Location: Fair Ways Golf Course, Cheney, WA.
Date: 9.22.18
Distance: Approx. 1.5min MS and 5k HS. Mid-60’s, intermittent clouds. Quite breezy on a winding course traversing cart paths, multiple out n’ back fairways, and some rolling terrain in certain rougher spots. Quick grass, little bit of gravel path, downhill finish. Big races with some great competition.
Overall Middle School Races: How much fun is that! We got to race toe to toe with perhaps the largest middle school cross country team any of us has ever seen. Once again, we ran in a combined boys and girls, 7th and 8th grade race (99 total finishers). The course had its own start line and then joined in to the second half of the high school course. It was winding and twisty and turning, but short fast grass. I suspect it might have been a bit longer than 1.5 miles, so take those mile paces with a grain of salt — and remember, you can’t compare your times from week to week because each course runs so differently. Compare how you felt!
Also, just have to say — the middle school pyramids were totally awesome. A new level of professionalism and so many other high school teams were jealous! Hope you had fun with it!
MIDDLE SCHOOL BOYS
Way to go. We definitely competed well, giving notice to all of 509 that the Liberty Bell XC will be a force to be reckoned with for years to come. Lincoln of Pullman beat us 24-31. They were a solid, very very deep team. They were able to put a pack of four just in front of our 2-5 runners to just barely beat us out. I think if we raced them again that there might be a very different outcome; as we continue to get competitive experience and develop racing savvy. Looking forward to seeing how we stack up against more local competition on Tuesday in Chelan.
Isaiah - 1st 9:42, 6:28 per mile pace
Isaiah - 1st 9:42, 6:28 per mile pace
What a way to start your season. You started out hard, created early separation and cruised to a comfortable victory over some good runners. Pretty amazing considering you have been on the shelf for two weeks with your knee. This bodes well for a great season. Didn’t get mile splits but I wouldn’t be surprised if you your second half was a bit slower. We can work on pacing to create better balance and faster times.
Will - 6th 10:24, 6:56 per mile pace
Will - 6th 10:24, 6:56 per mile pace
Another excellent race for a new XC runner. Once again you showed racing savvy, starting out conservatively and working your way steadily up the line. Towards the end, I thought you would catch that group of 4 in blue jerseys just ahead of you. Next time, we will do a better job of letting know where the finish is, so you can time your kick and leave those kids in the dust.
Sawyer - 7th 10:26, 6:57 per mile pace
Way to go on your first race of the season. You demonstrated remarkable grit out there. You went out hard without having raced in a long time. It seemed that you might drop off when those Lincoln runners went by but you kept the gap steady and were even starting to close on them on the back end. When we combine this determination with some added fitness and some form work, you are going be able to keep that quick pace up through the entire race.
Graham - 8th 10:27, 6:58 per mile pace
Graham - 8th 10:27, 6:58 per mile pace
The sibling rivalry continues. Four seconds ahead of your bro, nice job. You are now stringing together solid performances. Like Sawyer, you will benefit from some more even pacing as we move along in the season. Your determination shined through as you maintained contact with our pack to push back against the group ahead of you.
Carter - 9th 10:31, 7:01 per mile pace
Carter - 9th 10:31, 7:01 per mile pace
You stepped up BigTime; really closing the gap on our front pack. In Bridgeport, you were 24 seconds behind Graham, this time it was just 4 seconds. Running like this gives the Mountain Lions a really strong pack that is going to a force to be reckoned with. Working together as a group in our speed workouts will really make this pack gel.
(Sawyer, Graham, Carter) Lets talk strategy on Monday for Chelan on Tuesday. Might be interesting to plan to go out a little slower with Will and see if you all can keep pushing and moving up as a pack of four through the entire race. Just a thought)
Aksel - 13th 10:47, 7:11 per mile pace
(Sawyer, Graham, Carter) Lets talk strategy on Monday for Chelan on Tuesday. Might be interesting to plan to go out a little slower with Will and see if you all can keep pushing and moving up as a pack of four through the entire race. Just a thought)
Aksel - 13th 10:47, 7:11 per mile pace
Another inspired effort. Looks like you are intent on continuing to move up through the pack and make your mark on this team as a 7th grader. You finished just a second behind Lincoln’s 6th runner, emphasizing the importance of passing every runner you possibly can. As the season progresses, we can work towards connecting you up with our front pack. Good things lie ahead.
