It’s fair to say that Jakob Finney was born to run.
The 14-year-old Athabasca resident has proven as much time and time again, ever since he first laced up his sneakers and took part in competitive running. Whether on the track or the trails, Finney can usually be found near the head of the pack.
That trend continued in June, when another track season came to a successful close for the young athlete. Competing at the Hershey’s Provincial Track and Field Games at Foote Field in Edmonton, he once again proved himself to be an adept distance runner with an impressive fifth place finish in the 1600 metre race. He also competed in the 800 metre, finishing 11th.
It was his first experience at the provincial championships, and he made it count.
“I was a little bit nervous, I didn’t know what to expect. But in the end I had fun,” he said. “I was happy I made it. I think I had a really good mindset, just going out there and enjoying it.
“My legs just took me.”
All the best runners can probably make that claim. Wherever the track and whatever the event, Finney has reason to be confident when his feet hit the surface. When he first started running he tried his hand at the sprint events, but soon found he was more suited for distance.
He knows what it takes to have success in a long race like the 1600 (four complete laps of the track).
The most successful distance runners know to conserve their energy and pick the best time to make their big push.
“You’ve got to be patient, and have a good mindset going into the race,” he said.
His season wrapped up with one final event in St. Albert. Not content to rest on his laurels during the summer, he took part in the recent Billy Loutit Triathlon in Athabasca, his first such event and one he plans to try again next year.
He also joined a running team in St. Albert to make his training even more effective.
And with the summer flying by, it won’t be long until he’s back at school and getting himself ready for more distance racing in cross country season, and more opportunities to leave his opponents in the dust.
