Niwot track athletes continuing season with REAL Training

Niwot track and field athletes don't get much of an offseason. Only a few weeks removed from the state championships, the Cougars, competing for head coach Maurice Henriques' REAL Training club team, are staying sharp in June.

Henriques' group of tracksters began the month by visiting Albuquerque, New Mexico, from June 2-4 to participate in the Great Southwest Track and Field Classic. Niwot juniors Kimora Northrup (girls) and Eric Walker (boys) each won their respective 400m hurdles events, and senior Nicholas Stade took first in both the boys decathlon 110-meter hurdles and the 400-meter dash. Also, Henriques' daughter, Eliana, took fourth in the 400m hurdles.

Approximately 45 members of REAL Training, including Niwot's main scorers from state as well as athletes from other area schools such as Longmont, Centaurus, Basalt and Peak to Peak, will next travel to the University of Oregon's Hayward Field for the Nike Outdoor Nationals beginning June 16.

REAL took first in the girls relay events during the 2021 meet - with Niwot's Northrup, sophomore Mia Prok and junior Madison Shults all contributing. The attainment of gold is once again the objective for Henriques.

On the boys side, Niwot senior Zane Bergen will run either the 800m or the mile. He'll also join Stade, Walker and junior Ben Classen for the 4x400-meter relay, an event that the quartet won at the 4A state championships in May.

This summer also offers an opportunity for many of Niwot's younger runners to sharpen their skills. Henriques specifically mentioned sophomore Julia Rudolph, Walker and Classen as athletes he's looking forward to watch develop.

"It's a constant grind because you lose your seniors," Henriques said. "Zane (Bergen) is going to be big shoes to to fill, but we've got young distance boys that are hungry. I think they'll make big improvements."

Fortunately for Niwot, the Cougars return almost every girl from the 4A state championship winning team, which Henriques said will be "scary."

When they return to Colorado, Henriques said his group will do a couple of local meets and then enjoy some long-awaited recovery time.

"It's been a long season," Henriques said. "Probably just for my group, we'll train to the end of June and then we'll be off July, and those distance kids will take a little break and then start up training for cross country."