Liberty Bell XC - Sehome Invite - High School
Location: Civic Stadium, Bellingham, WA
Date: 9.9.17
Distance: 2mi. Conditions: A rolling figure-8 style loop over a mix of grass, track, and hard-packed gravel trail. 60ish degrees and light to moderate rain throughout the day. AMAZINGLY refreshing!
General comments: A new format for racing with organization by grade-level — so, freshman girls, freshman boys, sophomore girls, etc.. There was an additional JV boys race with a mix of age groups. As one of the smallest schools in attendance (by far!), we still had representation in all 9 different races. Awesome stuff and so great to have such a breadth of experience to work with right from the start!
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS --
As we said on the bus, the best part about this weekend was the fact that we were running a race in fresh air. Period. With Ellensburg cancelled due to smoke and air-quality issues - and our first week of after-school running altered so substantially as well — it was a simple pleasure just to be outside and soaking up some rain! Saturday morning in Bellingham was our first day actually running together as a team since Friday, September 1st — and we still competed remarkably well in all manner of races. Fingers crossed for a more normal week ahead, but we will make it work no matter what!
Eli: 11:04, 15th place - Senior Boys, 1st mile 5:21 - 5:32 pace
OK, we talked about a more “Eli” approach to racing and I hope that you felt like it worked. It looked great from the coaching side, and you carried yourself relaxed and strong with some good moves to jog the rhythm and to compete with that 18-13th kind of position at various points during the race. Ironically, your first mile on this course was even a few seconds faster than your first mile at Ellensburg last year, so a great sign that you are strong and able to thrive on a decidedly hillier and slower course. A great start to the season!
Walker: 11:04, 12th place - Sophomore Boys, 1st mile 5:24 - 5:32 pace
Way to get out and challenge the first race of the year! Right into the thick of it early and you fought hard to keep that front group from gapping you into the second lap. Great downhill running and I’m sure that you were solid on the ups as well even if you would have liked them just a bit longer. Good things ahead with an extra mile to run next week. Your base is super solid and it’ll be fun to pair that with even more speed as the season unfolds.
Ian: 11:19, 6th place - Freshman Boys, 1st mile 5:34 - 5:40 pace
A huge first race Ian — and an awesome sign of good things ahead for LBHS boy’s XC! Steady. I mean just incredibly steady! Out in 6th and running smooth and strong the entire way. Glad to hear that you enjoyed the feeling of racing in spikes, and they will be even better in the next few weeks ahead when we trade the gravel paths for 90-100% grass and sorter dirt.
Travis: 11:50, 15th place - Freshman Boys, 1st mile 5:34 - 5:55 pace
Solid and well done — esp. with pushing through the tight calves that plagued you in that second lap. A little bit using the spikes for the first time, and also just an adaptation that will happen quickly to racing speeds and mid-race “hurt”. In our next few races (with all of the age-groups back together) we should have an excellent pack of green and gold and it will be great for everyone to have 3 or 4 of you learning how to work together throughout a race. Exciting stuff all around!
Emerson: 12:09, 51st place - Junior Boys, 1st mile 5:38 - 6:05 pace
A reminder going back to last year that you encountered that side stitch for a race or two — or maybe even with it coming and going a bit - before finally getting over the hump for good in the final 3 weeks of the season. Our workouts will begin to tap into a similar systems soon and that should help too.SO many good miles under your belt all summer and remember those shorter speed sessions in Big Valley to fuel your positive vibes in the weeks ahead. Let’s practice running on “feel” and focus on that tall snappy rhythm that feels so right over 800m.
Lazo: 12:46, 70th place - Junior Boys, 1st mile 6:12 - 6:23 pace
A slightly slower opening mile (4 sec.) but a faster overall pace then last year’s race at Ellensburg — on arguably a much harder course (more hills, more sharp turns and changes of momentum). Great to have you right back on form from an awesome sophomore season and happy as well to have you right in the mix from the get-go with your usual strong and steady second half of racing. Aspirations for many more good performance to come!
Andrew: 12:58, 63rd place - Freshman Boys, 1st mile 6:03 - 6:29 pace
Out quick, but fighting tough through the middle part of the race. Next week you’ll have an even bigger crowd to catch a ride with mid-race. Pair that with perhaps a little more conservation of energy in the first mile (esp. for the 5k distance) and you will be on a good path for learning even more about racing the longer distance in the next two weeks.
Tim: 13:06, 71st place - Senior Boys, 1st mile 6:15 - 6:33 pace
Out 15 seconds faster for the opening mile of your first race - as compared to last year at Ellensburg - and your overall pace was 15 sec. faster as well. This was a much hillier course with lots of tight turns and slower sections. Strong and steady for now, and next week you’ll be surrounded by a few more teammates to help push and guide the pace right from the start. Eyes up, eyes up and great to have you back in an great early season groove.
