to focus on the task at hand and do their best all the way to the finish line. We could really see them pick up their pace to sprint through the finish line,” said Crewe.

While Crewe said the new racers were keyed up, third grader Gia Park, the fastest finisher for DIS, had no butterflies in her stomach. “I was not nervous because I did one race in my other school and I was confident. After the race, I was a little happy because I did first in DIS and fifth in all the schools,” said Gia Park.

One outstanding rookie, Luka Gall in third grade, showcased tremendous potential. He gave up his love for soccer to pursue the track instead. Elementary cross country and futsal overlap in season one sports, so he made a tough decision and stuck with the trails. “I practice a lot. I practice on flat ground and on the courses. I think cross country is fun because I love running. I thought cross country was going to be more fun than soccer. I like doing tough work,” Luka said.

Mr. Gall, math and computer science teacher and Luka’s father, also runs as his passion sport off campus. Mr. Gall competes in ultramarathons and hikes mountains all around Korea. Luka tagged along over the past few years, and they completed hours-long treks together. “I think the fact that he can hike very steep mountains and keep going for hours and hours definitely helps his endurance. I certainly never push him. He just loves doing it and he just seems to keep going forever,” Gall said.

The novice runners aim to break their records and show continuous improvement in their final race. They set to race in familiar trails on their home terrain, as DIS hosts the conference finals on Nov. 5. They intend to kick it into fifth gear and crush their personal bests when they cross the final finish line.

Gallery • 6 Photos

Colin Ji

The rookies shake their nerves before the countdown. They match their rhythm and pace to complete the race as a team.