Liberty Bell XC - District 5-6 Championships - High School
Location: Walla Walla Point Park, Wenatchee, WA
Date: 10.25.17
Distance: 5km. Conditions: A subtle tweak to the Wenatchee course from September. Less hot. Firmer grass. LOTS of course marking flags! Faster running.
General comments: Congratulations! Another league title and solid JV showing, too! Pretty amazing for a program that just a few years ago had 2 runners. We are deep and we are a team and that is inspiring and probably a bit intimidating to all the other programs! Thank you for handling your success with grace and joy — the post-race snow dancing was a memory not soon forgotten. You ran today without your usual glitter — but that’s ok because each of you have found a way to internalize that sparkle. Glitter truly is a state of mind — and you now have within you the grit and the dazzle to make a real splash. Now we move on — all together — to challenge ourselves at the State meet. You are ready. Whether you are cheering (near or afar) or toeing the line, you are on this team and this team rocks! PS We will have actual glitter ready and waiting for State as well :)
Distance: 5km. Conditions: A subtle tweak to the Wenatchee course from September. Less hot. Firmer grass. LOTS of course marking flags! Faster running.
General comments: Congratulations! Another league title and solid JV showing, too! Pretty amazing for a program that just a few years ago had 2 runners. We are deep and we are a team and that is inspiring and probably a bit intimidating to all the other programs! Thank you for handling your success with grace and joy — the post-race snow dancing was a memory not soon forgotten. You ran today without your usual glitter — but that’s ok because each of you have found a way to internalize that sparkle. Glitter truly is a state of mind — and you now have within you the grit and the dazzle to make a real splash. Now we move on — all together — to challenge ourselves at the State meet. You are ready. Whether you are cheering (near or afar) or toeing the line, you are on this team and this team rocks! PS We will have actual glitter ready and waiting for State as well :)
HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS
1st place. 15 points. 2 full teams. 30 runners.
Liberty Bell 15
Riverside Christian 48
Novie: 1st place, 19:06, 5:51 first mile, 6:02 overall pace
You were fighting a cold today and yet it was nearly impossible to tell! 6:02 pace is pretty phenomenal for fighting a cold— 11 seconds per mile faster than your pace on this course earlier in the season and only 4 seconds per mile slower than at home last week when you said you felt good. You should take great confidence that you can not feel your best and still pull out a race like that. Hope you are thinking about your goals for state because you are in a very awesome position to make them a reality. Plus, you’ve got that cold done with this year!
Gretta: 3rd place, 20:06, 5:54 first mile, 6:20 overall pace
Love that you wanted to experiment with going out hard. So, this wasn’t a PR (although it was 9 seconds per mile faster than at the Wenatchee invite earlier—so you are getting faster no matter what), but it was an LE (a learning experience). We’ll have some specific ideas for your state race for you based on what we saw out there and you can draw strength knowing that you know that state course and it will be a morning start time (your favorite). We’re going to not think about times — that will happen naturally — and instead ensure you have a good race plan. Stay confident, determined and full of Lion Pride and November 4th will be excellent.
Ella: 4th place, 20:39, 6:20 first mile, 6:39 overall pace
21 seconds faster per mile than the Wenatchee invite. That’s serious improvement. And you still have more to go. Truly every time you run you look more fluid and like it is more fun. Relax into the taper week and just keep riding the incredible wave of this season. You will have a few good competitors next week to keep it interesting and we believe you are ready for anything!
Athena: 6th place, 20:52, 6:28 first mile, 6:43 overall pace
Another terrific second lap on this course. 11 seconds per mile overall faster than your Wenatchee Invite pace. We would still like to see you get out a bit more aggressively so that you are racing with the pack you want to be a part of at the finish. You CAN do that — you have yet to fade in a second half. So trust that your legs know what to do in that last mile and get yourself in a good spot at the beginning. It’s going to be an awesome state meet for you!
Liv: 7th place, 20:56, 6:20 first mile, 6:44 overall pace
So glad to have you racing again! Yes, your lungs had a bit of a shock (that’s normal and you will not likely feel that next week) but you handled it beautifully. You looked smooth and strong and did exactly the right things to stay in contact with people and just run. You will feel so much better next week having had this racing experience. Let loose of all expectations and just let yourself enjoy the state experience and race on feel. You’ve got all you need to have a terrific race!
Icel: 8th place, 21:03, 6:28 first mile, 6:47 overall pace
Just have to say you were 18 seconds per mile faster than you were at Wenatchee Invite. That’s just the kind of season progression we crave and it means such good things for what is to come. You are a great big-race racer and we have no doubt that you will rise to the occasion again next Saturday. You are a veteran state-racer now. Share that experience with your teammates and be the role model you are of grace under pressure.
