A Forest-native is heading to the Pan American Cross Country Cup in BC.
Connor Black qualified for the event with a third place finish at the Canadian cross-country championships back in November.
Black said he'll have one thing on his mind during his upcoming race in Victoria, BC on February 29.
"My goal is to win. Training's been going well and as long as I can stay happy and healthy, I don't see why not."
Black, a graduate of North Lambton, said he continues to push himself.
"I think the accomplishment of how I did out at nationals in November was the biggest thing about it just because it was kind of new territory, fitness-wise and placement-wise, at a senior race at nationals," said Black. "I'd still say that my win in the university circuit for cross country in 2018 was probably the most that I've been proud of, but I'm definitely looking forward to assembling with the others that made the team and just sharing a cool experience with them out in Victoria."
Black graduated from the University of Guelph in the spring of 2019 and is currently living back home in Forest working as a sales manager for a running store and bartending on the side -- he's also applying to teachers college for this fall.
Black said his advice for future cross-country runners, is to "have fun over everything."
"At the end of the day we're just playing a game and you should be having fun playing that game and if you're not, you should really reassess why you're doing it," he said. "Other athletes who love the sport and, you know, a coach that is very supportive, because I think, as much as I do like doing some training on my own, I really recognize that there is a lot of value in sharing some of my practice or my racing moments with some of my best friends."