Michael: 16:05, 103rd place - JV Boys, 1st mile 7:40 - 8:03 pace
After a great summer of Big Valley Rallies and way more consistent miles, this was a strong and steady debut on a hilly and challenging course. That 7:40 opening mile is perfect for now, and in the next week or two the second mile will start to come down as the interval workouts build a midseason tolerance for pace. You’ll have a few more Liberty Bell teammates in the mix next race as well and off we go!
*****
Logan, Simon, Nick, Stephanie, Eva — An extended warm-up and cool-down with 2 x 1000m at approximate race pace sandwiched between. Some welcome hard work in a running rhythm after an entire week spent indoors. Well done all around and thank you for the excellent efforts!
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS --
A great first meet! We faced the day recognizing that this was just the beginning of our cross-country journey. As in all beginnings, we were excited and a bit nervous, eager and a bit uncertain, and most of all, so grateful to get going on what will undoubtedly be an amazing and inspiring season. It was awesome to see you all support each other — at every starting line and finish line and so awesome for our veteran runners to share pep talks and cheers with our freshman. Though you didn’t get a chance to run as a team all together in the same race, you sure were a team out there. You found the joy. Now just keep riding that wave.
Novie: 11:51, 1st place - Sophomore Girls, 1st mile 5:57 - 5:56 pace
A fine season debut and actually the second fastest time of any age category on the day (and had you been in the same race as the junior from Bellingham High who ran just seconds faster, we certainly would never bet against you!) Love the way you were patient and confident and you used that downhill to just change gears and change the race. You made it look fun!
Gretta: 12:31, 3rd place - Sophomore Girls, 1st mile 6:05 - 6:16 pace
A truly inspired performance. You were “locked in” and focused the whole way. Patient and not too crazy out the first quarter mile and then you just kept the hammer down the whole time thereafter. You are running so strong and if you’d had another mile to go, I think you would have eaten up more ground toward 2nd.
Liv: 13:14, 5th place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 6:20 - 6:37 pace
Good for you for fighting those nerves and running a gutsy race. Now you’ve got one done and you can enter the next starting line more relaxed. Super excited, however, with the way you seemed to just set those nerves aside after the gun went off and you just raced. We’re excited to see you get faster and more confident each week.
Keeley: 14:33, 18th place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 6:59 - 7:17 pace
Congrats on the first High School race. You seemed to take it all in and roll with it. You got out well and worked hard with a group of girls throughout the race, never giving up. Your kick will come with time and you will only feel stronger and stronger. It’s going to be a good season!
Mia: 14:48, 33rd place - Senior Girls, 1st mile 7:13 - 7:24 pace
So excited to have you on the team and even better to celebrate with you at the finish line. You did such a nice job of really racing the girls around you. You worked the downs and the ups and you figured out how to over-rule any voices of doubt. This is something to be very excited about and we can’t wait to help you meet your goals this season!
Lucy: 15:04, 41st place - Junior Girls, 1st mile 6:59 - 7:32 pace
In addition to the memorable honor of getting to sound the horn for the start of the boys race, you also made a splash in your first race of the season. Loved how cool and collected you were at the start — your pep talk, too, to the Freshman was simply awesome. You got right into the race and you fought the whole way. You’re going to be stronger and stronger every week and soon enough you’ll be where you want to be!
Lindsay: 15:33, 42nd place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 7:23 - 7:47 pace
A solid opening race for you. You got out into a good group and you kept going after it the whole way. You are going to like 5K even better, we suspect and we’ll experiment more with which race strategies work best. We’re certain that you are only going to get stronger and faster as we get a chance to actually run again with the weather. You were also a super-supportive teammate throughout the day—thank you!
Lena: 15:44, 46th place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 7:35, 7:52 pace
Bolder than you wanted to be — and it worked! So glad you just trusted yourself and threw yourself into the thick of the race. It actually looked like you were smiling during the race as you passed those around you or worked on looking ahead. Great job just racing and not thinking too much. You are going to have a season full of PRs we suspect!
Lazo: 12:46, 70th place - Junior Boys, 1st mile 6:12 - 6:23 pace
A slightly slower opening mile (4 sec.) but a faster overall pace then last year’s race at Ellensburg — on arguably a much harder course (more hills, more sharp turns and changes of momentum). Great to have you right back on form from an awesome sophomore season and happy as well to have you right in the mix from the get-go with your usual strong and steady second half of racing. Aspirations for many more good performance to come!