Tristan - 21st. 11:16, 7:31 per mile pace
Tristan - 21st. 11:16, 7:31 per mile pace
You ran a well-balanced race, staying in close contact then unleashing that blistering kick in the shadows of the finish line. As your conditioning improves, we can work on steadily improving your race pace without sacrificing any of that dynamic finish ability.
Jackson - 23rd 11:18, 7:32 per mile pace
Jackson - 23rd 11:18, 7:32 per mile pace
An improved effort over your first race. You were running relaxed and much further up in the pack throughout. We can focus some energy on finishing kicks so you will be able to withstand any late challenges. Excellent race.
Kellen - 27th 11:32, 7:41 per mile pace
Excellent job working the race with teammate Kyler — and keeping your cool even when he lost his shoe! You seemed very aware of when the runners around you were either making a move to pull away or were starting to tire and you used your awareness to make some great race decisions. You also looked like you enjoyed this final kick more than at Bridgeport. Nicely done.
Kyler - 29th 11:33, 7:42 per mile pace
Kyler - 29th 11:33, 7:42 per mile pace
Pretty awesome to finish in the top third of the runners in only your second XC race (and with losing your shoe with at least half a mile to go!). You have the makings of a solid XC runner full of determination and positive attitude. The pizza socks are a nice touch as well. In pace workouts over the next couple weeks, we will work on connecting you with Jackson and Tristan as we work to tighten up our second pack. Way to go.
MIDDLE SCHOOL GIRLS
Our 7 middle school girls put up a mighty battle against the large army from Lincoln Middle School of Pullman. They edged us in the team score, but we ran tough and did the small schools of Washington proud! Again, don’t get too caught up in the paces per mile — every race course is different and I suspect this one might have been a bit longer than 1.5 miles.
Stella - 1st girl, 11th overall, 10:43, 7:09 per mile pace
Stella - 1st girl, 11th overall, 10:43, 7:09 per mile pace
You race with so much heart! I love how you just went after it from the moment the gun went off and you raced the boys around you with grit and a whole lot of determination. Nice job keeping it together in the last half mile after a good quick start.
Leki - 2nd girl, 18th overall, 10:58, 7:19 per mile pace
Leki - 2nd girl, 18th overall, 10:58, 7:19 per mile pace
I am sure the Outward Bound field trip this week had you a bit more tired than usual, but you still showed up to that starting line ready to go. Most racers on our team seemed about 1 minute slower on this course than Bridgeport and you were right in that ballpark. So, another super solid effort and once again you competed well with those around you. Let’s make sure we do some “kick” work in the next few weeks, so you feel like you can fly ever faster in the last 100 meters!
Linnaea - 9th girl, 56th overall, 13:04, 8:43 per mile pace
You looked so much more confident than last week — any fear or doubt in your eyes was replaced with sheer determination. You had people to race the whole way and this week it seemed like you were engaged in the race and no longer worried about just finishing. This is a whole lot of growth for just one week — imagine where you will be in a few more!
Ila - 17th girl, 70th overall, 13:55, 9:17 per mile pace
Another excellent effort. You said to me on the bus that you like running and it showed in this race. You raced hard and I’m sure it hurt at times, but you also looked like you were having fun — passing people and especially with your strong finish kick. That was a big field and you totally held your own!
Lilly - 19th girl, 72nd overall, 13:56, 9:17 per mile pace
Lilly - 19th girl, 72nd overall, 13:56, 9:17 per mile pace
Best news of all is that you said your shins didn’t hurt like crazy! And, you got to enjoy the power of running with teammates. You looked like a totally experienced runner out there — great form, relaxed face and arms, and eyes focused ahead. And, quite a big kick there at the end! So glad the shins held up to give you that fun experience!
Nina - 22nd girl, 76th overall, 13:58, 9:19 per mile pace
Nina - 22nd girl, 76th overall, 13:58, 9:19 per mile pace
Terrific running with teammates! I bet that felt good! So glad, too, that your shins felt ok today and that your lungs enjoyed the milder weather than last week. You really raced this one and it showed in your very strong final kick down the long last stretch. Congratulations!
