League Championships - 10.25.14

Liberty Bell XC

Location: Liberty Bell High School - Winthrop, WA               Date: 10.25.14

Distance: 5km     Conditions: 52 degrees. Overcast. Light rain.

Comments: A nice-sized crowd and perfect running weather. Many thanks again to all of the parent volunteers, and especially to Tammy and Heidi who set a high bar for future meets by having apples and baked goods for racers at the finish!

VARSITY / JV GIRLS - 5k 

Hmmm, last week I said something about Koharu notching her pace back under 7:50. Mission accomplished! Advil, the home crowd, a hard first and a gutsy second mile put Koharu across the line in her best performance of the year. With a restful week and determination like that again at Districts — watch out Tonasket pack! Koharu just raced herself into an outside shot at State. Following up on her breakthrough Oroville performance, McKenzie had another solid race - if not quite as fast overall. With a first mile quicker than last week, and a second mile that did not waiver much, it is great to see her challenging the distance and learning more about herself from race to race. One last go at Districts and McKenzie can look to a 9min mile for goal pace. Grrr! 

Garett Palm. Strong to the end in 18:56 and a 9th place finish at League Champs.

VARSITY BOYS - 5k. First place team. 27 pts.

Carter, a solid effort on a bothersome foot. It hurt, but you finished. The positive here is that 13:51 and 21:28 splits are exactly your 6:55 finishing pace. You backed off but stayed consistent. Pain set aside, we know that you have a sub-6:25 paced effort and a new 5k PR in you for State. Garett: Outstanding. Closing on 6min and you will get there. For additional perspective, Sam Thomas was over a minute in front of you at Manson, 49 sec at Oroville, and only 19 seconds this weekend. Willy dropped nearly 30 seconds between League and State in his debut XC season, so set your sights on a ballpark 18:30 or better. And speaking of Willy, great job in pacing out there. Controlled and confident as expected. Obvious as well that you still had legs and the ability to go faster at the finish. Right where you were at this time last year. Eli: Solid again and moving up well even with fewer racers to chase. We’ll let you go a bit more next weekend but your poise and confidence as a young runner continue to impress. Joe: you’ve been equally solid and consistent since Can-AM. 30 sec. faster on this course than you were last year while running much of it totally alone and chasing a faster than expected pace from Oren and Ben. Widhalm of Riverside Christian has run 17:34 at some point this season and you’ve firmly established who will be running faster at State. And Ben, a good race again even with a hiccup in the final 400m. Grace and composure will take you far, and despite the tangle with Oren’s lanky stride, you handled it perfectly. Its a race. Everyone is tired and leg weary. It happens. In the next two races however, be the hunter! Excellent even pacing, but a little too much work at the front too early in this one. That made it harder to pounce in the final mile. Make the move from behind in the last 800-400m and get the mental boost of being the passer when it counts. Just like Liam last year, you’ve been super solid in that 5:33-5:29 pace all season. You’re going to knock it down to the 5:25 or better range again for State. 

And to EVERYONE, it is a compliment to ALL OF YOU, and to Liberty Bell’s team success over the last 5 years, that a League meet like this is getting just a little more competitive. And there will be more of the same next weekend. Bridgeport, Tonasket, Lake Roosevelt, Manson, Riverside Christian, and Bickleton ALL have kids that will challenge for top 10 spots at Districts. We will run great - no doubt - and the competition makes us better. REST and sharpening are the goals for the next 10 days. Easy speed if you will, and some shorter focused practices so that you can get home, do your work, and get some sleep. Finish this season with a smart, confident, approach, and we’ll be right in the mix of a top five finish again for State. 

Oroville Invite - 10.18.14

Liberty Bell XC

Location: Lake Osoyoos State Park - Oroville, WA               Date: 10.18.14

Distance: 3 mi     Conditions: 60-63 degrees. Overcast.

Comments: Tight early turns and round about course through a small park. A mix of grass, sandy beach (easier than Can-AM) and pavement. One side-hill + one short steep climb.

VARSITY / JV GIRLS - 2.8mi. 

To flip the reporting order a bit this week. McKenzie had a huge race! Everything, from the starting mile to the finishing time was faster by leaps, and those tempo and race pace efforts at practice are really starting to pay off. Great race! Koharu, still battling the pain in your shins, but when you get set on that finish the form is there. Two more races to focus and we know that your strong and steady - excellent finishing from can hold tough through the middle of the race to get that average pace notched back under 7:50 per mile.  

VARSITY BOYS - 3mi. First place team. 40pts.

