Liberty Bell XC
Location: Chelan State Park - Chelan, WA Date: 10.6.15
Distance: 1.125mi/2.25 Conditions: 60 degrees. Cloudy. Great racing weather!
Comments: First word: An unknown distance… and its hilly! Race director says 2.4, but Craig’s GPS for the last three years measures it at 2.25. That being said, our average mile paces are a bit slower, but don’t give it a second thought. Regardless of distance, we raced the competition and the course against a “small but mighty” group of teams!
MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS - 1.125mi.
A little more middle school action at Chelan and we continue to impress. We will see most of these teams (and more!) again this weekend, so stay tuned for some hilly fun at the Leavenworth ski hill. I did NOT get a good view of the race — except for some of the finish and the uphill from the beach. Craig said that everyone worked really well up the boat launch hill and into the mile at the top of the pavement — and I saw some strong kicks in the home stretch from everyone in the group as well. Annika, 8:21 for an average mile. Awesome! Eva, so nice to see you free of side aches for two races in a row, and kicking it in at the finish. Lena, looking much more fluid today and racing well through the middle after hill number one. Lindsay, strong on the hills and I could tell you liked the course. Liv, a great kick to the finish, with a good mark from Cashmere to pull you even closer to Rivers and Gretta — who ran great together for the second week in a row. Novie, focused and strong on the first uphill, and you will have fun with the same on a slightly longer course and more terrain this coming weekend.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS - 1.125mi.
Excellent arm drive and an “attack the hill” approach up the beach from Aidan and Travis especially. Aidan, keep that quicker tempo going with slight modification over the flats and downhills and Travis, keep that eye on Ian as you two are moving well together even if you get a little spread apart. Ian just keeps smiling out there… so he may need to run with a weight vest or something, but whatever is happening keep up the good work! Walker, two things: Good race awareness when your competition from Cashmere didn’t know what to do up the hill from the beach. You kept the right line and didn’t let his lack of knowledge ruffle you at all. Plus, you hung on tough and timed that lunge for the line to perfection. Erick, congrats on race no. 2. Your early pace had you out in a good spot and you hung on well up the final hill. Awesome to have you and Aidan and Andrew suddenly less than 30 seconds apart! Yes, we’ve raced farther, but this was a hard, hilly course and you guys all dropped serious time from your average paces!
JV GIRLS - 2.26mi
Johanna, congratulations on your win :) The focus in your face was evident throughout, and you did well to push Zach on that second lap too - including a word or two of encouragement on the uphill off the beach. Larkin, a great race as well. So nice to see you in the zone without any worries about your breathing, and a great kick to close the gap on those two girls from Cascade at the end. Try another little surge like that a time or two in the middle part of the race to stay connected to other groups of runners. There is strength in numbers even if they happen to be from other teams!
JV BOYS - 2.26mi
Zach, another fine kick my friend! Relaxed but tall the upper body a bit more mid-race and think about flow. Michael, a bit of an off race but you will bounce back. Keep that 7:15-7:20 pace first mile in mind. You totally can, and you want to be up there just a bit more to lock in on a good position mid-race. Ian, another fine piece of work. You and Sam, are a good grouping, but both still have loads of lanky stride to give over the course of a race. Keep those upper body postures tall and strong to get even more from the effort of your arms and legs. Lazo, excellent form, but mix it up a bit mid-race. You are right in the thick of it in terms of numbers — surrounded by kids from other teams — and this is great. Get fierce, and race those boys just a little earlier. You looked super comfortable and we know that you’re strong as evidenced in your last 400m. Put a little hurt on those around you earlier and you will hang longer and stronger than you think. Cameron, great arms on the uphill climbs and an obvious acceleration past other runners each time up that hill. Watch that forward lean however! Test that strength a little more at the start and you and Simon will keep each other company for more of the race to the finish. And Simon, nice work getting yourself in contention early. Just like Peter, and Ben you’re still pulling out of the crud, and felt a little more tried in that last half mile. Another week and your front end efforts will pay off bigger at the end.