Grace - 23rd girl, 77th overall, 13:59, 9:19 per mile pace
Grace - 23rd girl, 77th overall, 13:59, 9:19 per mile pace
I know this one didn’t feel as easy or as good as you wanted but you played an important role in running with your teammates and you showed a whole lot of courage in sticking with it. We’ll get the breathing/feeling good figured out and you’ll be right back to racing like you want to! For today, be proud of all the good things you did accomplish!
Addie and Penny — So awesome to have you out there cheering like crazy! Penny we can’t wait to see you race on Tuesday and we appreciate your enthusiasm and patience. Addie, we know that there was no one out there who crutched faster than you! You are both such supportive teammates and XC runners through and through!
Dashe and Ayla — We send you our healthiest wishes and hope you’ll be able to toe the staring line on Tuesday with your teammates! We missed you!
HS BOYS:
“Team” was a common theme when we talked about goals three weeks ago. And that kind of thinking and racing will ultimately be an important factor in getting this group to gel and progress over the next several weeks like I know that we can. That being said, this week’s racing and practicing were an excellent sign of things to come. A pleasure to see a Friday pre-meet easy distance with almost all of you cruising together, and some awesome pack running today that will lay some excellent foundations for competitive scoring at future meets. Looking forward to having David and Andrew added back into the mix at Twilight to see how a few more pieces fit.
And on the “believe in this team” front, our first 5k efforts of the season put us firmly in striking distance of several league teams that have already logged 2-3 of these 5k races. We have work to do but this was an opening and we always strive to run our best races at the end of the season. To a runner we a better off then we were last year, and we will keep heading in the right direction.
JV VARSITY BOYS: 279 finishers.
HS GIRLS:
Our theme for this week was “rough draft.” This early in the season, a chance to run in a big race like this is just like writing the first rough draft of a paper. You have to put words down on the page so you know what you have to work with. You challenged yourselves to try something in your race —to just get some words down on the paper — so we can help you refine and polish your race for that final draft in late October/early November. I saw everyone out there giving it their all and providing great support for each other. We’ll take what we learned from this rough draft and start editing!
JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS: So excited to have a scoring JV team in only the second time in recent Liberty Bell XC history. And, you ran great! Placed second out of 15 complete teams and were the first Washington team across the line. Inspiring efforts across the board! 146 runners finished the race.
Greta L: 20:28, 2nd place. 6:27 1st mile, 6:35 pace
So great to see such tenacity right from the get-go. You got right out after that golf cart and set a quick early pace. I loved watching you match stride for stride with the Mountain View runner when she came up on you in that first mile. You battled all the way and made it look like fun!
Lilia: 22:20, 14th place. 6:57 1st mile, 7:11 pace
Wow! What a stubborn runner you are (and I mean that in a good way!). You just kept sticking with it, even when it got hard and it sure paid off with a terrific time and place. I noticed you especially stuck with the race in front of you in that winding section from mile 2 to 3, which says a lot about your mental focus.
Lena: 23:12, 19th place. 7:11 1st mile, 7:28 pace
Another excellent effort. Once again you looked fluid and smooth through the opening half. You are doing a good job this year making sure you get into a good solid position in the first mile. I know your stomach was causing some troubles in the last mile, but you did an admirable job staying in the race around you. We’ll figure out what to eat when before a race and you’ll carry your strength even more in the last mile.
Lindsay: 23:28, 22nd place. 7:17 1st mile, 7:33 per pace
Every week you impress with the way you run the middle of your races. Hopefully you feel good about this overall effort, because it was a good one, but I hope you especially take pride in the way you run between miles 1.5 and 2.5. You just don’t let up — totally focused, totally pushing yourself and that makes a big different in your finishing in the top 25 of a very fast JV race.
Annika: 23:43, 30th place. 7:26 1st mile, 7:38 pace
I think every runner would like to feel the way you looked like you felt in this race. You just looked in control, mentally in the race, confident, and like it felt good — even the hard parts! You did such an excellent job moving up through the crowds after the first mile and you kept your focus always ahead of you. So much fun!
Willa: 27:01, 84th place. 8:03 1st mile, 8:42 pace
Definitely my inspirational story for the day. Congratulations on finishing your first race — and a 5K at that! Considering that just 3 weeks ago you were tackling one minute of running and one minute of walking for 20 minutes, completing a 5K in under 9 minute per mile pace is amazing! I know it hurt and I’m sure you wondered at times why you signed up for this, but you never stopped and you just kept reaching for that finish. We should all remember just how brave you are!
