Location: Walla Walla Point Park, Wenatchee, WA
Date: 10.29.16
Distance: 3mi Conditions: Super muddy and wet, mostly grass -- we were glad for our spikes! Light rain for girls race. Overcast and 50-55 degrees. Although we had lots of PR's on this course, overall it ran slow today given all the mud and such. So if you PR'd in these conditions -- amazing!
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS -- (3 miles, combined race with 36 varsity finishers and 6 junior varsity finishers). Repeat District Champions with 17 points (Tri-Cities Prep and Tonasket were next at 64 points)! NOTE: We had to declare 7 runners as Varsity before the race and 2 as JV -- in fact, however, we had 8 of the top 11 runners in the race!
You will find that there are some really special days in your athletic career -- days when things just go right across the board — and we hope you will consider this one of those days. Bottle up those feelings of exhilaration you all felt at the end and carry them with you next week. You are an awesome TEAM and today it all fell into place. From warm-up to cool-down, to all the mud in between, we saw you working together and cheering for each other. You are READY for state. We've said all along you are on a magical journey and you should embrace each moment of it. We hope that's what you feel in the days ahead. Savor each day of your taper this week (it's the fun part!) and soak in every moment at the State meet. Sports seasons like this aren't easy to come by, so ride the wave while you've got it!
Novie: 18:34, 1st place, 6:11 per mile pace overall
As always, you looked in control from the get-go. You an excellent job of keeping the pedal to the metal throughout and your really opened things up over that last mile. You looked sharp and like your legs had some spring in them. (Just by way of context, Erin Mullins ran this course on Wednesday for her Districts - no mud, not wet grass - and she ran 18:26. You are right there!). You will feel even better next Saturday. There will be some key places in the State course that will work to your advantage - so we'll talk about that this week. Excellent, job, too, being the first one out there cheering in your teammates - we love your spirit!
Gretta: 19:31, 2nd place, 6:30 per mile pace overall
Another gritty run all by yourself. And, although we know you love hills, you showed you have plenty of track speed for a flat course like this. You have been so solid and consistent (and really fast) this season. You can go into the State meet feeling confident and eager for the fun of having some people to race! You are going to feel even better during that last mile this coming Saturday, and that's where all your gritty toughness throughout the season will come in and you will be flying. Trust and believe. Trust and believe.
Athena: 19:59, 3rd place, 6:40 per mile pace overall
25 seconds faster than last year - and last year was a great race for you! You've been PRing regularly this season and there's every reason to believe that will carry forward on into State. Just know that in your heart. You did a good job getting out and then, as always, you are fierce over that last mile and a half. You still have more to give, so next week let's make sure you really get out and go for it. A little more in the first mile and amazing things will happen!
Rivers: 20:40, 6th place, 6:53 per mile pace overall
So great to see you running/racing with all of your focus out there. You looked terrific -- strong, calm, and when you made your move you made it with confidence and authority. Excellent. Do exactly that again this Saturday and you will surprise yourself with how far up you are. We know you've got lots of leg speed from track, so don't be afraid to use that next Saturday where each second will mean lots of places. Find joy in this week and go fearless into State!
Icel: 20:51, 7th place, 6:57 per mile pace overall
We knew you were faster this year - but we'll just say right now that we were not expecting a ONE MINUTE PR this week! That's craziness - and should feel so good to you going into State. You held strong at the 2 mile to 2 1/2 mile mark this week and then let your kick do it's thing and that was the difference. Remember that next week - hold on tight at that 2 mile mark and then just go! We also noticed how you've completely embraced the team aspect this year and we are so grateful for your leadership and role modeling. You're firing on all cylinders now - watch out!
Lucy: 21:03, 1st in JV, 8th place overall, 7:01 per mile pace overall
Lucy Cole is incredible! Another stunning performance and you keep looking more and more comfortable each week. You are doing such a good job just trusting yourself and your training and just running. This is perfect and a HUGE thing - for running and for life! Just for some perspective, your time on this course (which ran slower this year than last) would have had you as our second runner last year! You will feel even better this week and you'll have tons of girls around you to race. Unleash that competitive Lucy on Saturday and you'll be eating up Asotin and NW Christian Colbert and NW Christian Lacey runners right and left! It is so exciting to watch you find your inner racer!