Andrew: 12:58, 63rd place - Freshman Boys, 1st mile 6:03 - 6:29 pace
Out quick, but fighting tough through the middle part of the race. Next week you’ll have an even bigger crowd to catch a ride with mid-race. Pair that with perhaps a little more conservation of energy in the first mile (esp. for the 5k distance) and you will be on a good path for learning even more about racing the longer distance in the next two weeks.
Tim: 13:06, 71st place - Senior Boys, 1st mile 6:15 - 6:33 pace
Out 15 seconds faster for the opening mile of your first race - as compared to last year at Ellensburg - and your overall pace was 15 sec. faster as well. This was a much hillier course with lots of tight turns and slower sections. Strong and steady for now, and next week you’ll be surrounded by a few more teammates to help push and guide the pace right from the start. Eyes up, eyes up and great to have you back in an great early season groove.
Michael: 16:05, 103rd place - JV Boys, 1st mile 7:40 - 8:03 pace
After a great summer of Big Valley Rallies and way more consistent miles, this was a strong and steady debut on a hilly and challenging course. That 7:40 opening mile is perfect for now, and in the next week or two the second mile will start to come down as the interval workouts build a midseason tolerance for pace. You’ll have a few more Liberty Bell teammates in the mix next race as well and off we go!
*****
Logan, Simon, Nick, Stephanie, Eva — An extended warm-up and cool-down with 2 x 1000m at approximate race pace sandwiched between. Some welcome hard work in a running rhythm after an entire week spent indoors. Well done all around and thank you for the excellent efforts!
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS --
A great first meet! We faced the day recognizing that this was just the beginning of our cross-country journey. As in all beginnings, we were excited and a bit nervous, eager and a bit uncertain, and most of all, so grateful to get going on what will undoubtedly be an amazing and inspiring season. It was awesome to see you all support each other — at every starting line and finish line and so awesome for our veteran runners to share pep talks and cheers with our freshman. Though you didn’t get a chance to run as a team all together in the same race, you sure were a team out there. You found the joy. Now just keep riding that wave.
Novie: 11:51, 1st place - Sophomore Girls, 1st mile 5:57 - 5:56 pace
A fine season debut and actually the second fastest time of any age category on the day (and had you been in the same race as the junior from Bellingham High who ran just seconds faster, we certainly would never bet against you!) Love the way you were patient and confident and you used that downhill to just change gears and change the race. You made it look fun!
Gretta: 12:31, 3rd place - Sophomore Girls, 1st mile 6:05 - 6:16 pace
A truly inspired performance. You were “locked in” and focused the whole way. Patient and not too crazy out the first quarter mile and then you just kept the hammer down the whole time thereafter. You are running so strong and if you’d had another mile to go, I think you would have eaten up more ground toward 2nd.
Liv: 13:14, 5th place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 6:20 - 6:37 pace
Good for you for fighting those nerves and running a gutsy race. Now you’ve got one done and you can enter the next starting line more relaxed. Super excited, however, with the way you seemed to just set those nerves aside after the gun went off and you just raced. We’re excited to see you get faster and more confident each week.
Keeley: 14:33, 18th place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 6:59 - 7:17 pace
Congrats on the first High School race. You seemed to take it all in and roll with it. You got out well and worked hard with a group of girls throughout the race, never giving up. Your kick will come with time and you will only feel stronger and stronger. It’s going to be a good season!
Mia: 14:48, 33rd place - Senior Girls, 1st mile 7:13 - 7:24 pace
So excited to have you on the team and even better to celebrate with you at the finish line. You did such a nice job of really racing the girls around you. You worked the downs and the ups and you figured out how to over-rule any voices of doubt. This is something to be very excited about and we can’t wait to help you meet your goals this season!
Lucy: 15:04, 41st place - Junior Girls, 1st mile 6:59 - 7:32 pace
In addition to the memorable honor of getting to sound the horn for the start of the boys race, you also made a splash in your first race of the season. Loved how cool and collected you were at the start — your pep talk, too, to the Freshman was simply awesome. You got right into the race and you fought the whole way. You’re going to be stronger and stronger every week and soon enough you’ll be where you want to be!
Lindsay: 15:33, 42nd place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 7:23 - 7:47 pace
A solid opening race for you. You got out into a good group and you kept going after it the whole way. You are going to like 5K even better, we suspect and we’ll experiment more with which race strategies work best. We’re certain that you are only going to get stronger and faster as we get a chance to actually run again with the weather. You were also a super-supportive teammate throughout the day—thank you!
Lena: 15:44, 46th place - Freshman Girls, 1st mile 7:35, 7:52 pace
Bolder than you wanted to be — and it worked! So glad you just trusted yourself and threw yourself into the thick of the race. It actually looked like you were smiling during the race as you passed those around you or worked on looking ahead. Great job just racing and not thinking too much. You are going to have a season full of PRs we suspect!
