Running tweaks lead to improved times for Page runner

By Barbara Boxleitner
Special to the Times

CAPE CORAL, Fla.

Distance runner Victoria Tenpenny will have to wait to showcase the improvement she has made.

The Page High School graduate will not compete in women’s cross-country this fall because the pandemic has postponed the University of Wyoming season indefinitely.

Tenpenny was unable to compete for the outdoor track and field team when its spring season was cancelled because of the pandemic.

“We’ll stay and train as if we were racing,” the junior said a day after learning Mountain West Conference officials postponed the fall seasons.

She competed in the cross-country team’s five races last year. She finished fifth among the Cowgirls in the Wyoming Invite 5K, her highest finish within the lineup, and placed seventh among the Cowgirls at the Division I Mountain Region and conference championships.

Tenpenny set a personal record in the conference championship 6K, finishing in 22 minutes, 32.9 seconds.

“I was definitely happy with basically everything,” she said.

She said she benefitted from head cross-country coach Scott Dahlberg’s decision to have runners log more miles during the weeks preceding meets and lower mileage the week of a race.

“We kind of focused on being fresh for a race,” she said.

As a result, she was able to hold competitive paces.

“Settle behind that top pack, not kill myself,” she said. “I’ve always struggled with that second mile, staying connected to that pack and being able to finish faster than what I started.”

Dahlberg said Tenpenny worked on keeping her shoulders relaxed and improving her knee drive.

“If you’re tightening up your shoulders, blood is going to your shoulders,” he said. “A tight muscle is a slow muscle. It’s counterproductive.”

Also, extending the knee drive will result in a longer stride and “more production at the same energy costs,” he said.

The tweaks made a difference.

“Tori improved every single race,” he said. “She was super competitive. She was willing to put in a tremendous amount of work.”

Her progress carried into the indoor track and field season. She finished fifth in the 5,000-meter race in her last two meets. She set a personal best in the 3,000 her first meet.

“She had been making some really good jumps (in her times),” the coach said. “We were really excited for the outdoor season for Tori.”

Going forward, Tenpenny expects to compete in the 5K and 10K races.

“I’m definitely a 5K runner,” she said. “The 3K is kind of quick for me. I have more consistency for a longer distance rather than the speed stuff.”

---