Liberty Bell XC - Manson Invitational
Location: Mill Bay Casino, Manson, WA
Date: 9.24.16
Distance: 2500m or 5000m Conditions: Sunny and upper 70’s. Warm and a little dusty. One or two loops of a mowed, weedy trail with some ups/downs, ups, and uneven ground.
JUNIOR HIGH BOYS: Excellent team result! You all ran with confidence and those intervals in the woods helped you accelerate on the twists and turns of the course. Each week you are figuring out how to race and you all showed a lot of determination and perseverance out there, even if sometimes you were more alone in this smaller field than last week. Can't wait to see you all race next week under the lights of the Twilight meet.
Bodie: 8:29, 1st place
Ah, the power of positive thinking. When you reached the hard spots in this race, you chose to believe in yourself and your strength and it made a difference in your race -- faster than last week's time and you had plenty of kick left. Nice job on the hills and finding your confidence.
Travis: 8:36, 2nd place
Once again you did a great job getting yourself into a position to race. Going forward it's going to be so great to have a teammate (or two) to help push you to your best racing--it's always great to have teammates near by to draw strength from, because when you know your team is running well, it can be a real boost. Let's be sure to get in some strides this week and make sure we are tuning up those speedy kick gears.
Dusty: 8:40, 3rd place
Wow! Welcome to racing Dusty. What an awesome first race. You said you wanted to go out harder and see what happens and you did just that. You held it together really well and as you get more practices and workouts in you, you will have even more endurance in the last quarter of the race. Great job.
Ian: 8:55, 5th place
You looked so smooth and in control this race. You ran with this steady fast pace. That is excellent. This next race let's work on finding more opportunities to switch gears and find places where we can purposefully pick up the pace and then back off. In a more crowded field, those surges will make a big difference in places. So great to see you having such a solid season.
Zane: 9:17, 8th place
Zane, we know you started off the day feeling tired and a bit under the weather, but you rallied big time. You are a racer and you know how to turn on the grit when you need it. Nice job getting out well in this race and then working the hills. Glad your hip is feeling better.
Andrew: 9:21, 10th place
Another great week for you -- love to see the consistency in your racing this season. You are doing everything you need to do -- getting out fast enough to be in the right pack for racing, staying strong in the middle, and then giving what you got at the end. You are going to continue to get stronger and faster each week and we hope you are enjoying your improvements!
David: 9:37, 13th place
My, oh, my. Looks like going out harder works for you -- and there's still even more to give! So much faster than last week overall and you even looked like you were having more fun. It's true, racing fast hurts, but you are learning you can handle that and that it is even fun when that happens. So great to see you have the courage to go for it. Do it again next week.
Aidan: 10:48, 16th place
Another solid performance where you got in there and really raced the runners around you. Nice job with a big kick at the end, too. It's terrific to see you getting into the races and testing yourself out there. Good job driving up the uphills.
Eli: 11:55, 22nd place
So glad you felt better after getting off the bus. Another good race in your season. You do such an excellent job of working the middle of each race -- sticking with it in your head and keeping your tempo going. Let's make sure we work on some surging this week to get you used to changing speeds and gears. Running under the lights next week will feel so fast!
JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS: Another fine week, another Team victory, and this young pride of lions is following proudly in the steps of their high school counterparts — or perhaps even leading the way since you all usually start the day :) Such good racing again, and the determination and effort is written all over your faces — from the starting gun to the final hill and sprint to the finish. Lots of fun in store for the Twilight meet this coming weekend. Costumes are an option so think of something fast and fierce!
Liv: 9:07, 1st place
Good working in pushing the pace and in following Ian and others out the front of the pack. I missed the earlier finishers this week, but your form and strength in stepping up and driving that mid-race hill was spot on. Think rhythm and flow on this next weekend’s fast golf course racing. It should be a fun one for sure!
Jori: 9:50, 2nd place
Patient racing and strong uphill running once again. You didn’t get sucked out TOO fast and you also did a good job of locking in on Keeley during those twisty middle parts of the race. Your strength to finish in that final uphill push is impressive and you will surprise some folks again in the nighttime running at Marysville this weekend!
Keeley: 9:51, 3rd place
Way to get out strong again and to run those downhills! Good arms out there too, and you dropped some nice time from your race last weekend in Idaho. Keep practicing good race awareness with an eye towards those ahead and give yourself little mind games and challenges - accelerating out of turns, “3 quick steps” etc. - to keep those sometimes lonely middle sections lively.