Another team victory to accompany a slate of excellent races. Top to bottom (throwing out Manson and Bridgeport as outliers of short distance) these were our best pace/times of the year. Also of note, our average splits were awesome and NO ONE was more than 5 sec. slower than average on their last mile, with most of you being within 2 seconds — or perhaps even running your 3rd mile fastest** of all. Willy’s 1st and 3rd mile were exactly the same but he warrants the “gutsy race” nomination here for nearly falling over about 15m before the finish. Tough. Well run. A huge drop in your pace here as compared to Wenatchee, and there is more to come (plus more stable legs) in the weeks ahead. Ben, a great effort to surge with 800m to go. You could move here more than you felt available to do in Can-AM — which is just what you want to feel - and kudos for giving it a shot. As discussed, the timing and hilly terrain conspired against you but it was strong/bold move and you only got caught because the hill opened a small window of opportunity. Joe: Awesome! You know where you should be at the end and you put yourself there smartly and confidently over the course of the race. That gap to the very front is shrinking by the week. Keep up the great work and you are going to have even more runners to race/pass at State. Eli: We talked on the bus, but ANOTHER excellent effort. Keep it rolling and great job moving in front of Willy to take a pull. You improved your race by launching to the next group and Willy’s by giving him a focal point for that tough middle section of the race. And Carter, your best, most consistent race of the year. A little tough that second mile, but this week you rallied for a 3rd mile faster than your 2nd. Start that kick a little earlier by ramping it steadily up from a little farther out. You don’t have to kick full-on right away, but be confident in your stride and in gathered momentum. 

Willy Duguay, tearing up the beach!

A great race and a strong finish from Josiah Klemmeck.

Leavenworth-Cascade Invite - 10.11.14

Liberty Bell XC

Location: Leavenworth Ski Hill - Leavenworth, WA               Date: 10.11.14

Distance: 2.8mi     Conditions: 60-65 degrees. Overcast. Hilly trails!

Comments: Wow. A scenic, hilly course at the base of a ski jump. Winding trails in the woods with both an uphill start and  finish. Ribbons to the top 30 finishers.

Koharu charges the final hill.

VARSITY / JV GIRLS - 2.8mi. 

Much stronger on the hills than earlier this season, Koharu is finding familiar athletes in the field and she is demonstrating an excellent awareness of where she is at and who she needs to race in these final weeks of the season. McKenzie’s form on the hills is great as well, and she is starting to stretch it out a bit on the flatter sections of the course. A very small “team” of two — it is great to see these ladies supporting each other out there each and every week. 

McKenzie Woodworth - determined on the final climb.

VARSITY / JV BOYS - 2.8mi. No scoring team.

This was a hilly course - and our excellent efforts on the day will pay dividends at State! With several seniors taking the SAT, and several underclassman who need to get on top of their grades, our smaller group was not a factor in the team scoring. That being said, we moved up with confidence, and were very strong over the last 600m including the final hill to the finish. When Ben was falling off a bit from the lead group to start the second half… he immediately made a little push to reconnect on the longer downhill. A great move at a critical time. A short while later at the 2mi, he had passed the group and made a move into 3rd and 4th. Connect to a group when it hurts. Relax, and then move again. Joe ran another strong race as well. A bit behind Hunter from Tonasket at the mile, Joe ended up beating him by 45 seconds. He was only 6 seconds back of Oren Cox from Bridgeport, and Joe is racing consistent and tough to the line. For more relative performance measures, Eli Nielsen has finished 45 sec. back of Hunter in each of the last 2 races. At Leavenworth, that margin was down to 6 seconds! Eli’s race smarts and his strength over the final mile are really coming into form. Of note as well, Eli passed 15 runners in the final .8 of the race. Nice! Carter looked great as well on the final hill and he chased hard passing several runners in the race to the finish. To a runner, our average pace was about 15 sec. slower per mile than it has been on flatter faster courses. That being said, the racing isn’t always about a time, and we are demonstrating desire in spades. 

Carter above and Eli (below) power up the final climb. Well run by ALL.

Jr. High at Omak : LBHS at Chelan -- 10.7.14

Liberty Bell XC

Location: Omak Stampede Grounds - Omak WA               Date: 10.7.14

Distance: 1.5mi     Conditions: 85+ degrees. Hot. Flat. 

Comments: Hard to believe that the middle school xc season is over, but CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL all on the excellent season. It was our largest middle school turnout in over a decade and we hope to keep building on this momentum for years to come. 

Zach and Sam push the pace. Excellent teamwork lions!

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS/BOYS  - 1.5mi. Both middle school teams finished in 1st place. Omak was second. This was the fastest race of the year for many, with the one exception being the questionably fast course at Mason two weeks back. 

