SEGUIN STANDS OUT ONLY AT FINISH VALENCIA RUNNER FARING WELL IN CANYONS CROSS COUNTRY SERIES.

Byline: Julio Cortez Staff Writer

Anissa Seguin is not a typical cross country athlete. Her 5-foot-5, 130- pound stature is not the silhouette of an elite runner.

What makes her stand out from a fast pack of runners is a long T-shirt and long shorts, not the typical gear worn by serious runners.

Her wardrobe is not threatening to other runners. In fact, the only thing worn by the 30-year-old that would imply she's into running is a big, black stopwatch she wears on her right wrist.

However, Seguin has used this unthreatening look to surprise many competitors and has built herself a good reputation throughout Santa Clarita.

``I think that I am kind of built to run hills,'' Seguin said. ``I don't have stick legs, my legs are pretty good size, which helps me in running hills.''

Seguin is currently displaying her abilities at the 29th Annual College of the Canyons Summer Cross Country Series, held every Thursday through Aug. 15. So far, Seguin, a former series champion, has won two of the four races with the latest coming Thursday.

Although she won two races this series, Seguin, who won the series in 2000, is surprised she has done so well because she's not a big fan of the current course.

Construction to buildings and parking lots on the south side of the campus cuts across most of what used to be the original cross country course.

``With her type of training, her strength is going to be in the hills,'' said Canyons cross country coach Lindie Kane, who coordinates the summer series. ``This particular course can favor a speed runner. The second part of the course is all downhill, and once you hit the track (in the football stadium at the end of the course) there's a 300-meter sprint into the finish.

``Anyone that has any type of kick is going to fare well in the end. She is a strength runner and she benefits from the hills. She's a very smart runner.''

Seguin, who has been running in the series for four years, said the older course featured challenging hills which helped her.

``I really like the trails,'' Seguin said. ``I love the challenge, the way that it makes your heart feel as if it's bursting out of you. I just run hills really well.''

She noted her success comes when she's competing in tough races like the Wildflower Race, which is held every May at Lake San Antonio.

``The Wildflower, that's like an ugly course,'' Seguin said. It is ugly because of the hills - ugly, ugly, ugly hills. But for some reason, I can run them real well.''

One of the reasons why she excels on the hills is because she has a diverse athletic background.

Seguin was a soccer player in high school in Ottawa, Canada. She was introduced to running by her University of Toronto roommates, who were on the track and field, cross country and lacrosse teams.

Seguin moved to Valencia five years ago when she accepted a teaching job as a fourth-grade teacher at Stevenson Ranch Elementary School. Suddenly, Seguin's flat-land Toronto was replaced by mountainous Santa Clarita Valley and she did not want to let a chance of enjoying its hills go by.

``When I moved here I started running because the weather is so great out here,'' Seguin said. ``I started mountain biking, road biking and doing triathlons and duathlons. I just started to do a lot of running. I am not really a runner. I run, but I am not just a runner. I do this for training.''

Seguin is coming off a first-place finish at the Castaic Triathlon on July 20. She finished the 1/4-mile swim, 10-mile bike and three-mile run in 49:39, two minutes faster than her previous triathlon.

The main reason for her improvement was that she was allowed to run in the men's wave instead of the female wave, which takes off five minutes earlier. In the past, Seguin built significant leads and made it tough on her strategy.

``I talked to Dave DeLong, who puts together the triathlon, to see if I could run with the male wave instead,'' Seguin said. ``He allowed me to do it and I finished a couple of steps behind the women's leader but five minutes faster than her.''

There are talks of bringing the COC Summer Cross Country Series back to the old course. That, however, will not happen until all construction has been terminated.

Meanwhile, Seguin is focusing on the goal of finishing the current course in under 19 minutes.

``I am feeling OK on this course,'' Seguin said. ``I really would like to break 19. The older course was way harder. I kept running 20:08 and 20:10, so my goal there was to break 20.''

She reached her goal on the last race of 2000, the last time the series was held in the old course. At that race, which decided the series champion for males and females that year, Seguin finished first in 19:42.

``I was so happy that I was able to break 20,'' Seguin said.

She reached her goal, but her beloved challenging trail was taken away. Maybe if she reaches her current goal, she'll be rewarded with the old course coming back.

Only the time on her big, black watch will tell.

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Anissa Seguin has been a standout runner at the College of the Canyons Summer Cross Country Series.

Gene Blevins/Special to the Daily News