Ava: 21:04, 8th place in Varsity Race, 9th place overall, 7:01 per mile pace overall
We're not sure how many times we can write new paragraphs about how incredible it is that once again you PR'd on a course like crazy from last year. This week it was almost a minute and a half PR. That’s hard to even fathom it's so good. We LOVE how you are going out in the first mile aggressively and you are totally holding your own. You can handle that quick first mile and it's the secret to your improvements this season. Do that next week and you will see a HUGE PR at State. We have every confidence in you -- you don't even know yet how fast you are. Let yourself enjoy this week -- you’ve earned it!
Taya: 21:52, 10th place in Varsity Race, 11th place overall, 7:17 per mile pace overall
What an excellent first-year, Senior season you've had, Taya. From the first races to this one, you've been willing to put yourself in the mix and race hard - all with your positive attitude and zen-like approach. You ran this race perfectly -- first mile was smart, second mile you trusted your legs and your lungs, and third mile was all heart. We so wish we could have you toe the start line at State -- but your presence there will be HUGE and you should know that you are every bit a part of this team's magical season. We all want to be like Taya!
Sage: 26:31, 3rd place in JV race, 8:50 per mile
Great job carrying over momentum from last week. You got out well and put yourself in a position to pass runners. We know there were times when you still were alone out there, but you kept your stride open and your arms moving well and you kept up your pace. That's not easy to do and we hope you take satisfaction in that accomplishment this season. You also had an awesome finish -- working hard up that hill and that is the image of you we will take with us from this season. Sage, charging ahead!
Eli: 17:05, 3rd place, 5:30 first mile, 5:42 pace
Another fine race but just missing out on that charge from the gates. It will help next week to have a little more State level adrenaline coursing through the system, and a fast field all around with no one really holding back in the first 400m. We’ll get a good handle on several kids from other teams, but its clear enough that Garrett Wilson goes out strong and you’ll want to latch on even a little more closely to someone like that this weekend. Aside from that, you were smooth and strong — closing throughout. There WILL be more kids to race at State and a top 10 finish is within your grasp!
Wes: 17:40, 6th place, 5:44 first mile, 5:53 pace
Impressed with your patience in that first 800m and you moved well on the downhill to separate from the group. A well-fought middle section and great to see you jump right on the Walker Hall bandwagon when he came up in the second lap of the race. Your body language improved immensely and your ability to push with a runner on your shoulder will serve you well next weekend in Pasco. Kids go out fast at State. Go with the flow - but more around the top 20 rather than top 15. It won’t be slow - maybe 5:20-5:25 - but LOTS of kids go out way too hard and you will be picking them off as the race unfolds.
Walker: 17:40, 7th place, 5:46 first mile, 5:53 pace
Great mid-race running again and you picked Wes up in a major way on that second lap! Two legit freshman from NW Christian Lacy on the performance list above you, but otherwise you are sitting in 6th — but you’ve already beaten Arellano and Medina from Tonasket and Brewster. It’ll be fun to see where it shakes out this weekend and I think that you will surprise some people. The State meet course is going to be fast — with a few rolling hills in the final mile that will play hugely into both your strengths AND the occasional collapse of those that go out too fast. Steady and quick in the first mile, but you will move up throughout and a top 20 finish is not at all out of the question.
Cade: 17:52, 9th place, 5:46 first mile, 5:57 pace
Nice work again Cade and we can’t wait for next week. Just 3 seconds faster then last year, but such a great race on a slow and sloppy course - and awesome to have you challenging Guzman and ahead of Brewster’s second at the end. Nothing different next weekend — but lots MORE mini-races in the midst. You have the benefit this year of knowing the course and the flow of the race — and this is a great situation for someone who runs smart with lots of guts and desire. Stay healthy this week. Sleep, hydrate, and mentally focus on lots of positive things about a repeat run at State. Breaking 18:00 for 5k is in your grasp!
Emerson: 18:02, 13th place, 5:48 first mile, 6:00 pace
Right. On. The Money! Such a nice job Emerson of holding serve and running the absolute perfect race for a smart segue into State. You were back-seat driving (in a good way) the entire race with Tonasket’s 3rd and then kept it close all the way to the end. So great! Next week at State you and Peter will be in the thick of it with 4th, 5th, and 6th runners from Asotin, and NW Christian Colbert — and St. George is super well coached and solid through 4. We’ll help you sort them out and we can’t wait to watch this one unfold! Rest with a little short speed ahead. Enjoy the taper and some snappy feeling legs! DeSales’ Maxwell Vandersloot BTW, 8 seconds behind you at Districts, finished 6 seconds ahead of Walker at Twilight.
