Lansingburgh High School junior Alney Tobias stretches out before a brief practice Thursday afternoon on the 'Burgh track. After qualifying for the NYSPHSAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships last week, Tobias became the first student-athlete in Lansingburgh since the indoor program was reinstated seven years ago to qualify for state meets in cross country, indoor and outdoor track. (Photos by Tom Killips - The Record)

Running cross country in the fall helps him run the shorter distances in the spring, as the 800 meters is his premier distance. He'll be running today at Cicero-North Syracuse High School around 3:20 p.m.

"I get my endurance from cross country, but the 800, it’s like a long sprint almost," Tobias said. "I do a lot of speed workouts and with that speed, coming off of cross country, I can carry my speed around and it makes it a lot easier."

Tobias caught the running bug as a student at Turnpike Elementary school, participating in Lansingburgh's Field Day tradition for third, fourth and fifth graders.

His high school coach, Dale Broomhead, has been coaching at Lansingburgh for 30 years and was coincidentally Tobias' elementary school phys ed teacher.

"The thing that Alney has going for him that maybe some of our other runners don’t is that he comes to practice ready to train every single day," Broomhead said. "Fall, winter and spring. He comes every day ready to go. That consistency over the three seasons has paid huge benefits for him."

A math whiz in the classroom, Tobias is looking to major in engineering or architecture in college (and run track, too) but right now, he's busy building a three-season running program at Lansingburgh.

"I just want to get out and PR," he said of his weekend goals. "I want to stay with the pack and get on the podium."

Check out the full story on Tobias in Friday's edition of The Record. I've been super busy today, but I promise those high school baseball and softball semifinal previews are coming soon.

Other locals competing in NYSPHSAA outdoor track and field championships

Boys Division I
John Rudd (Averill Park) shot put
Tyler Washintgon (La Salle) pentathlon
Boys Division II
Melique Garcia (Watervliet) 100 meters, 200 meters, 400 relay
Vlad Myschuk (Watervliet) 100 meters & 4x100 relay
Ahshad Thompson (Watervliet) 4x100 relay
Ahkeim Thompson (Watervliet) 4x100 relay
Girls Division I
Anna Boughtwood (Columbia) 400 meters
Emily Rebehn (Averill Park) triple jump
Morgan Wheeler (Averill Park) pentathlon
Girls Division II
Tierney McGlynn (Watervliet) 200 meters
Hannah Nesich (Hoosic Valley) pentathlon
Robin Levy (Emma Willard) discus
Caroline Gregg (Emma Willard) 100 meters, 4x100 relay
Gabby Haerem (Emma Willard) 4x100 relay
Sara Sobolewski (Emma Willard) 4x100 relay
Elise Munn (Emma Willard) 4x100 relay
Annie Hudson (Emma Willard) 4x100 relay, high jump