Peak to Peak’s new cross country coach boasts a boatload of accolades from her running days. Now she’ll aim to help Pumas runners kick-start their own lengthy careers.
Kim McConnell, who replaces Richard Hansen, ran cross country and track at Rice University and later competed overseas as a distance runner for Athletes in Action in the 1980’s.
Her two children, James and Quinn, both attend Peak to Peak. McConnell served as a track and cross country coach at Great Hills Christian (Austin, Texas) from 1991-98 and helped churn out several individual and team state titles.
With 25 years of coaching experience, McConnell also is co-owner of local Mile High Runners LLC. She is a certified Level 2 endurance coach by USA Track and Field and is working on improving to Level 3.
She will inherit a team that closed strong last season.
The Peak to Peak boys finished fourth at the Class 3A state meet in October and the Pumas girls placed ninth. Encouragingly, the top finishers in each gender each will be seniors this season. Calvin Riss placed 26th overall in the boys race and Dallas Frisbie was 17th on the girls side.
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