Saratoga News

Wolfpack runners are (from left) Robyn VanDerLuit, Carolyn Benson, Susie Blake, Bigna Samuel and Sarah Beane.

Watch out for the Wolfpack

By Torre Peña

At last week's Great Race, a wolf pack was on the loose. The Wolfpack Running Team, comprised of local female athletes and based in Saratoga, made its 1997 road-racing circuit debut in the Great Race from Saratoga to Los Gatos. And they devoured the competition.

The pack converged on the field of 2,500 runners, placing five team members among the women's top 10 finishers.

"We did well, considering we're not in peak shape yet," said Susie Blake, who led the pack with a third-place finish.

Blake, an alumnus of West Valley College, organized the elite running team with other WVC alumni looking for competition. The Wolfpack provides an outlet for women to compete as a team after leaving college, said team member Robyn VanDerLuit.

"It's a camaraderie," she added.

The team is includes professional athletes, working professionals and moms. They compete year-round in cross-country, road and track events. And they're serious about running.

"Our goal as a team is to attract a sponsor and compete on a national level," VanDerLuit said.

The Wolfpack ended its first full season with the Cross Country National Championships at Stanford in December. Without its star runner, Bigna Samual, who ran in the '96 Olympics, the pack placed 19th as a team against the best the nation has to offer.

VanDerLuit said the Wolfpack is unique because the team members are local athletes from the South Bay. Other teams pull runners from all over, she said.

The Wolfpack trains at WVC every Monday and Wednesday evening at 5:30 with coach Bill Campbell.

Coaching at West Valley since 1970, Campbell is the college's athletic director. He is the head cross-country coach and also coaches track.

Campbell donates his coaching time after training his college team, and he enjoys spending time with his former athletes.

"I don't mind donating my time two nights a week to give them an avenue for training," he said. "They're a fun group."

Blake, a former professional triathlete before the birth of her child, respects Campbell as a coach because he is flexible and considers each individual athlete's training needs.

"He is willing to keep learning new techniques," she said. "You can tell he really loves the sport."

Although the majority of runners are WVC alumni, others have drifted in to join the pack, bringing the total to about 20 runners. Blake hopes the Wolfpack can attract enough women over the age of 40 to field a competitive master's team.

Through the spring and summer, the pack will compete in the Pacific Association's road-racing circuit. At these races, pack members compile team and individual points based on their performances to determine their ranking at the end of the season.

Among other races, the pack will be competing in the Mercury News 10k, the Big Sur 5k and the Wharf to Wharf road races.