VARSITY GIRLS: 115 finishers. 15 complete teams. We finished 4th behind 3 Large School Idaho teams (and just 16 points out of second). We were the first Washington team (and by far the smallest school in the top 10). It was “all good.”
Novie: 18:28, 3rd place. 5:43 1st mile, 5:57 pace
It’s great to be in a fast race and what an excellent time you posted for an opening season 5K. This one went out hard from the moment the gun went off and I know it was hard to make contact with the first 3. But, you were patient, you worked that second mile hard, and you ran just 5 seconds off your PR. Watch out next week! (I like the going out in 5:43...that’s the ticket to a fast time....it will start to feel even better in the weeks to come!).
Icel: 19:33, 11th place. 6:21 1st mile, 6:18 pace
Congratulations! You just broke the magic 20min mark for the first time — and really you shattered it. That was quite possibly one of the technically most perfect races you could have run. You got yourself out well and into the hunt with a front-ish pack and yet you picked a pace that you knew you could keep for the next 2 miles. Excellent pacing and just plain gutsy racing. Big PR and all signs point to a big senior season.
Ella: 20:14, 21st place. 6:10 1st mile, 6:31pace
You are always “in” the race and once again you battled the whole way. You got sucked out pretty fast for that first mile and that took a bit out of what you had left in the last mile. I love, however, that you went for it and we’ll adjust a bit at Twilight and you’ll be ready to be under 20.
Eva: 21:18, 41st place. 6:42 1st mile, 6:51 pace
You looked great this week in practice — like you found a whole new strength in your legs and you took that momentum and went out boldly. And it worked! What an excellent and huge PR for you and what great racing you provided toward the team score. Keep confident! And, let’s get that foot looked at so we can keep the momentum going.
Jori: 21:27, 44th place. 6:41 1st mile, 6:54 pace
After a week that included an Outward Bound field trip and some tough work outs, you showed your determination. There will be many races where you will feel better, but tuck this one back in your mind as a confidence booster. Because if you can still run this fast in a fast race after the tiring week you had, then you have got to know you are ready for anything!
Ava: 21:55, 60th place. 6:45 1st mile, 7:03 pace
What a solid opening race — your last first race in a Liberty Bell XC uniform! You looked so calm, collected, and in control throughout. I felt like you raced the people around you, moved well through the crowds, and kept good contact. I’d love to hear more about what you thought! This was a great first draft (especially given your having a cold) and we will be able to polish this up into something you are really excited about by the end of the season.
Keeley: 22:43, 76th place. 6:56 1st mile, 7:19 pace
I know this was not the race you wanted nor the race you are trained for. But, it’s a chance to learn and a starting place to move from. You just never got out into the race and you missed a couple of chances early on to attach to some groups that were moving up. That’s ok. These things happen. The sun still rises. Keep your head up and know you will feel better! We all still believe in you!
Greta S:
We were so glad to have you there. I know it is a bittersweet thing to enjoy cheering on your friends and teammates and to so strongly wish you could be out there, too. I wish I had a magic wand. But, life throws us tricky things sometimes and the best we can do is face them with determination, grace, and little bit of GRRR. And, I see you doing that every day! Thanks for being a great teammate!
And to Anja, Ayeanna, Kierra, Liv, Payten, and Mahali — we send you all our healthiest thoughts and hope to see you out there in the green and gold of Liberty Bell soon. Rest up and we’re cheering for you, too!
Addie and Penny — So awesome to have you out there cheering like crazy! Penny we can’t wait to see you race on Tuesday and we appreciate your enthusiasm and patience. Addie, we know that there was no one out there who crutched faster than you! You are both such supportive teammates and XC runners through and through!
Dashe and Ayla — We send you our healthiest wishes and hope you’ll be able to toe the staring line on Tuesday with your teammates! We missed you!
HS BOYS:
“Team” was a common theme when we talked about goals three weeks ago. And that kind of thinking and racing will ultimately be an important factor in getting this group to gel and progress over the next several weeks like I know that we can. That being said, this week’s racing and practicing were an excellent sign of things to come. A pleasure to see a Friday pre-meet easy distance with almost all of you cruising together, and some awesome pack running today that will lay some excellent foundations for competitive scoring at future meets. Looking forward to having David and Andrew added back into the mix at Twilight to see how a few more pieces fit.
