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Young Running Warriors

Boulder Mountain Warriors are perhaps the best kept secret in the Boulder County running community.
Boulder Mountain WarriorsXC
Boulder Mountain Warriors (Photo by Gregg Delman)

This content was originally published by the Longmont Observer and is licensed under a Creative Commons license.

Boulder Mountain Warriors are perhaps the best kept secret in the Boulder County running community. Led by their charismatic coach, Melody Fairchild, these boys and girls between the ages of 7 and 14 years are ready to send representatives to the National Junior Cross-Country Championships in Reno, Nevada on December 8th.

Melody coaches Warriors at sites in both Boulder and Longmont. Runners participate in a fall cross country season and a winter running and racing season, which ends in March. The focus of both seasons is to concentrate on building strength and preventing injury. The young athletes can also join a Bolder Boulder training program and a summer season of other track and field sports, with a team of specialized coaches.

This year, boys aged 9-10 years were fifth in their Regional Cross Country trials in Phoenix and qualified to send their team of five to Reno. Additionally, the eight-member team of 13-14 year-old girls placed third in Phoenix and are also on their way to the national competition.

Coach Fairchild is proud of all her young athletes, and it is not just the stars who earn her praise. Eight-year-old Sham is from Eritrea and improved his regional performance from 33rd place in 2017 to 14th this year. He will be going to Reno as an individual runner and is excited that his mother will be taking her first plane trip since the family arrived as refugees from Eritrea three years ago. The dynamic Prok duo of 12-year-old Mia and 10-year-old Anna came second and third respectively in their age groups.

Melody is definitely inspiring her young charges who may not remember her winning the Bolder Boulder citizens race three times while in high school or being a NCAA champion in middle distance races, or being a member of the U.S. Track and Field world championships, or countless other achievements; but they do know that this 45-year-old mother loves and values all their efforts. And they have a lot of fun as well!