Liberty Bell XC - League Championships
Location: Liberty Bell High School, Winthrop, WA
Date: 10.22.16
Distance: 1.5mi Junior High - 3.1mi High School Conditions: Our home course! Almost all trail, lots of loop repeats, a few hills (especially in the middle) and a ton of cheering fans. The most perfect sunny fall weather!
BOYS JUNIOR HIGH -- (28 total finishers, Team Scores: Liberty Bell 1st place with 17 points; Manson, 2nd place with. 43 points.). Congratulations on winning the Middle School Boys CWB League Championships! You all played a role in this victory and you all should feel really good about a terrific season! We saw each and every athlete racing hard out there. You used that home course advantage in your favor and you looked like you owned it from the second the gun went off. Thank you for a very fun and inspiring season -- we have enjoyed sharing this fall with you and we celebrate the improvements each of you have made during this season. We will look forward to following your athletic efforts this winter and spring and can't wait to see you all for some summer practices in preparation for next year! We will miss you on Monday!
Bodie - 8:25, 1st place
You seemed calm, cool, collected, and maybe even a bit optimistic, in your warm up and it translated to a confident wire-to-wire win for you. You have worked really hard this season - always putting in the effort we've asked of you - and it has paid off! Now you have the endurance to match your speed and the combo makes you very dangerous out there. Thanks for being so coach-able and for trying out our positive thinking efforts -- we won't say we told you so!
Travis - 8:44, 2nd place
A strong, solid end to a very impressive season. You've definitely been a team leader this year and we appreciate the role you've played. You've also found whole new level of strength and speed. You'll enjoy the bump up to 5K next year and we hope all the fast-twitch muscle work from this fall sets you up for a great ski season.
Ian - 8:50, 3rd place
A great race, Ian! You looked stronger every step of the way and you were really moving there at the end. Nicely done. Great job throughout the season staying calm and trusting in your athletic base. You are ready for the leap to 5K next year, for sure! You are also poised for a good ski season!
Dusty - 8:52, 4th place
Very impressive, Dusty, especially given the newly sprained ankle. You put out such a good effort, making sure you were right in the mix of the front of the race and battling well throughout. Your speed is downright awesome and we sure hope you'll put it to use in track this spring! Given that your shins hurt all season long, you really did overcome a lot and your commitment and tolerance for pain will make you a very, very good cross-country runner in high school. PS Your shins won’t always hurt!
Zane - 9:17, 9th place
Way to end the season with a gutsy and tough performance. You were moving out there and doing an excellent job of keeping your eyes up and looking ahead. We've seen a lot of growth this season not only in your physical strength and speed, but also in your mental toughness. You don't worry about who is behind you anymore, and you do such a great job looking ahead. We definitely predict good things for you next fall on the running trails!
Andrew - 9:23, 10th place
This was another race where you made sure you got out at the start and attacked it. You are so much more confident than you were last year and it is translating into much faster times. You also seem to enjoy the art of racing and that will carry forward well for you as you move up to 5K in 2017. Hope to see you at some summer running again and back on the track this spring!
David - 9:56, 15th place
You have done a very good job this season figuring out how to race. You've learned that careful balance of saving something for the end but also pushing yourself from the start. It's been pretty neat to watch you figure it all out each week and we hope you see yourself now as a true cross country racer. You've got a lot of fight and endurance in you!
Aidan - 10:38, 16th place
So great to see you putting your speed to use out there. You had a terrific finish kick -- with one of the loudest crowd cheers of the day! You inspired some people out there with your effort. And, you've inspired us this season with your diligence and willingness to put in the work in our interval sessions. Can't wait to see what you do with 5K!
Eli - 11:58, 27th place
We're so sorry you weren't feeling 100% before the start of this one -- that's not a fun way to end the season. But, good for you for getting out there and going for it anyway. You've had such a successful season with leaps and bounds of improvement. We'll hope your knees feel better next year and you can enjoy the season pain free. We're glad you've been on the team and expect to see you again!