And on the “believe in this team” front, our first 5k efforts of the season put us firmly in striking distance of several league teams that have already logged 2-3 of these 5k races. We have work to do but this was an opening and we always strive to run our best races at the end of the season. To a runner we a better off then we were last year, and we will keep heading in the right direction.
JV VARSITY BOYS: 279 finishers.
Always one of the larger races at any meet, the JV boy’s race is a challenge to navigate. There is a LOT of pent up energy (with sometimes naive frontrunners taking the pace out too fast); it is crowded and easy to lose track of your team, and, and it can be easy to get caught up in someone else’s race — thusly forgetting about your own best effort. That being said, Owen, Eli, and Kieren all raced incredibly well in their first-ever HS 5k races. A terrific start and something to build on for certain!
Owen: 20:28, 112nd place, 1st mile 6:09 - 6:35 pace
A little under the weather, and by that measure a success for sure that your overall pace was better than the 2mi at Sehome. Five weeks in and your running fitness is rising above even some chest congestion and a stuffy head. You challenged that first mile at the exact same pace as the Lazo-Bellamy group in our Varsity race, and the rhythm from practice is beginning to sink in and guide your ideas of pace etc.. The later two miles will get easier as your feel better, and this is a great first effort at a 5k distance.
Eli: 22:10, 201st place, 1st mile 7:07 - 7:08 pace
Again, super loose and fluid - and carrying yourself so much stronger then in previous years. It shows as well when you shifted gears in the kick and found some real momentum take hold in moving towards that finish line. You may have been passed by one person, but you otherwise moved with the group and definitely had some guts to go with people at the end of the race. Nice job as well in setting the pace for Kieren and in helping him to have a great race as well.
Kieren: 22:20, 206th place, 1st mile 7:10 - 7:11 pace
Congrats on the first 5k of the season! Despite all of your anguished stretching chatter, you got out there and made a great run of it. Thank Eli for setting a steady pace, but commend yourself for never losing contact and for staying close even when an occasional gap would open up throughout the race. Just a few places where you got tired and the form started to falter, but all-in-all you stayed taller today and got a little more oomph from your arms when it counted. Your over-all pace at Sehome was 7:37, with a 30 sec. drop from your first mile to your second, and today you basically ran 7:10-7:11pace, even the entire way — AND faster overall. So much for adding a mile. Time for a 10k!
Andrew, David: Feel better gentleman! Glad to have you along for the ride and looking forward to getting you that first 5k of the season next weekend at Twilight.
VARSITY BOYS: 165 finishers. Team: 20th out of 23, but some interesting info gained on future races with St. Georges and Asotin.
Emerson: 17:37, 57th place, 1st mile 5:38 - 5:40 pace
Same opening mile as Sehome. 10 seconds faster per mile and 1.1 miles farther. This race went just like you felt - with you holding steady and many others coming back to you as the miles built. Also a testament to your strength from summer miles and your racing demeanor as an experienced senior with a feel for the distance. A great 5k start and you’ll have another fast crowd to navigate with similar results next weekend in Marysville. Great job Emerson!
Travis: 18:09, 86th place, 1st mile 5:46 - 5:50 pace
Welcome back to 5k XC! A great start in many way time/pace etc. but what we appreciate most is the poise and confidence that you seemed to possess in those early miles. Halfway through your were easily the strongest runner moving through the field and a few more weeks of adaptation to speed in workouts and speed/endurance in the races will have you feeling even better in that 2.75-3mi range of the race. You STILL found a kick today even looking just a little tired, and super nice work all around.
Bodhi: 19:01, 123rd place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:07 pace
Knocking on the door of sub-19 and this is JUST the kind of Bodhi that this team will need as the season unfolds. Awesome to see you so comfortable in a pack (and sometimes leading the way) with Simon and Lazo as you were rarely even within 30 sec. of this group in your freshman year. Strong, tall, and smooth throughout, you are a different runner this year and we are
Lazo: 19:09, 126th place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:10 pace
Another great example of senior leadership and what that can bring with you and Simon pulling this group together from the start. Also nice to see you feeling better and to recognize the difference over the last two weeks as your lungs have cleared out and you can better handle the pace and depth of a race. Critical to our seasonal success this season will be getting this pack out a little faster and then staying tough etc. by virtue of group dynamics. This was as super positive sign for things ahead. PS You were 19:20 at a 3mi Wenatchee race on this weekend last year, so also good news!