Eva: 7th place, 22:41, 6:50 first mile, 7:18 overall pace
We know you didn’t feel great, but you were still fast — about 14 seconds per mile faster than your pace at the Wenatchee Invite. Once again, you ran especially tough over that last mile. At state you’ll have even more people to race in that last mile, so look forward to that and find some joy in passing as many as you can. You are ready for a big time PR, for sure. Just remember to keep using your arms — they will drive your legs when you are tired!
GIRLS JV RACE
Combined with boys. No complete girl’s teams.
Keeley: 1st place, 23:12, 6:45 first mile, 7:28 overall pace
A most excellent bounce-back race from Saturday. That says much about your character and your determination. You looked especially tough and fast in the first 2 miles. Keep reminding yourself that you have what it takes to finish with a kick and you will, for sure, next season! Glad this one felt more fun and congrats on your first win of a race!
Lindsay: 12nd place, 23:33, 7:05 first mile, 7:33 overall pace
It sure seems like you are running with a real sense of joy, Lindsay. That’s so great to see — and it translated into a 12 second per mile pace faster than just 4 weeks ago at the Wenatchee Invite. That is some crazy improvement and you should feel really good about the hard work that brought you to that success. You were really moving in that whole last mile - a testament to your stamina and strength. Can’t wait to see what a sophomore season will bring!
Lena: 4th place, 24:18, 7:20 first mile, 7:46 overall pace
Another strong improvement — each week has been getting better and better. You ran the uphills with great drive and you had a very nice kick up that last one. Overall, you were 8 seconds per mile faster than your pace at the Wenatchee Invite and more than a minute per mile faster than at Leavenworth. You, too, are set for an awesome sophomore season now that you that you have a season of 5K’s under your belt!
Lucy: DNF, dropped after 1 mile. 7:26 through the first mile.
We are really sorry that this one didn’t turn out the way we all might have wanted. We know you had big plans and we continue to believe that they are possible. You need to keep believing that, too! You are going to be that much stronger in track this spring - that will be so much fun to watch!
Mia: We missed you out there!
It sure seems like you are running with a real sense of joy, Lindsay. That’s so great to see — and it translated into a 12 second per mile pace faster than just 4 weeks ago at the Wenatchee Invite. That is some crazy improvement and you should feel really good about the hard work that brought you to that success. You were really moving in that whole last mile - a testament to your stamina and strength. Can’t wait to see what a sophomore season will bring!
Lena: 4th place, 24:18, 7:20 first mile, 7:46 overall pace
Another strong improvement — each week has been getting better and better. You ran the uphills with great drive and you had a very nice kick up that last one. Overall, you were 8 seconds per mile faster than your pace at the Wenatchee Invite and more than a minute per mile faster than at Leavenworth. You, too, are set for an awesome sophomore season now that you that you have a season of 5K’s under your belt!
Lucy: DNF, dropped after 1 mile. 7:26 through the first mile.
We are really sorry that this one didn’t turn out the way we all might have wanted. We know you had big plans and we continue to believe that they are possible. You need to keep believing that, too! You are going to be that much stronger in track this spring - that will be so much fun to watch!
Mia: We missed you out there!
HIGH SCHOOL BOYS VARSITY RACE
1st Place, 40 points. 11 full teams. 88 runners
Liberty Bell 40
Manson 72
Tonasket 84
Tri-Cities Prep 116
Trout Lake 142
Bickleton 175
Brewster 183
Bridgeport 202
Lake Roosevelt 228
Riverside Christian - 253
White Swan - 259
General comments: Congratulations as well! This was, by many measures, an even better performance then you had last weekend at Leagues. And that is not easy to do with additional teams and a little more wild-card individual action racing away at the front of the meet. That being said, you found your way to impressive team performance in one of the most competitive District meets in years. This was still not a fast course, and we are going to ride those excellent race tactics and faster terrain to some PR performances this coming weekend in Pasco. Embrace the feeling gang, and run like you mean it! PS Congrats as well on the State Academic Championship. 3.946 indeed!!!
Eli: 5th place, 17:18, 5:19 first mile, 5:35 overall pace
A quick first mile. A strong middle. A finish where you closed! Congrats on your best complete race of the year, and you are primed and ready to pop one at State! The 16:40s are well within your grasp. PS Cashmere’s Evan Gambil beat you by 1:11 at the 9/23 Wenatchee Invite. In the 1A Dist. meet just before ours, he ran 17:01. YOU are getting faster. Ready to launch!
