It's a family affairIt's a family affair
Besides all the families running like the Bakers (Two clans of Bakers, see Robby in photo), Lermas, Wykoffs and many others. Their is another large family out there. The family of high school and college runners is large and growing at the BTC summer series.
Year after year the family grows and becomes closer too. Athletes from rival schools get to hang out and trade training lows and highs. Having a large friendly and positive running scene is good for everyone. Sure there is some serious competition but it is all done in good fun.
Plus just knowing their others out there with your passion for our sport is such a good feeling. It makes going out and putting in the work that is needed that much easier. Their is a kinship that only distance runners can understand because they have been there and done that.
I think this scene is starting to show results too. At the Rock to Pier, Bakersfield had 4 athletes in the top ten and of course the winner was Taft's own Billy Nelson (2008 Olympian in the steeplechase) so that makes five from Kern County.
one of the things i enjoy about most track or xc meets is seeing all of my friends from other schools. btc summer series is one of the most fun for me because a lot of those same guys show up to race too, great to see that running is getting bigger in Bakersfield!
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