*Personal Record pace

Just like last weekend in Kettle Falls, Israel Escamillo from Omak went out fast. As a season-ending experiment, Emerson tried to hang… but its not quite there yet no matter the valiant effort. We’ll throw some leg-speed 200’s into the mix next year and see what happens. The high school distance is longer, so endurance will factor a little more in the coming years as well. Novie and Walker, as they have all year, drove each other to fast, consistent, times and their front-runner experience will serve them well in 2015. Gretta, Logan, and Peter continued to demonstrate the form and race patience that have guided them all year. A great first season again for all, and we look forward to having Peter and Emerson both on the high school team next year. Even with a great race at Manson, Icel ran even faster today. She out-kicked the arm-sling-wearing Lazo G. at the line but its great seeing teammates work together all the way to the finish. Zach, Sam and Sage form the next trio of 8th graders that will hopefully be back for the high school experience. Sage’s races got stronger all year, and her finishing kick once again proved the difference in a battle to the line with 7th grader Ian Dornfeld. Zach’s experience and and Sam’s persistence have made these two an excellent match in recent races, and it was great having Sam out for his first year of XC. Flagging just a bit in the heat of the afternoon, Ian couldn’t quite hold off the late-charging Sage. His improvement first race to last was impressive and his presence in the group seems to be an important part of keeping things fun. Larkin and Shay dealt admirably with the heat as Larkin cracked 9 min pace for only the second time and Shay once again demonstrated a strong finishing kick that will only get longer and start earlier in the coming years. 

Congrats again to all and thank you so much for all of your hard work, respect for your teammates, and willingness to get out there and run!

And though they haven't gotten much mention on the blog... a new crop of  Liberty Bell middle school racers is already on the move. With eight to nine 6th graders running a few days a week this fall, expect another speedy squad of harriers to toe the middle school at a race near you in 2015.

*****

Liberty Bell XC

Location: Lake Chelan State Park - Chelan, WA               Date: 10.7.14

Distance: 2.25mi     Conditions: 79 degrees. Shady. A few tough hills. Multiple loops.  

Comments: Solid races that felt harder than expected. Just two restful days removed from Kettle Falls, it is no surprise that this did not feel fresh. Competition is the name of the game, and we did so again despite less than willing legs. 

That being said, official results were never posted for this race and my notes are incomplete enough that I'll hold off on any reporting of my own. Stay tuned for better info in the weeks ahead :)

CAN-AM Race Report - 10.4.14

Liberty Bell High School Boys: 3rd place at the 2014 Can-Am XC Invite -- a position shared by both Liberty Bell middle school teams (boys and girls) as well. 

Liberty Bell XC

Location: Lake Roosevelt Rec. Area - Kettle Falls, WA               Date: 10.4.14

Distance: 1.5mi/5km     Conditions: 65 degrees. Sunny. 100-150m sandy beach!

Comments: A true XC course with several different loops and slightly rolling terrain. The biggest challenge is a 100-150m stretch of very soft sand - run twice by the HS and once by the MS. Another shorter and somewhat firmer 25m “beach” occurs both early and late in the race for both divisions. 

MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS  - 1.5mi. 85 pts. 3rd place!

Team efforts defined our races this weekend and it started early with another excellent race for the Liberty Bell middle school girls. As they have all season long, Novie and Gretta found themselves leading the field at somewhere between 400-600m into the race. Typical as well, is the fact that each is poised and capable in this role. In taking early leads, they are holding firm in those positions and extend their margins start to finish. Icel had another nice race with a solid kick, and Sage had her most competitive race of the year. Her strong finish pushed her past at least 4-5 runners in the final 150m and with only 7 points separating Liberty Bell and Deer Park, those were valuable places indeed. Larkin Lucy raced hard as well over the final stretch from the swimming beach to the finish. In this exhausting stretch, while closing but not quite catching a small pack of runners ahead, she bravely held off the charge of several others in her wake. And finally, while ongoing knee problems kept Lucy Cole from running as planned, she cheered her teammates from the sidelines and will hopefully join us again in Omak on Tuesday 10/7. Admirable running from all, and middle school hardware for the trophy case. GRRR!

MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS  - 1.5mi. 88 pts. 3rd place!

The boys middle school race offers just a slightly different scenario for what still equates to an excellent team finish. Emerson set his competitive sights early on eventual second place runner from Omak, Israel Escamilla. As it turns out, Israel goes out HARD, and he had fast company from Colville to share the load. Emerson’s valiant effort left him stuck in no-man’s land between the field and the front runners, but he ran admirably tough to hold on for 3rd. Walker Hall, savvy and patient - tough in a different way - hung back early and closed hard in the second half coming only seconds from catching Emerson at the line — and Logan continues to rock. With no Peter in the race, he chased Walker. 1:30 behind Walker in our first race of the year, he was 35 seconds back today - and its only 1.5 miles. Enough said! Liberty Bell placed three runners in the top 8 and had three across the line before any other team had two. Strong front running was then supported nicely by mid-pack races from Zach and Ian. The times for many middle school runners were slower than in previous races by 50-70 seconds (see sand in course description above). With times variable to terrain etc. it is strongly evident that Zach and Ian ran well based on their marginal difference of closer to 30 seconds instead. Nice work again to all, and once again, some middle school hardware for the trophy case!