GIRLS JUNIOR HIGH -- (31 total finishers -- Team Scores: Liberty Bell 1st place with 22 points, Okanogan 2nd place with 44 points, and Manson 3rd with 67 points). Congratulations on winning the Middle School Girls CWB League Championships! And, how powerfully you all contributed to that. It has been an absolute honor to coach each of you this year and we cannot be more excited for the future of girls cross country running at Liberty Bell. You are a part of something special and powerful and we are grateful to share the journey with you. To a runner, you looked poised, confident, and ready to bust out with great races today. Promise us you'll be back next year!
Liv -- 9:16, 2nd place
You are such a fierce competitor (and, it goes without saying, very fast runner). You locked right in on Lexi from the get-go and you gave her quite a run for her money. Great job running the race that unfolded before you and pushing yourself to the max. What a terrific example of what cross-country is all about. You were a great team leader today and you managed your own nerves and excitement with a lot of maturity. Nicely done all around. ** JUNIOR HIGH ATHLETE OF THE WEEK **
Jori -- 9:45, 3rd place
You are so strong! You get this rhythm going and your arms and legs just don't stop. We love how fearless you are and how you bring this beautiful mix of joy and confidence to each step of the race. We can't wait to see what you'll do next year. You are a strong athlete and we look forward to many more years of running together.
Lindsay -- 10:19, 7th place
Great job staying tough there on the back loop (the pot) and flying down in past the biathlon range. You looked like it felt good and fast today and that's a terrific way to end a very good season. You'll love the move up to 5K next year where your endurance will carry you easily over the longer courses.
Keeley -- 10:33, 8th place
Another great effort out there. We'll get that dizziness figured out at some point here! You are working hard and also thinking a lot about what you are doing out there. Next year we'll focus a little more on finding some "zen" running moments when you can just let your body do its thing without too much thinking. All in all, though, you've had a great season -- and as your parents, we're so psyched that you could run this season. It's been a pleasure, a joy, and a gift to share it with you.
Eva -- 10:53, 11th place
Good job getting out with the front pack this race. You've got a ton of speed and you can do that! Start believing that you can keep that up in the middle and your naturally strong kick will bring you into some major time PR's next year!
Mariah -- 11:15, 14th place
Great job! Once again, you were definitely giving everything you had out there - and so glad you remembered to relax the arms when it felt hard over by the biathlon range. You turned that corner onto the track/grass and you really powered it home. You're ready to launch into a terrific ski season -- we only wish you could run a few more races this fall, as you seem to really be finding your racing legs!
Anja -- 11:17, 15th place
Great job putting last week's race behind you and focusing on the new opportunity of this race. You looked so strong and patient out there. No anxiety at all about finishing -- which you used to worry about at the beginning of the season. We hope you can see the amazing progress you have made this season and that you carry this confidence and belief in yourself with you always. You are a runner now.
Payton -- 11:26 17th place
We don't think we'll ever forget the look on your face as you came across the finish line. You were exhausted but in such a good way -- In that I-pushed-myself-and-I-feel-good-about-it kind of way. And push yourself you did! Excellent racing -- not just running but racing -- from the McCabe sculpture through to the track. You looked like you were on a mission and you can definitely say you accomplished it!
Lena -- 11:28, 18th place
Another solid performance and so glad the lungs agreed with you a bit more today. You've got tons of endurance and you are able to find a good pace -- both characteristics that will serve you well next year when you bump up to 5K. Keep focusing on the fun in this and you'll find yourself improving every season.
Elke -- 11:35, 19th place
You are such an improved runner -- it's hard to believe! You just ran that really hard 1.5 mile course in 7:43 per mile pace. When you started the season, you ran a mile on the flat track in 8:19. That's amazing! And, you will only get better and better every season you run. Just to give you a bit of context, the athlete from Tonasket who finished 4th in the Girls High School varsity race, ran this same course as a 7th grader in 11:41. Just imagine where you can be!
