Killarney's Tanya Humeniuk laces up Saturday to defender her provincial cross-country title.
She's raced at the top of the pack through the fall season and prepared for this weekend as she has for years.
"I'll get to sleep early, I'll eat well and get a lot of rest. I'll mentally prepare myself," she said.
She's familiar with the competition, even if she's used to blowing past it and is calm in the face of expectations she'll win again.
"There's definitely more pressure but I think it's something I can prepare with and I can handle it," she said.
Last year Humeniuk became the first Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»runner since 1989 to win the best-of B.C. high school meet. She finished the 4.6-kilometre course in 16 minutes, six seconds.
She's on track to repeat.
"She hasn't lost yet," said her Killarney coach Robert Solmes, noting her entry in B.C. Athletics and provincial high school events.
At the city championships Oct. 26 at the Fraserview Golf Course, she outpaced the competition of 102 public high school girls from Grades 8 to 12.
"We know she is getting faster because we've kept a record and the times she has run this year on the same courses and her times are faster," said Solmes, noting different courses race better or worse depending on conditions like weather and temperature.
"Her preparation has been great."
Humeniuk elevated her training by doing heavier volume work, explained Solmes, meaning she put in more kilometers each and every week. "She was running 50 km a week and now she's running over 90."
Twitter: @MHStewart