Simon: 19:12, 128th place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:11 pace
6:20 pace for 2mi at Sehome and 6:11 over 3.1 today. Two weeks of work in the interim and your ability to push over the course of a race will continue to improve. A first 5k last year of 19:36 so this is a great spot to start. You and Lazo will contribute SO much to this team by continuing to guide this pack further and further up the field, and we really hope to get you guys some new PRs to celebrate senior year and an additional crack at some fast racing back in Pasco this November.
Bellamy: 19:12, 129th place, 1st mile 6:09 - 6:11 pace
You found a great pack and hung tough even when it may have hurt a little more near the two mile. SUCH a great effort. Smooth, even, and with just enough gas left to change pace for the finish and find a kick. You ran 6:24 pace over 2mi. at Sehome and 6:11 pace over 5k today. That’s just the kind of racing we’ll need to be competitive with Tonasket, Manson, Trout Lake and Brewster at the end of the season, and it was great to see you giving it a try.
Cooper: 20:38, 28th place, 1st mile 6:20 - 6:38 pace
Chalk this one up and don’t let it weigh too heavy on your thoughts about next week or next weekend. Clearly you were sick, so kudos for fighting through and for giving it your best effort on a not-so-easy day. Grit and mental toughness will serve you well on bad days — and then even better when you are feeling good and striving to find that extra will to hang on or that extra push for a finishing kick.
Owen: 20:28, 112nd place, 1st mile 6:09 - 6:35 pace
A little under the weather, and by that measure a success for sure that your overall pace was better than the 2mi at Sehome. Five weeks in and your running fitness is rising above even some chest congestion and a stuffy head. You challenged that first mile at the exact same pace as the Lazo-Bellamy group in our Varsity race, and the rhythm from practice is beginning to sink in and guide your ideas of pace etc.. The later two miles will get easier as your feel better, and this is a great first effort at a 5k distance.
Eli: 22:10, 201st place, 1st mile 7:07 - 7:08 pace
Again, super loose and fluid - and carrying yourself so much stronger then in previous years. It shows as well when you shifted gears in the kick and found some real momentum take hold in moving towards that finish line. You may have been passed by one person, but you otherwise moved with the group and definitely had some guts to go with people at the end of the race. Nice job as well in setting the pace for Kieren and in helping him to have a great race as well.
Kieren: 22:20, 206th place, 1st mile 7:10 - 7:11 pace
Congrats on the first 5k of the season! Despite all of your anguished stretching chatter, you got out there and made a great run of it. Thank Eli for setting a steady pace, but commend yourself for never losing contact and for staying close even when an occasional gap would open up throughout the race. Just a few places where you got tired and the form started to falter, but all-in-all you stayed taller today and got a little more oomph from your arms when it counted. Your over-all pace at Sehome was 7:37, with a 30 sec. drop from your first mile to your second, and today you basically ran 7:10-7:11pace, even the entire way — AND faster overall. So much for adding a mile. Time for a 10k!
VARSITY BOYS: 165 finishers. Team: 20th out of 23, but some interesting info gained on future races with St. Georges and Asotin.
Emerson: 17:37, 57th place, 1st mile 5:38 - 5:40 pace
Same opening mile as Sehome. 10 seconds faster per mile and 1.1 miles farther. This race went just like you felt - with you holding steady and many others coming back to you as the miles built. Also a testament to your strength from summer miles and your racing demeanor as an experienced senior with a feel for the distance. A great 5k start and you’ll have another fast crowd to navigate with similar results next weekend in Marysville. Great job Emerson!
Travis: 18:09, 86th place, 1st mile 5:46 - 5:50 pace
Welcome back to 5k XC! A great start in many way time/pace etc. but what we appreciate most is the poise and confidence that you seemed to possess in those early miles. Halfway through your were easily the strongest runner moving through the field and a few more weeks of adaptation to speed in workouts and speed/endurance in the races will have you feeling even better in that 2.75-3mi range of the race. You STILL found a kick today even looking just a little tired, and super nice work all around.