Stella -- 12:24 25th place
Pretty cool that you've been able to overcome (or at least endure!) the shin pains to run a really successful season. Having a long injury is never easy and you've handled the frustration and the pain with a ton of grace - and you've become quite the runner in the process. We're excited to think about next year when perhaps the shin pain will be a thing of the past and you can unleash all that even-more speed inside of you! You are tough!!
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS -- (5K, 57 total finishers). League Champions with 27 points! Some fine running and a strong performance all around. We weren’t at our absolute total best, but we’re saving that for the next two weeks. For the relative sake of competition, and to keep us from getting complacent going into Districts, Tonasket was without Hunter and 3 others in their usual top 7. Hunter will shift things a bit for us, but Morris, Clark and Owsley are usually less of a factor. Brewster was missing perhaps their 4th and 5th so things WILL be closer next week. Some short speed on tap for the week ahead and please stay on top of your school work, your sleep, and your rest on the weekends.
Eli: 17:45, 2nd place, 5:32 first mile, 5:43 pace
Don’t be afraid to stick closer Garrett even if he charges the start like that next week. You’ve already recognized the short hesitation, but you did (even still) make up ground for a while. Closer early contact will give you an even better positive feeling of catching people and will help to spur things on at the end. Some rest ahead as well and that will help. You’re strong, and the speed is there. Question not the wisdom. Just do!
Walker: 18:05, 4th place, 5:39 first mile, 5:49 pace
A stronger race than last weekend, and you continue to be solid and reliable in the range of 17:35-18:00 which is going to be GREAT for us at State. Well done in shadowing Guzman through to the end. He’s got a little more track speed then you do, but your consistent approach and ability to move up is going to pay big dividends. See the last bit of Wes’ paragraph regarding Eli’s State meet in 2015.
Wes: 18:17, 6th place, 5:33 first mile, 5:53 pace
As mentioned at the race, we’d love to see you back off a step at the start and see what happens if you run with Walker. Your recent sickness and a few missed workouts/races are making the shock of that faster first mile a little challenging. An experiment this weekend will tell us something for State and it would be good info to have. The State race usually goes our incredibly fast — but your can throttle off just a bit and still have great success. IE At State last year Eli started this 1st mile in 30th and finish 16th. You’re not going to be that far back to start, but even though you’ve been hanging on OK, its good to be thinking about some relative positioning and maybe a modified approach.
Cade: 18:23, 7th place, 5:39 first mile, 5:55 pace
Nice. Two solid weeks in a row and this one looked even better. A little surging and back n’ fourth with you and Emerson and Peter and it propelled the whole group to a great finish. Almost 20 seconds faster than last year on the course, and we know that you’ve been waiting for that! Its not nearly as big as the break through that you are going to get at State, but the arrow is moving the right direction!
Peter: 18:31, 10th place, 5:42 first mile, 5:58 pace
1:25 faster this year! Just behind Brewster’s 3rd and Tonasket’s usual 3rd (Hunter absent) and another great race. We will miss you next week for sure but Emerson was just a step behind and Lazo will be an awesome 7th! Kudos again for the move that you made to follow the group. It was one of those mid-race make-or-break moments and you will no doubt have a chance for something similar around the one mile mark at State. ** HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE OF THE WEEK **
Emerson: 18:40, 11th place, 5:41 first mile, 6:00 pace
Solid if may be a step off of your best. Still nothing to sneeze at. Just behind Brewster’s 3rd and well clear of Tonasket’s usual 4th. Depth is evident across the team and you and Peter and Cade worked well through the middle to end of the race. Nice work hanging tough at the end. With no Peter next week, keep a mid-race eye to Israel G. from Tonakset (usual 3rd) and Brewster’s Arellano (usual 3rd). If our top five are tracking these two then we are well on our way to a repeat as District Championship.
Carter: 19:25, 15th place, 5:47 first mile, 6:15 pace
About the same time on this course as last year, so we know that you’ve got more. Still, 15th overall for a 7th man is solid, but a rally is in the cards for you over the next two week. The tight and twisty turns on our course don’t necessarily play to your strengths. Use the wide open spaces and your height to your advantage next week and keep those Tonasket and Brewster 5th men in sight.