Lindsay: 10:28, 6th place
Let’s try a very subtle modification to your start this week and see what happens. After 2 weeks of charging super hard the first 200-400m, tuck in this next week with Jori and Keeley and let them do the work. Zone out on everything else (although it will be crazy fun to run in the dark with glowing lights etc.!) and see if that helps to relax things just a bit (relaxed AND fast). You are strong, and tough, but the relative sprint effort to kick things off may be to the detriment of breathing 800m into the race.
Eva: 10:50, 7th place
Once again moving steady and strong! Your efforts in this regard provided some great leadership for Mariah and Anja who followed you out in that early part of the race. I’m not sure that we’ve totally tapped your ability for speed, but keep pushing that start just a bit more each and every week to see what happens!
Stephanie: 11:18, 9th place
Wow! Junior High Athlete of the Week racing for sure. Compared to the summer runner a little nervous about going 20 min, you are Stephanie STRONG 2.0 for sure :) Poised and patient at the start, you can still get up and into the mix a little earlier. That being said, you moved up really well throughout (see hidden strength from summer training!) and had a fantastic dueling kick with Mariah to inspire fast finishing all around.
Mariah: 11:19, 10th place
A great race to the line with Stephanie and another terrific effort across the board. You, like all of your 7th grade co-hort suffered for a little weariness at the end of a big week but, a little rest and some Larkin smiles will set you up for some excellent races to end the season. Great to see you and Anja learning from last week and pairing up at the start as well. Let’s chat about a workout or two to keep you busy when your traveling east!
Lena: 11:28, 11th place
Nice and strong in stepping up that mid-race hill. Keep working on bringing up that early race tempo and lock into a rhythm that will keep you moving quick. Would love to see the Lena, Eva, Mariah, Anja, Steph train working together right from the start and you’ve got the depth of racing experience to pull that together and to make it work — for both you and everyone else. Talk it up out there!
Anja: 11:33, 12th place
Hanging tough at the end of a long week — and true for sure for most of our 7th grade crew. While you’re legs may not have had quite the same kick for the finish you still challenged the race and got out strong in that group with Eva and Mariah. Be patient and recover. Our workouts this week will be a little lighter. Take the same approach to the start next week and you’ll have more life in your legs at the end! Mariah will be traveling but Eva will be a good early-race partner again.
Payten: 11:58, 13th place
Such good form in that opening half mile plus the mid-race hill and it was great to see you running strong and smooth with Stephanie on the early turns. Another week or two of building mid-race endurance and then we pull back a bit to polish up some finishing speed for our final races of the year. Exciting race ahead at Twilight. Catch up on sleep this week and be ready to roll with some Mt. Lion pride!
Stella: DNF
Proud to see you start the race, even if this just wasn’t your week. Hopefully some rest over the weekend and a more regular (no Outward Bound) week ahead will have you ready to go for a fun race in Marysville. Way to be smart and to step away from the race, but also to calm that breathing down and to get things back on track.
So glad you felt better after getting off the bus. Another good race in your season. You do such an excellent job of working the middle of each race -- sticking with it in your head and keeping your tempo going. Let's make sure we work on some surging this week to get you used to changing speeds and gears. Running under the lights next week will feel so fast!
JUNIOR HIGH GIRLS: Another fine week, another Team victory, and this young pride of lions is following proudly in the steps of their high school counterparts — or perhaps even leading the way since you all usually start the day :) Such good racing again, and the determination and effort is written all over your faces — from the starting gun to the final hill and sprint to the finish. Lots of fun in store for the Twilight meet this coming weekend. Costumes are an option so think of something fast and fierce!
Liv: 9:07, 1st place
Good working in pushing the pace and in following Ian and others out the front of the pack. I missed the earlier finishers this week, but your form and strength in stepping up and driving that mid-race hill was spot on. Think rhythm and flow on this next weekend’s fast golf course racing. It should be a fun one for sure!
Jori: 9:50, 2nd place
Patient racing and strong uphill running once again. You didn’t get sucked out TOO fast and you also did a good job of locking in on Keeley during those twisty middle parts of the race. Your strength to finish in that final uphill push is impressive and you will surprise some folks again in the nighttime running at Marysville this weekend!