Our first real look at Tonasket, and we are definitely in the mix for a trip to State. In a duel meet scoring (between our two teams only - like what will happen at Districts) we still beat Tonasket 23 to 32. They were without their usual no. 5 runner (and we didn’t run a complete 7) but even with their usual no. 5, we still should have won. Now they know what we’re really about, and we will race them at least 2 more time before the State qualifier. Fun stuff! Athena and Ella, very nice racing. Excellent intensity and focus on the uphill from the beach and it was great to see you running side-by-side and moving up so well. You did put yourself in a bit of a hole that first 800m, but it obviously worked out, and you’ll be even better off with more time to move up in a longer race. Icel, great job again in starting that kick when you did. Ava had no choice but to move as well and you are both within striking distance of Tonasket no. 2 — especially if you can be out just 10 seconds faster and have a longer race to run. It will be more obvious where she’s at in League and District meets, but we’ll try to give you an idea in the crowded race at Leavenworth this weekend. And Sage, you will actually like the crowd this weekend! LOTS of girls to race in the second half and be sure to use that focus when you can make it count the most — bridging gaps to other runners when it gets tough, or in kicking them down at the end.
VARSITY BOYS - 2.25mi. 68pts. 3rd place behind Cascade and Cashmere.
Cade and Emerson, excellent kicks! Eli, super solid after a big race in Kettle Falls. And Geza and Ben, welcome back! Another good outing - and a good race/interval workout for sure. Even with Carter unable to make it, we did well in a competitive field. Just like the Tonasket girls however, Tonasket and Brewster are going to make us earn it! Brewster has a tighter grouping 2-5 and both teams placed 7 runners before our 6th — so we need to keep our eyes on the blue/gold and red/white uniforms this week in Leavenworth. RACE AWARENESS is a key focus over the next several weeks. Where am I? Where are they? Am I moving up? How much race is left? etc. Peter, for example had a fine race while still bouncing back from illness, but did he know that he was right behind Tonasket’s 5, 6, and 7th runners? I’m guessing ‘yes’ but its easy to get caught up in the hurt of a hill or speed of an opening mile.
This weekend in Leavenworth, we’re going to ask. Who did you see? Who did you pass? Who did you not quite pass? We can see some of it, but you all get to practice seeing even more. Its part of good racing and it will definitely help. Brewster and Tonasket both get out with a little quicker than we do - which is fine - but we have to keep them closer to maintain contact and to give ourselves a better chance at passing them later on. Everyone should take a measure of the competition - both at the start and in the opening mile or at certain places where visibility is better. Look for key uniforms, kids you recognize etc. Its good stuff all around. Not only can it give you an added jolt of mid-race motivation, but it keeps your brain active and engaged -pulling you along to running fast with a purpose. Good job again to all. Keep it fast, fun, and smart!
Location: Chelan State Park - Chelan, WA Date: 10.6.15
Distance: 1.125mi/2.25 Conditions: 60 degrees. Cloudy. Great racing weather!
Comments: First word: An unknown distance… and its hilly! Race director says 2.4, but Craig’s GPS for the last three years measures it at 2.25. That being said, our average mile paces are a bit slower, but don’t give it a second thought. Regardless of distance, we raced the competition and the course against a “small but mighty” group of teams!
MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS - 1.125mi.
A little more middle school action at Chelan and we continue to impress. We will see most of these teams (and more!) again this weekend, so stay tuned for some hilly fun at the Leavenworth ski hill. I did NOT get a good view of the race — except for some of the finish and the uphill from the beach. Craig said that everyone worked really well up the boat launch hill and into the mile at the top of the pavement — and I saw some strong kicks in the home stretch from everyone in the group as well. Annika, 8:21 for an average mile. Awesome! Eva, so nice to see you free of side aches for two races in a row, and kicking it in at the finish. Lena, looking much more fluid today and racing well through the middle after hill number one. Lindsay, strong on the hills and I could tell you liked the course. Liv, a great kick to the finish, with a good mark from Cashmere to pull you even closer to Rivers and Gretta — who ran great together for the second week in a row. Novie, focused and strong on the first uphill, and you will have fun with the same on a slightly longer course and more terrain this coming weekend.
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS - 1.125mi.
Excellent arm drive and an “attack the hill” approach up the beach from Aidan and Travis especially. Aidan, keep that quicker tempo going with slight modification over the flats and downhills and Travis, keep that eye on Ian as you two are moving well together even if you get a little spread apart. Ian just keeps smiling out there… so he may need to run with a weight vest or something, but whatever is happening keep up the good work! Walker, two things: Good race awareness when your competition from Cashmere didn’t know what to do up the hill from the beach. You kept the right line and didn’t let his lack of knowledge ruffle you at all. Plus, you hung on tough and timed that lunge for the line to perfection. Erick, congrats on race no. 2. Your early pace had you out in a good spot and you hung on well up the final hill. Awesome to have you and Aidan and Andrew suddenly less than 30 seconds apart! Yes, we’ve raced farther, but this was a hard, hilly course and you guys all dropped serious time from your average paces!