Bodhi: 19:01, 123rd place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:07 pace
Knocking on the door of sub-19 and this is JUST the kind of Bodhi that this team will need as the season unfolds. Awesome to see you so comfortable in a pack (and sometimes leading the way) with Simon and Lazo as you were rarely even within 30 sec. of this group in your freshman year. Strong, tall, and smooth throughout, you are a different runner this year and we are
Lazo: 19:09, 126th place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:10 pace
Another great example of senior leadership and what that can bring with you and Simon pulling this group together from the start. Also nice to see you feeling better and to recognize the difference over the last two weeks as your lungs have cleared out and you can better handle the pace and depth of a race. Critical to our seasonal success this season will be getting this pack out a little faster and then staying tough etc. by virtue of group dynamics. This was as super positive sign for things ahead. PS You were 19:20 at a 3mi Wenatchee race on this weekend last year, so also good news!
Simon: 19:12, 128th place, 1st mile 6:08 - 6:11 pace
6:20 pace for 2mi at Sehome and 6:11 over 3.1 today. Two weeks of work in the interim and your ability to push over the course of a race will continue to improve. A first 5k last year of 19:36 so this is a great spot to start. You and Lazo will contribute SO much to this team by continuing to guide this pack further and further up the field, and we really hope to get you guys some new PRs to celebrate senior year and an additional crack at some fast racing back in Pasco this November.
Bellamy: 19:12, 129th place, 1st mile 6:09 - 6:11 pace
You found a great pack and hung tough even when it may have hurt a little more near the two mile. SUCH a great effort. Smooth, even, and with just enough gas left to change pace for the finish and find a kick. You ran 6:24 pace over 2mi. at Sehome and 6:11 pace over 5k today. That’s just the kind of racing we’ll need to be competitive with Tonasket, Manson, Trout Lake and Brewster at the end of the season, and it was great to see you giving it a try.
Cooper: 20:38, 28th place, 1st mile 6:20 - 6:38 pace
Chalk this one up and don’t let it weigh too heavy on your thoughts about next week or next weekend. Clearly you were sick, so kudos for fighting through and for giving it your best effort on a not-so-easy day. Grit and mental toughness will serve you well on bad days — and then even better when you are feeling good and striving to find that extra will to hang on or that extra push for a finishing kick.
HS GIRLS:
Our theme for this week was “rough draft.” This early in the season, a chance to run in a big race like this is just like writing the first rough draft of a paper. You have to put words down on the page so you know what you have to work with. You challenged yourselves to try something in your race —to just get some words down on the paper — so we can help you refine and polish your race for that final draft in late October/early November. I saw everyone out there giving it their all and providing great support for each other. We’ll take what we learned from this rough draft and start editing!
JUNIOR VARSITY GIRLS: So excited to have a scoring JV team in only the second time in recent Liberty Bell XC history. And, you ran great! Placed second out of 15 complete teams and were the first Washington team across the line. Inspiring efforts across the board! 146 runners finished the race.
Greta L: 20:28, 2nd place. 6:27 1st mile, 6:35 pace
So great to see such tenacity right from the get-go. You got right out after that golf cart and set a quick early pace. I loved watching you match stride for stride with the Mountain View runner when she came up on you in that first mile. You battled all the way and made it look like fun!
Lilia: 22:20, 14th place. 6:57 1st mile, 7:11 pace
Wow! What a stubborn runner you are (and I mean that in a good way!). You just kept sticking with it, even when it got hard and it sure paid off with a terrific time and place. I noticed you especially stuck with the race in front of you in that winding section from mile 2 to 3, which says a lot about your mental focus.
Lena: 23:12, 19th place. 7:11 1st mile, 7:28 pace
Another excellent effort. Once again you looked fluid and smooth through the opening half. You are doing a good job this year making sure you get into a good solid position in the first mile. I know your stomach was causing some troubles in the last mile, but you did an admirable job staying in the race around you. We’ll figure out what to eat when before a race and you’ll carry your strength even more in the last mile.
Lindsay: 23:28, 22nd place. 7:17 1st mile, 7:33 per pace
Every week you impress with the way you run the middle of your races. Hopefully you feel good about this overall effort, because it was a good one, but I hope you especially take pride in the way you run between miles 1.5 and 2.5. You just don’t let up — totally focused, totally pushing yourself and that makes a big different in your finishing in the top 25 of a very fast JV race.