Keeley: 9:51, 3rd place
Way to get out strong again and to run those downhills! Good arms out there too, and you dropped some nice time from your race last weekend in Idaho. Keep practicing good race awareness with an eye towards those ahead and give yourself little mind games and challenges - accelerating out of turns, “3 quick steps” etc. - to keep those sometimes lonely middle sections lively.
Lindsay: 10:28, 6th place
Let’s try a very subtle modification to your start this week and see what happens. After 2 weeks of charging super hard the first 200-400m, tuck in this next week with Jori and Keeley and let them do the work. Zone out on everything else (although it will be crazy fun to run in the dark with glowing lights etc.!) and see if that helps to relax things just a bit (relaxed AND fast). You are strong, and tough, but the relative sprint effort to kick things off may be to the detriment of breathing 800m into the race.
Eva: 10:50, 7th place
Once again moving steady and strong! Your efforts in this regard provided some great leadership for Mariah and Anja who followed you out in that early part of the race. I’m not sure that we’ve totally tapped your ability for speed, but keep pushing that start just a bit more each and every week to see what happens!
Stephanie: 11:18, 9th place
Wow! Junior High Athlete of the Week racing for sure. Compared to the summer runner a little nervous about going 20 min, you are Stephanie STRONG 2.0 for sure :) Poised and patient at the start, you can still get up and into the mix a little earlier. That being said, you moved up really well throughout (see hidden strength from summer training!) and had a fantastic dueling kick with Mariah to inspire fast finishing all around.
Mariah: 11:19, 10th place
A great race to the line with Stephanie and another terrific effort across the board. You, like all of your 7th grade co-hort suffered for a little weariness at the end of a big week but, a little rest and some Larkin smiles will set you up for some excellent races to end the season. Great to see you and Anja learning from last week and pairing up at the start as well. Let’s chat about a workout or two to keep you busy when your traveling east!
Lena: 11:28, 11th place
Nice and strong in stepping up that mid-race hill. Keep working on bringing up that early race tempo and lock into a rhythm that will keep you moving quick. Would love to see the Lena, Eva, Mariah, Anja, Steph train working together right from the start and you’ve got the depth of racing experience to pull that together and to make it work — for both you and everyone else. Talk it up out there!
Anja: 11:33, 12th place
Hanging tough at the end of a long week — and true for sure for most of our 7th grade crew. While you’re legs may not have had quite the same kick for the finish you still challenged the race and got out strong in that group with Eva and Mariah. Be patient and recover. Our workouts this week will be a little lighter. Take the same approach to the start next week and you’ll have more life in your legs at the end! Mariah will be traveling but Eva will be a good early-race partner again.
Payten: 11:58, 13th place
Such good form in that opening half mile plus the mid-race hill and it was great to see you running strong and smooth with Stephanie on the early turns. Another week or two of building mid-race endurance and then we pull back a bit to polish up some finishing speed for our final races of the year. Exciting race ahead at Twilight. Catch up on sleep this week and be ready to roll with some Mt. Lion pride!
Stella: DNF
Proud to see you start the race, even if this just wasn’t your week. Hopefully some rest over the weekend and a more regular (no Outward Bound) week ahead will have you ready to go for a fun race in Marysville. Way to be smart and to step away from the race, but also to calm that breathing down and to get things back on track.
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS: Another impressive Saturday out there -- hope you are each taking a moment to enjoy it! Just one year ago at this race, we had our first full scoring girls team in 10+ years… and here YOU are today sending coaches around the state into a fluster wondering how we can have such a tight and fast pack (and we were missing Icel and we haven't even seen Lucy on the line yet!). Yes, this course was DEFINITELY shy of a full 5K and thus times are wicked fast (take those mile times below with a grain of salt) -- but remember that no matter what the distance, you are wicked fast and wicked tough. You all had to race alone at some point on Saturday and we are proud of the way you handled that mental challenge. Each of you, in your own way, persevered -- and you will be stronger for that. We continue to see such awesome support from each of you to each other -- you kind and generous with each other (but fierce with the race!) and you are each running better individually for it. Savor your collective power.
Novie: 17:54, 1st place, 5:31 first mile, overall pace of 5:46
You embodied this awesome balance of grit and grace -- pushing it and yet staying within yourself. It's hard to lead from wire-to-wire, but you kept up your intensity and focus by taking each part of the race in chunks and you seemed to actually look more comfortable with each mile. You ran the hills so strong. Your mental toughness will serve you well in more crowded fields the next two weeks — if you can run that tough all alone, watch out!