Lazo: 20:26, 25th place, 6:19 first mile, 6:35 pace
25 seconds faster this year, so a little less than your average, but at this race last year you final found the gear that has been a major part of every race in 2016. Excited to have you running in the District meet next weekend and the Wenatchee course (plus a little more rest this week) will get you back down into that near 6 min pace that you’ve been threatening all season. A little faster first mile, and get that tempo going midway through the race.
Simon: 20:47, 28th place, 6:32 first mile, 6:41 pace
42 seconds faster this year and your first mile was nearly the same. You are stronger, and finishing better then at any point thus far, and you and Tim and Simon will be running for the win at this weekend’s JV race in Wenatchee. Keep getting out solid and stay tight to the group. You guys might not have a lot of company, so push each other to some solid times. Respond to each other’s surges and see how much time you can knock off of last year’s 20:52.
Henry: 21:01, 32nd place, 6:33 first mile, 6:46 pace
This is not a fast course, and you ran just a step off of your pace from last week. A single short interval workout on Tuesday and then its resting for Districts - a more wide open (3 mi.) course - where running your best pace of the year will be a certain possibility. A similar mix of kids in the JV race, but you and Simon and Tim will be running for the front. Every time you need to keep contact with a racer ahead or to make a pass, think about making a little surge to the ball in a soccer game. You do that 20-50 times in a game without a thought, and it will be a good way to shake up the rhythm and to keep yourself primed for whatever happens next — and then a kick to the finish!
Logan: 23:25, 47th place, 7:04 first mile, 7:32 pace
Glad to have you back and racing and that low 7 minute mile is right where you were at for Twilight. The home course is a little slower, but more wide-open terrain in Wenatchee next weekend should help you to push that second mile just a bit more and to move with the flow of the race in the second loop. Ice those shins and
Michael: 23:28, 48th place, 7:05 first mile, 7:33 pace
45 seconds faster then 2015 and your most complete race of the year! A solid opening mile and you were clearly moving up and through the other racers at various places on the course. Excited to see you rolling with good rhythm and keeping pace with Logan right through to the finish. Another cooler weekend on an even faster Wenatchee course next weekend and we’re looking forward to seeing another strong outing in Walla Walla State Park!
Zach: 24:14, 52nd place, 7:16 first mile, 7:48 pace
16 seconds faster this year but it would be great for your to connect to Michael and Logan right from the start. You were right there at the finish at Oroville, but the early gap on a twisty course makes it much harder to make up ground later on. You’ve got more strength that you know and the wide-open flat or downhill first mile next weekend in Wenatchee should allow you to easily find those guys and to stay connected early. Excited to see you finish with a big new Wenatchee PR!
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS -- (5K, 21 total finishers). League Champions with a perfect 15 points!
What an awesome day! As a team, you looked terrific and so solid. And, your support of each other was phenomenal and truly a sign that you are a TEAM to be reckoned with. Great job working your times - you all looked focused and ready to go. Remember, this course runs about 30-50 seconds slower than state (on average), so you all gearing up for quite a run! We're just going to keep the magical journey going each week, remembering to take care of ourselves, to believe in ourselves and each other, and to keep the pressure factor low. You all have done some incredible training and now as we start to taper a bit, you'll start to feel some extra life in your legs and even more good things will happen. Can't wait to see the next race! (And -- awesome job getting the junior high girls ready for their race -- we couldn't be more impressed with the role models you all are!)
Novie: 18:54, 1st place, 5:56 first mile, 6:05 pace
Right on that first mile pace target time! Excellent. That means so many good things will happen in the next two weeks! You ran the fastest time for a girl in the girls' race on that course -- the only girl who has ever run faster was Sierra Spieker from Oroville a few years ago who ran in the boys race and had an incredible pack to push her step by step (She also went on to run 18:20 at state, which is definitely in your sights!). We have every confidence that when you get in a pack/race situation, you will go even faster. Keep thinking about those arms relaxing and going back and forth and see if you can taper some and get the bonus benefits of a little rest in those legs.