Annika: 23:43, 30th place. 7:26 1st mile, 7:38 pace
I think every runner would like to feel the way you looked like you felt in this race. You just looked in control, mentally in the race, confident, and like it felt good — even the hard parts! You did such an excellent job moving up through the crowds after the first mile and you kept your focus always ahead of you. So much fun!
Willa: 27:01, 84th place. 8:03 1st mile, 8:42 pace
Definitely my inspirational story for the day. Congratulations on finishing your first race — and a 5K at that! Considering that just 3 weeks ago you were tackling one minute of running and one minute of walking for 20 minutes, completing a 5K in under 9 minute per mile pace is amazing! I know it hurt and I’m sure you wondered at times why you signed up for this, but you never stopped and you just kept reaching for that finish. We should all remember just how brave you are!
VARSITY GIRLS: 115 finishers. 15 complete teams. We finished 4th behind 3 Large School Idaho teams (and just 16 points out of second). We were the first Washington team (and by far the smallest school in the top 10). It was “all good.”
Novie: 18:28, 3rd place. 5:43 1st mile, 5:57 pace
It’s great to be in a fast race and what an excellent time you posted for an opening season 5K. This one went out hard from the moment the gun went off and I know it was hard to make contact with the first 3. But, you were patient, you worked that second mile hard, and you ran just 5 seconds off your PR. Watch out next week! (I like the going out in 5:43...that’s the ticket to a fast time....it will start to feel even better in the weeks to come!).
Icel: 19:33, 11th place. 6:21 1st mile, 6:18 pace
Congratulations! You just broke the magic 20min mark for the first time — and really you shattered it. That was quite possibly one of the technically most perfect races you could have run. You got yourself out well and into the hunt with a front-ish pack and yet you picked a pace that you knew you could keep for the next 2 miles. Excellent pacing and just plain gutsy racing. Big PR and all signs point to a big senior season.
Ella: 20:14, 21st place. 6:10 1st mile, 6:31pace
You are always “in” the race and once again you battled the whole way. You got sucked out pretty fast for that first mile and that took a bit out of what you had left in the last mile. I love, however, that you went for it and we’ll adjust a bit at Twilight and you’ll be ready to be under 20.
Eva: 21:18, 41st place. 6:42 1st mile, 6:51 pace
You looked great this week in practice — like you found a whole new strength in your legs and you took that momentum and went out boldly. And it worked! What an excellent and huge PR for you and what great racing you provided toward the team score. Keep confident! And, let’s get that foot looked at so we can keep the momentum going.
Jori: 21:27, 44th place. 6:41 1st mile, 6:54 pace
After a week that included an Outward Bound field trip and some tough work outs, you showed your determination. There will be many races where you will feel better, but tuck this one back in your mind as a confidence booster. Because if you can still run this fast in a fast race after the tiring week you had, then you have got to know you are ready for anything!
Ava: 21:55, 60th place. 6:45 1st mile, 7:03 pace
What a solid opening race — your last first race in a Liberty Bell XC uniform! You looked so calm, collected, and in control throughout. I felt like you raced the people around you, moved well through the crowds, and kept good contact. I’d love to hear more about what you thought! This was a great first draft (especially given your having a cold) and we will be able to polish this up into something you are really excited about by the end of the season.
Keeley: 22:43, 76th place. 6:56 1st mile, 7:19 pace
I know this was not the race you wanted nor the race you are trained for. But, it’s a chance to learn and a starting place to move from. You just never got out into the race and you missed a couple of chances early on to attach to some groups that were moving up. That’s ok. These things happen. The sun still rises. Keep your head up and know you will feel better! We all still believe in you!
Greta S:
We were so glad to have you there. I know it is a bittersweet thing to enjoy cheering on your friends and teammates and to so strongly wish you could be out there, too. I wish I had a magic wand. But, life throws us tricky things sometimes and the best we can do is face them with determination, grace, and little bit of GRRR. And, I see you doing that every day! Thanks for being a great teammate!
And to Anja, Ayeanna, Kierra, Liv, Payten, and Mahali — we send you all our healthiest thoughts and hope to see you out there in the green and gold of Liberty Bell soon. Rest up and we’re cheering for you, too!