SALINAS — With the cross country running season right around the corner, the Gonzales High team joined other local teams to prepare the Toro Park Course in Salinas for the many competitions that will take place on the site.
The course was closed last season as Toro Park was used as a staging area for the Soberanes Fire crew. With heavy rain last winter the course needed a major clean up.
Gonzales High joined with Salinas High, North Salinas, North Monterey County, York, Palma, Greenfield and schools from the San Jose area clearing brush, widening trails, and trimming overhanging branches on the course.
“Taking our kids to Toro Park was a good opportunity for team bonding and community service,” said Gonzales head cross country coach Margie Daniels. “Many of our athletes have not had the opportunity to compete at Toro Park, so this was their chance to take a sneak peek at what’s to come this season. The course is looking great and we are excited to go back.”
The Toro Park high school cross country course is one of the best running courses in the Northern California and also hosts junior college competitions and local road races. The 3.1 mile course was set as a standard course in the early nineties for the high school teams that compete there.
Gonzales High will run its first meet of the season at Toro Park on Saturday, Sept. 9, at the Chieftain Invitational hosted by Palma High.
