Blue Devil Coach Completes
Half-Marathon
Shawn Anderson is really into running. The Huntington High School cross country and track and field coach completed a half-marathon late last month in Fort Worth, Texas. He's in the midst of intensive training for a full marathon later this month.
Anderson is in his first year as a Blue Devil track coach. A member of Huntington's Class of 2001, he was a mainstay in the school's track program as a student, building a strong bond with then head coach Dennis Walker.
"As a Huntington grad, I take the idea of continuing the tradition seriously," Anderson said. He stills uses Walker's training regimen in his personal running program and it has paid handsome dividends.
Anderson covered the 13.1 mile Cowtown half-marathon course in an impressive 1:21.26. He finished 27th in a field of about 7,000 and sixth in his age group, which was comprised of 350 runners. The first year Blue Devil coach was pleased with his pace of 6:13 per mile.
The Huntington grad said the Texas race course was "hilly, tough, windy" and altogether "awesome." It wound through old stockyards and historic Fort Worth.
"I was more of a 400m and 800m guy in high school, so training for the longer distances is a lot tougher," Anderson said. He ran the half-marathon in preparation for what will be his first marathon, the 26.2 mile Ocean Drive Marathon in Cape May, New Jersey on March 25.
Anderson served as the head coach of the Blue Devil boys' cross country team last fall and is assisting with the boys' winter track and field squad. He will also assist with the boys' spring track team.