Athena: 19:44, 3rd place, 6:03 first mile, overall pace of 6:21
You had a goal to go out harder this week and see what happens. And look what happened! You can totally handle it. Good for you for being brave to take a chance and good for you for working it each mile. Awesome finish -- so fast, in fact, it probably means you have even more to give in the middle. We saw some joy out there today and that was so good to see!
Gretta: 19:57, 4th place, 5:55 first mile, overall pace of 6:25
You are so tough. Those bloody toes looked gnarly and that can't have made racing all that much fun. Still, you raced it hard and never gave up. That's so impressive. Maybe we can convince you to wear some socks next week (or those toes will be all calloused up) and you'll be right back out there tearing it up.
Rivers: 20:48, 5th place, 6:12 first mile, overall pace of 6:42
Excellent group running there at the beginning for you, Ava, and Taya. It's an intimidating sight to see three fast Liberty Bell girls packed together! You then moved into your own race and kept a good quick tempo throughout. You looked focused and like your head was in it - with some excellent downhills opening up your stride. Next week you'll be in a bigger pack and we'll focus on some surges to make it easier to keep your head in it! Great job.
Ava: 21:03, 6th place, 6:18 first mile, overall pace of 6:47
Thanks for the willingness to group it up at the beginning -- hope you got some comfort and strength from having friendly and powerful teammates nearby. In the middle of the race, you found yourself alone, but you held steady and used your fitness to relentlessly keep it going. You are looking so much more relaxed and your racing seems to have more "flow" to it. Keep that up -- that's the magic.
Taya: 21:45, 7th place, 6:21 first mile, overall pace of 7:00
This looked more like a race strategy that fits your style. You did an excellent job of finding a groove and going with it. You still went out good and strong and confident and your endurance carried you well in the middle. On the golf course this coming Saturday, let's focus on finding some times to purposefully make those quick step surges to keep the body moving into different gears. Those subtleties will drop seconds! We're so glad you're on the team and seem to be enjoying the whole process!
Sage: 26:45, 13th place, 8:13 first mile, overall pace of 8:37
You had a great week of workouts and you are ready to have a racing breakthrough. You did a good job moving up in the race and you kept it steady and solid. It seems like you still need to find your own version of joy in these races and we'd like to help. Racing is more about believing in yourself than it is in your split times.
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS: We said as much on Saturday afternoon — and its sprinkled about in several places below - but starting with the surge of Mountain Lion state appearances several years back, the League and District competition has been forced to get better in return. This is good for all and we are STILL the team to beat. Faster times than last year on a longer course, quick first miles and gutsy middle efforts - experiments within the early season that will only help us later on. With this first glimpse of League competition remember who you raced. Places matter and we are deeper than any other team. Several things are pointed out below, but study those race results and find your own markers for success in the weeks ahead. Nice work this weekend and look ahead to some fun big school competition on the golf course in Marysville!
Eli: 16:28, 4th place, 1st mile 5:04 - 5:18 pace
The proof is in the pudding and the six podium spots from Dist. 5/6 at State last year would appear to be just the beginning. You were faster by 20 seconds this year on a course that was definitely longer. Those Tonasket boys are simply racing well and they took off strong. That being said, the race held actually fairly static for a LOOONG time in the middle and didn’t even change that much from the gun to the finish. You race your best when you get into little dueling battles mid way through a race. The next two weekend’s will give you that chance and will be a better opportunity to experiment with getting out strong, and moving up on people with races within the race. A little more “surge” practice in this week’s tempo work for good mental toughness!
Peter: 17:36, 9th place, 1st mile 5:29 - 5:40 pace
Awesome race and perhaps your best even of the last two years for both pace and focus. Steady and strong is what comes to mind, but you must have been also bridging gaps and moving up for sure. Remember those faces, names etc. from Tonasket and Brewster. We will see those kids again at Leavenworth, Oroville and beyond and your placing ahead of a Brewster 4th or again in front of a Tonasket 3rd will be key to our Team success at season’s end.