Walker: 7th place, 17:35, 5:20 first mile, 5:40 overall pace
Picking up a few seconds relative to Manson’s Herbierto over Leagues, and he was on the podium at State in 2016. In 2014, Willy Dugay ran 18:26 on our home course 5k… and then 17:14 at State — with similar gains the following year. Rest and sharpening this week - and we are ready indeed for some lifetime and season PR’s in Pasco. State will get out quick, but let’s have you and Eli keep each other company with some intention as we target these front runners from other teams.
Emerson: 5th place, 17:43, 5:24 first mile, 5:42 overall pace
Great practice for State with a quick first mile and then a gusty late-race challenge to Gomez. There will be lots more to race for on Saturday and a few more people around you for sure. The 17-17:10 min range isn’t usually “quite” as crowded as it was back in last year’s 17:45 zone but embrace that awesome late-race feeling from 2016 and look forward to what that means this coming weekend!
Ian: 11th place, 17:53, 5:28 first mile, 5:45 overall pace
So good again in shadowing Emerson, and then in a footrace of your own to the finish with Manson helped you gap the runner from Bickelton uphill to the finish. Trust in your strength and drive those arms quick and short over the final 300+ meters again this weekend. We’ll get a good look on Friday, but is a long and necessary kick to the finish. You got terrific practice in going moving with Connor T. this week and you’ll have even more company to make it fun at State. Congrats on an awesome freshman XC season and this next one is icing on the cake!
Travis: 13th place, 18:09, 5:37 first mile, 5:50 overall pace
Played to perfection again. A steady but quick first mile — and then the strength in the end to finish. The kick to the line with fellow a fellow 9th grader from Trout Lake was terrific to watch, and you will get another chance for kicking people down at State. And the gaps will be smaller too, (MUCH - and especially in that 17:40-18min range) and SO many places can get eaten up with a final surge to the line. Congrats on your super consistent varsity performances over the last few weeks, and the State meet is going to be tons of fun!
Simon: 18th place, 18:28, 5:43 first mile, 5:57 overall pace
18:47 in September… and 20 seconds faster on a longer course. You’ve been running so solid and maybe still feeling even a little tired. This next week is all about rest and sharpening. Feeling quick and just a little more effortless than you have all year. Sleep. Study. Get excited. You’ve punched your ticket to the dance and it’ll be awesome to see you run! Your ability to focus on the Mason 3rd was once again super critical to our performance -- an improvement even over Leagues — and we’ll find you a similar roll with other teams at State. Can’t wait!
Cade: 31st place, 19:24, 5:41 first mile, 6:15 overall pace
So glad to have you out there and feeling like you could even compete at ALL after a topsy turvy week. This was a workout effort — and an essential ingredient to being ready to run in Pasco next weekend. Easy to bog down I know, but find that glimmer in some rest and let the physicality of movement. Your competitive drive fuel your body for one more week - but set the head aside. An outlier race for sure and your steady hand and State meet experience will be critical to those around you in next weekend’s opening miles and closing kick. Rest easy. The hay is in the barn and you ARE ready to go!
So glad to have you out there and feeling like you could even compete at ALL after a topsy turvy week. This was a workout effort — and an essential ingredient to being ready to run in Pasco next weekend. Easy to bog down I know, but find that glimmer in some rest and let the physicality of movement. Your competitive drive fuel your body for one more week - but set the head aside. An outlier race for sure and your steady hand and State meet experience will be critical to those around you in next weekend’s opening miles and closing kick. Rest easy. The hay is in the barn and you ARE ready to go!
BOYS JV RACE
1st Place, 34 points. 6 full teams. 63 runners (1B/2B & 1A)
Liberty Bell 34
Cashmere 46
Omak 86
Cascade Leavenworth 103
Manson 121
Tonasket 141
Lazo: 3rd place, 19:12, 5:40 first mile, 6:11 overall pace
19:20 on the 3mi version of this course earlier in the year and faster again then last year’s District meet by 8 or 9 sec. per mile. Its rough to be the first alternate 3 years running, but you have been faster EVERY year and battling no doubt. If push comes to shove and we need a backup for State — there is no one else in this group that is more prepared and ready to run. Thank you for pushing. Thank you for striving. And thank you for making room for XC in your life.