JV GIRLS - 2.26mi
Johanna, congratulations on your win :) The focus in your face was evident throughout, and you did well to push Zach on that second lap too - including a word or two of encouragement on the uphill off the beach. Larkin, a great race as well. So nice to see you in the zone without any worries about your breathing, and a great kick to close the gap on those two girls from Cascade at the end. Try another little surge like that a time or two in the middle part of the race to stay connected to other groups of runners. There is strength in numbers even if they happen to be from other teams!
JV BOYS - 2.26mi
Zach, another fine kick my friend! Relaxed but tall the upper body a bit more mid-race and think about flow. Michael, a bit of an off race but you will bounce back. Keep that 7:15-7:20 pace first mile in mind. You totally can, and you want to be up there just a bit more to lock in on a good position mid-race. Ian, another fine piece of work. You and Sam, are a good grouping, but both still have loads of lanky stride to give over the course of a race. Keep those upper body postures tall and strong to get even more from the effort of your arms and legs. Lazo, excellent form, but mix it up a bit mid-race. You are right in the thick of it in terms of numbers — surrounded by kids from other teams — and this is great. Get fierce, and race those boys just a little earlier. You looked super comfortable and we know that you’re strong as evidenced in your last 400m. Put a little hurt on those around you earlier and you will hang longer and stronger than you think. Cameron, great arms on the uphill climbs and an obvious acceleration past other runners each time up that hill. Watch that forward lean however! Test that strength a little more at the start and you and Simon will keep each other company for more of the race to the finish. And Simon, nice work getting yourself in contention early. Just like Peter, and Ben you’re still pulling out of the crud, and felt a little more tried in that last half mile. Another week and your front end efforts will pay off bigger at the end.
GIRLS - 2.25mi. 41pts. 1st place over Cashmere and Tonasket.
Our first real look at Tonasket, and we are definitely in the mix for a trip to State. In a duel meet scoring (between our two teams only - like what will happen at Districts) we still beat Tonasket 23 to 32. They were without their usual no. 5 runner (and we didn’t run a complete 7) but even with their usual no. 5, we still should have won. Now they know what we’re really about, and we will race them at least 2 more time before the State qualifier. Fun stuff! Athena and Ella, very nice racing. Excellent intensity and focus on the uphill from the beach and it was great to see you running side-by-side and moving up so well. You did put yourself in a bit of a hole that first 800m, but it obviously worked out, and you’ll be even better off with more time to move up in a longer race. Icel, great job again in starting that kick when you did. Ava had no choice but to move as well and you are both within striking distance of Tonasket no. 2 — especially if you can be out just 10 seconds faster and have a longer race to run. It will be more obvious where she’s at in League and District meets, but we’ll try to give you an idea in the crowded race at Leavenworth this weekend. And Sage, you will actually like the crowd this weekend! LOTS of girls to race in the second half and be sure to use that focus when you can make it count the most — bridging gaps to other runners when it gets tough, or in kicking them down at the end.
VARSITY BOYS - 2.25mi. 68pts. 3rd place behind Cascade and Cashmere.
Cade and Emerson, excellent kicks! Eli, super solid after a big race in Kettle Falls. And Geza and Ben, welcome back! Another good outing - and a good race/interval workout for sure. Even with Carter unable to make it, we did well in a competitive field. Just like the Tonasket girls however, Tonasket and Brewster are going to make us earn it! Brewster has a tighter grouping 2-5 and both teams placed 7 runners before our 6th — so we need to keep our eyes on the blue/gold and red/white uniforms this week in Leavenworth. RACE AWARENESS is a key focus over the next several weeks. Where am I? Where are they? Am I moving up? How much race is left? etc. Peter, for example had a fine race while still bouncing back from illness, but did he know that he was right behind Tonasket’s 5, 6, and 7th runners? I’m guessing ‘yes’ but its easy to get caught up in the hurt of a hill or speed of an opening mile.
This weekend in Leavenworth, we’re going to ask. Who did you see? Who did you pass? Who did you not quite pass? We can see some of it, but you all get to practice seeing even more. Its part of good racing and it will definitely help. Brewster and Tonasket both get out with a little quicker than we do - which is fine - but we have to keep them closer to maintain contact and to give ourselves a better chance at passing them later on. Everyone should take a measure of the competition - both at the start and in the opening mile or at certain places where visibility is better. Look for key uniforms, kids you recognize etc. Its good stuff all around. Not only can it give you an added jolt of mid-race motivation, but it keeps your brain active and engaged -pulling you along to running fast with a purpose. Good job again to all. Keep it fast, fun, and smart!