Emerson: 17:56, 10th place, 1st mile 5:04 - 5:46 pace
“A stitch in time saves nine” Let’s talk / explore this cramping a little more this week to get you in the right for the weeks ahead. Probably out too fast — as the Tonasket crew churned it out! Workouts are going well, but let’s focus on some controlled pacing with Tempo in practice and ratchet back the early 800m + in the next race or two. Key on the Brewster 2-4 esp. (at Leavenworth) and feel like you are attacking them mid-race and accelerating away from them over the final mile.
Carter: 18:47, 16th place, 1st mile 5:37 - 6:03 pace
Race awareness and dogged determination - that’s what we need from you in the week’s ahead. A bit of a herky-jerky week for sure with the start of school and some tough interval and speed work. Even still, as our 4th runner on the day you were just one place (6 sec.) back of Brewster’s 5th, 8 seconds down on Tonasket’s 5th, and 15 second’s down on Tonasket’s 4th. When you are running with those same kids at Leavenworth in two weeks the tale of the tape is entirely different. Liberty Bell XC is still the class of this division - even if the last few years of Lion maulings have forced the other teams to raise their game!
Lazo: 18:54, 20th place, 1st mile 5:53 - 6:05 pace
One of the lesser differentials between your first mile and overall pace. Similar to Simon who was tracking you the entire way, but still not yet where you will be at season’s end :) As our 5th runner this week you were only 13 sec. down on Brewster’s 5th and 15 sec. down on Tonasket’s. Those are the kids to mark when we see them next at Leavenworth and beyond. You can definitely run with them, and if we put you in front of their no. 5s then everything's coming up roses. Look ahead not behind!
Simon: 19:06, 21st place, 1st mile 5:56 - 6:09 pace
Another solid race and great job in shadowing Lazo from the start. Some practice a bit with mid-race surges will help you both this week, but you are definitely running tough and headed in the right direction. You’re likely to be in a sophomore/freshman only race this weekend in Marysville, but another grouping with Henry will give you some LBHS company and the golf course running will be another great chance to post some faster times.
Tim: 20:24, 33rd place, 1st mile 6:20 - 6:34 pace
Another consistent effort, Tim, and you will get your breakthrough race any day now. Your task this weekend in a junior/senior only race at Marysville will be running your own race with a sea of unknown kids to spur you on — much the same as Ellensburg. Your pace is dropping week-by-week
Logan: 21:23, 36th place, 1st mile 6:36 - 6:53 pace
Congrats on your first-ever HS XC race! A solid debut and if true-to-form you will get faster with more race savvy and understanding for your preferred pacing as the weeks progress. A freshman/sophomore only race on tap for you this weekend and that should be a great chance for you to get out a little stronger and have lots more people to race over the final mile.
Zach: 22:57, 42nd place, 1st mile 7:05 - 7:23 pace
Throw down Zach Strong in the final 200m and there was something in the breakfast vitamins for you and your sister both this weekend! 90 seconds faster on a longer course this year - so your summer training is doing the trick and it was good to see you moving up through the pack in the middle of the race. You DEFINITELY challenged the first mile with a faster pace and you still had the strength to finish with an excellent kick.
Michael: 22:58, 43rd place, 1st mile 6:43 - 7:24 pace
Gangbusters in the 1st mile and cheers to that! Patience still for the fitness that’s building to carry you through those middle miles. It is coming! Even though a comparable time to last year… this year’s course was longer so you are running faster. 61 degrees and damp for the forecast this weekend — plus LOTS of racers in a freshman/sophomore only field. Spikes again on a great golf course surface and you will have your best race of the year to date!
Zach: 22:57, 42nd place, 1st mile 7:05 - 7:23 pace
Throw down Zach Strong in the final 200m and there was something in the breakfast vitamins for you and your sister both this weekend! 90 seconds faster on a longer course this year - so your summer training is doing the trick and it was good to see you moving up through the pack in the middle of the race. You DEFINITELY challenged the first mile with a faster pace and you still had the strength to finish with an excellent kick.
Michael: 22:58, 43rd place, 1st mile 6:43 - 7:24 pace
Gangbusters in the 1st mile and cheers to that! Patience still for the fitness that’s building to carry you through those middle miles. It is coming! Even though a comparable time to last year… this year’s course was longer so you are running faster. 61 degrees and damp for the forecast this weekend — plus LOTS of racers in a freshman/sophomore only field. Spikes again on a great golf course surface and you will have your best race of the year to date!