Lazo: 18:53, 28th place, 6:10 first mile, 6:18 pace
A slower course today but masterfully done again in picking your early pace and moving up throughout. You made a move just after 2 miles where your stride just opened up like crazy, and there is still a HUGE upside for dropping even more time in the years ahead. Another great PR (1:35 better than last year) in a season of pretty much crushing it! Practice this week just like you were racing. We have every confidence in using you as an alternate if at all necessary and you would be our fastest 5th runner even over the last two years.
Carter: 18:56, 30th place, 5:58 first mile, 6:19 pace
25 seconds faster then last year. Not your ideal goal time we know, but it was soft today and your improvement over last year was better than many in the race. Our team is deep and you will be displacing other runners left and right at State. Focus this week on your experience with the meet and on keeping our newer State competitors properly prepared and ready to get the most out of the experience. 19 minutes last year, and you are primed and ready for a sub-18:30 effort in 2016. You’ll want to cover any moves by those around you late in the second mile. Power up the hills on strength and lean into the downhills to let momentum do its thing. Excited to have you as a 4-year State competitor and this will be your best finish yet by far!
JV BOYS — 1st place out of four scoring teams with 38 points. Tonasket was second with 47 and TCP was third with 61 followed by Brewster in 4th with 67. 32 runners in the race.
Simon: 19:20, first place, 6:05 first mile, 6:26 pace
So nice Simon — and very much in the mode of Lazo’s race at Oroville — except that you ran from the front almost the entire way. Uncharted territory for sure, but a big PR by 1:32 (again) and a well-deserved berth as the second alternate for State this weekend. Especially impressive to see you charge the start. Your 6:05 opening mile was perhaps a shock to those in your wake, but you fought it off and extended that lead through the middle mile of the race. Congrats all around! ** HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK **
Tim: 19:36, second place, 6:10 first mile, 6:32 pace
We know that this one fell just short of your expectations, but it was your best race of the year and a steady-as-she-goes effort all around. Your head was up and your were focused on Simon the entire way. He took it out hard and made you work, so be sure to thank him for pulling you along to a new PR by 65 seconds on the Wenatchee 3mi. course - even on a wet and sloppy day. New spikes baby! Summer running next year (you can definitely work AND run) and you will be back in the hunt for a trip to State!
Henry: 20:01, 5th place, 6:10 first mile, 6:43 pace
Awesome to have you out for the season and your work effort and desire to improve are what this us all about. Love how you embraced a new sport and fought to the end to try and earn a spot in the post-season. Patience is key and there is for a sure a “training age” and adaptation to the stress of a new pursuit that takes place over time. You jumped right into this at the Tim and Simon level but both of those guys had a year or two head start in terms of stress to the system and what it takes for that stress to translate. REALLY hope that we can have you back on the team next year, and in year no. 2 you will definitely see some big PRs across the board. Keep running with us this week for sure — and into the winter - and you’ll be fit as a fiddle for spring soccer.
Logan: 21:46, 13th place, 7:06 first mile, 7:15 pace
Congrats Logan, on both an excellent season and on finding that extra gear in the final 800m of the race last weekend! Super great to see you kicking by that entire pack on the sprint into the finish and I hope that we can build on that in the year ahead. Tough running these last few weeks on banged up shins. Admirable that you stuck it out and thanks for your patience and perseverance. A track season this spring will build even more upon some of your natural speed, and a bit more summer running next year should have your entering the season with a little more strength to avoid injury. Congrats again and I hope that I can coach you this spring.
Zach: 22:23, 18th place, 7:06 first mile, 7:28 pace
OK, for starters, 2:50 or almost 3 minutes better than last year! Now THAT is a season-ending PR! Great work Zach, both in getting out a little more aggressive, and in starting that kick to the finish just a little earlier. You probably gained yourself 30+ seconds in those two thing alone, but this also means that you ran the middle part of the race with a lot more confidence and speed. Maybe the spikes? Maybe the taper? Whatever the case, congrats on a huge new 3 mile PR and an excellent finish to the season!
Michael: 22:42, 19th place, 7:06 first mile, 7:34 pace
A 1 minute 34 second PR on the 3mi Wenatchee course and some impressive consistency over the last several weeks. Getting out near 7 minute pace is working great and your are staying strong through the middle. If we can help you find some sprinting legs next season — without messing up your stomach - then you will easily be finding another 20 seconds to drop in every race. Congrats on an excellent sophomore season and we look forward to having you back in 2017!