Gretta: 20:09, 2nd place, 6:13 first mile, 6:29 pace
You were right on that first mile, too (even a little fast). The Soap Lake and Tonasket runners took it out hard, but you soon enough responded. Trust yourself -- you are an incredibly strong runner and when others go out too hard, you can trust that you are smart and will be able to reel them in. We really appreciate the way you keep up your intensity even when no other racers are around you. You should have some good company at state and your fierceness (in a very nice and lovely way) will come out and serve you well. Predicting a big PR for you at State, for sure! You are right on track.
Athena: 20:38, 3rd place, 6:32 first mile, 6:38 pace
Congratulations -- that was a big race. A 24 second PR on that course over last year - and your mental toughness shined through with that gutsy finish against Johnna. Love how you believed in yourself and waited for the right moment. You can get out even faster -- given how much you had left there in that monster kick — we have not yet maxed you out. That's a great place to be with 2 races left. Let's experiment this week with getting out a little more aggressively -- you are fit enough to still get to do your favorite big last mile thing. Trust and believe are your mantras for the next two weeks.
Lucy: 21:24, 6th place, 6:43 first mile, 6:53 pace
A crazy good race -- and you looked like you were loving every minute of it. You went out exactly on ideal race pace as we discussed and were super close, too, at the 2 mile. This is perfect and such a good sign that you are finding your racing rhythm. You did an excellent job of keeping it together mentally -- when you realized you were having a good race, you did not over-think things. This is not always easy to do and good on you for just going with it. Let's hit the repeat button this coming Saturday. Just keep remembering no pressure, it's fun, and let it flow.
Ava: 21:39, 7th place, 6:38 first mile, 6:58 pace
Humongous PR on this course -- 1:19 seconds faster than last year. That's insane. So thrilled with the way you got out in that first mile (right on target), hung in there and went zen when you needed to in the middle, and then found your new kick gear at the end. That was a brilliantly run race and you should enter the next few weeks feeling sooooo good. You've been consistent, improving each week, and you are believing in yourself. Keep doing what you've been doing and stay healthy and you'll be a force at State!
Icel: 21:41, 8th place, 6:38 first mile, 6:59 pace
It was great to see that last 400-600 meters of pure Icel kick. You've got so many gears and it's great that you had a chance to find that super-fast ending speed. That was especially impressive this race, since you were running alone a lot of the time. We'd still like to see you get out a little bit faster -- you've got all the fitness you need to make that ok. Thanks for being such a steady leader on this team -- you make a huge difference! Keep believing and keep bringing everyone together.
Taya: 22:25, 9th place, 6:46 first mile, 7:13 pace
You are the only person we can imagine pulling off taking the ACT and then literally hopping into a warm up and running a super tough race. Wow! Great job changing mental gears, because you certainly did not look like you were thinking about anything but racing out there. This coming Saturday, with a more relaxing morning, you'll be ready to bust out with a breakthrough race. We think you'll enjoy the feeling in your legs as you get a bit of a taper.
Rivers: 22:26, 10th place, 6:43 first mile, 7:13 pace
Keep focused on the positives here -- you did a really gritty and tough job of rallying for a good last 1200 meters after not feeling so well there in the middle. That shows a ton of determination and character and you now know you have a well of reserves when you need them. We know this one didn't go the way you wanted, but allow yourself to set it aside. One race does not a runner make and the sum total of this season shows us that you are a powerful and strong with a blazing kick. Come ready to run this week and this one will soon be just a blip in an otherwise impressive season. We're here to talk through anything if you need it!
Sage: 27:20, 18th place, 8:17 first mile, 8:48 pace
Nice bounce back from last week, with a 10 second PR on your home course. You looked like you found a good running rhythm after the first 800 and you stayed in it well. Nice job keeping your stride open and your arms moving. Carry that momentum and that great post-race feeling into next week and you'll have another strong race at Districts.