Peter: 5th place, 19:21, 5:36 first mile, 6:14 overall pace
A worthy effort and a bit of your throw-it-to the wall style that found success last year. Awesome to see you leading at the mile and we just need to get a little distance work into easy days to help you sustain that tempo — and keep it pushing to ahead for a sustainable lead. No small task for you this year in balancing greater baseball interests with the XC running, but great to have you coming back to State again albeit in a bit more of a supporting roll. Your overall relaxed but focused demeanor will be a boon to first-year runners Ian, Travis and Simon.
Nick: 7th place, 19:43, 5:40 first mile, 6:21 overall pace
A terrific inaugural XC season Nick and you’ve helped this entire group to be better than they might otherwise have managed. Pushing Simon early. Pushing Lazo late. You have guts, strength AND speed and just need a little more time to get it all gelled together. I know that you’re already thinking ahead to college applications etc. but we would LOVE to have you out another year to experience to major polish on an already shiny initial run. PS the same goes for track and you actually have two more shots at that!
A worthy effort and a bit of your throw-it-to the wall style that found success last year. Awesome to see you leading at the mile and we just need to get a little distance work into easy days to help you sustain that tempo — and keep it pushing to ahead for a sustainable lead. No small task for you this year in balancing greater baseball interests with the XC running, but great to have you coming back to State again albeit in a bit more of a supporting roll. Your overall relaxed but focused demeanor will be a boon to first-year runners Ian, Travis and Simon.
Nick: 7th place, 19:43, 5:40 first mile, 6:21 overall pace
A terrific inaugural XC season Nick and you’ve helped this entire group to be better than they might otherwise have managed. Pushing Simon early. Pushing Lazo late. You have guts, strength AND speed and just need a little more time to get it all gelled together. I know that you’re already thinking ahead to college applications etc. but we would LOVE to have you out another year to experience to major polish on an already shiny initial run. PS the same goes for track and you actually have two more shots at that!
Tim: 9th place, 19:57, 6:00 first mile, 6:25 overall pace
20:28 on the 3mi version of this course in September. You ran farther this race… AND almost 30 seconds faster. SO impressed by your consistency and your continued efforts to support your teammates in the middle of these races. You are one of the most vocal and adamant members of the team when it counts — and we’re excited to have you coming along to State to cheer these teams on in your senior season.
Bodhi: 10th place, 20:06, 5:55 first mile, 6:28 overall pace
Just outside the 20min mark for the second week in a row — but this 10th place performance put us over the top in the team competition with Cashmere in a major way. Thought running all the way around and so much to be proud of in your first-ever HS XC season and we can’t wait to have you back in 2017.
Galen: 18th place, 20:42, 6:26 first mile, 6:40 overall pace
You dropped another 2 seconds from your over all mile pace vs Leagues, and you have shown yourself to be incredibly coachable and adaptable to the particular stresses of XC from start to finish. SO glad to have you out this year, and your times will drop even further in 2018 with some additional summer running and a greater overall feel for the sport when we start things again next fall. Congrats on a terrific inaugural season and we can’t wait to have you back!
Logan: 20th place, 21:03, 6:36 first mile, 6:47 overall pace
6:47 pace vs 7:01 in Sept. And your opening mile was only 6 seconds different. You still have speed for the kick and your endurance has progressed across the season start to finish. With any luck, the spikes for this one felt good, and we can get your ankles to tolerate a few more races in them for 2018. Congrats on another fine season of XC and we’ll look forward to having you back in your junior year.
Erick: 22nd place, 21:32, 6:38 first mile, 6:56 overall pace
Also dropping major seconds from mid-September to the District meet. Such a great season Erick and we’ll get you racing in spikes a little more often next year as well. Almost exactly the same distance behind Logan in this race as compared to Leagues, and you’ve done an amazing job of late in finding some consistent pacing and regulating your efforts across the race.
Andrew: 27th place, 21:46, 6:08 first mile, 7:00 overall pace
A better race then last week, but a little concerning with the major side-stitches two weeks in a row. You’re not going out too fast… but something is happening out there. Looking forward to helping you develop a little more finishing speed and mid-race endurance with a spring season on the brand new track. Let it snow and the Loup Loup season will commence!
Eden: 30th place, 21:53, 6:41 first mile, 7:03 overall pace
Stepping up again with a terrific final race in your inaugural and short-but-sweet senior season. You were 30-40 seconds head of many runners in your ballpark from Leagues, and on several teams like LR and Bridgeport you’d be a varsity runner. You might be feeling the first-ever race in spikes just a little bit still this week, but so great to have you out for the team and looking forward to bringing your senior enthusiasm and work ethic alone to the State meet this coming weekend.