VARSITY / JV GIRLS - 3.1mi.

First off, congratulations to Koharu for fighting through sore shins to run a race time quite comparable to last weekend’s at the Manson Invite. She relaxed, rallied, and raced, and we commend her for both the effort and for the eventual result. Very nice to see that first mile pace close to the over-all average of 7:57. On a tough course with uncertain beginnings, this was a solid performance. McKenzie is still learning her XC ropes but continues to improve. This was her first official 5k distance - but also her fastest 2mi split of the season. Fitness and form will come together over the next three weeks for her best performances of the year — with much of that improvement coming over a stronger last mile. 

VARSITY / JV BOYS - 3.1mi. 143 pts. 3rd place!

And finally again, the high school boys. For several weeks now we’ve talked about Can-AM as the first true benchmark for LBHS XC. With just a few more weeks until the Championship phase of League/District/State, WE - ARE - ON - IT! Finally a true 5k race and almost everyone rose to the occasion with their best paces of the season. Runners in this race from comparable 2B schools like Republic and St. George had logged 5ks 30-40 seconds faster at earlier points this season - but where course terrain (and times) can change, races are won in the places at the finish. We raced faster today (we are adapting to stress), we moved up start to finish (we are smart), AND we passed some serious numbers where it can really count at the finish line (we are tough). You can’t ask for more — especially on a course with leg sapping sand in the final 800m. Uhg! Ben, great job being patient with the crowded start and excellent movement to challenge Duncan for 2nd. He won this round, but you are headed headed in the right direction. “Shoeless Joe (Josiah)” Klemmeck — who it should be mentioned raced the last mile with ONLY ONE SHOE!!! - had is best race of a 2-year XC career, and is now competing for podium spots with his first-ever sub-18min 5k. He also CRUSHED IT in the final kick to the line - leading a pack of 4-5 runners separated by a mere 1.5 seconds. Willy maintains his steady progress into championship-season form, and finished the course over a minute faster than he did in 2012. In doing so, he led Eli to another excellent mid-season race. Be confident Eli, in your own ability to run a sub-18 minute effort in November. You are right on Willy’s heels and he will get you there. Garrett - “the Flash” - Palm whose finish line sprint (passing 7-8 runners in the final 150m) was the best on the day did an equally stellar job of sharing the earlier 4850m with teammate Emmett Fink. As seniors and accomplished athletes it shouldn’t surprise - but as first-year xc runners your ability to work as a group continues to impress. Carter, you did a great job of staying close to the Garrett/Emmet train, and in doing so (on a slower course) logged your second fastest 5k ever. Trent, congrats on your first official 5k - remarkably hand-in-hand with your fastest pace of the year and your first time cracking the 7min pace mark. Geza and Tim, get that homework turned in so that we can see you back in action next weekend. We want you guys to realize the benefits of the hours spent running and we missed not having you on the award stand with the team. School comes first, so take care of business and then we can have some fun. 

Ben moves into 4th position just before the 2mi.

Athletes of the Week: Eli Nielsen & Logan Hall

Each week we acknowledge a student-athlete that has exemplified excellence on the team -- the student's practice ethic, general conduct, and overall contributions to the team are as much a part of this recognition as any recent race performance.

In this past week, high school athlete Eli Nielsen (photo coming soon!) earns that honor for both his racing guts and his continually excellent attitude while dealing with a nagging knee pain. Still growing in the sport and with much untapped potential after his standout 8th grade year, it was great to see this 9th grader willing to risk a strong move in the middle of last weekend's race. It would have been easy to sit comfortably with his group, but Eli made a little extra push in the 2nd mile plan and it paid off with his best time of the year. Great job Eli!

On the junior high side of things, Logan Hall earns recognition for a similar experiment at Manson -- pushing himself to keep Peter in his sights -- and succeeding in fine fashion to push his pace nearly 40sec. per mile faster than ever before. It is also obvious that Logan is loving his first year of XC -- and we're excited for that as well. And finally, when he can't join us he's done a really great job of letting us know. Things come up, family plans, illness etc. and your coaches totally understand, but its incredibly helpful when these various hiccups can be brought up and discussed in advance. Thanks  Logan!

Logan Hall - eating up the turf in a furious kick at Wenatchee. GREAT knee drive and relaxed/fast arms!