RACE COURSE: Wapato Point, Manson, WA. 5k. A pretty stiff breeze off of the lake, but short grass on firm ground and generally quick conditions again compared to normal fall running. Changes to the course created more loops on the southern neighborhood gravel path.
HS GIRLS: 21 Finishers, 1 full team (Manson).
You did the LBHS Girls XC tradition proud with your efforts at this League Meet. While we weren’t able to field a full team, had we been able to, it sure seems like we could have defended our League title. Our 3 racers were strong and unflappable and they carried with them the spirits of our injured runners who sure wish they could have been out there. Sometimes being on a team is about team cheers and team victories, but it is always about supporting each other no matter what. The LBHS girls team has always known how to do that so well.
Liv: 22:37, 3rd place. 1st Mile: 6:57, Overall Pace: 7:17
In this last race of your “childhood,” you showed so much grit and maturity. You practiced restraint at the beginning and so much tenacity running that whole second half relatively alone. I know you still didn’t feel great, but you looked smooth and ran tall and strong and you kept the knee and elbow tempo quick. It was awesome to see you get a boost from teammate Sandra when you crossed paths at the end of the race. You’re an amazing runner – athlete all in all – and you sure know how to endure the pain and just keep going. Next week’s going to feel great.
Lena: 24:12, 6th place. 1st Mile: 7:18, Overall Pace: 7:47
There is so much here to be amazed by. You got out well and were racing from the start. Then, that pesky side stitch started and when I saw you on the big downhill, I will admit I was worried. The next time I saw you about half a mile later powering up the big hill, you looked like a totally new runner. Whatever you did in between to manage the stitch and keep yourself calm and in the race was perfect – and such a wonderful sign that you really do know what you need. That, more than any place or time means a lot to me as a coach. It was just plain fun to watch you run that last half and when you made your move going into the finish you never looked back. Take that with you to your life after LBHS. One more XC race in green to go!
HS GIRLS: 21 Finishers, 1 full team (Manson).
You did the LBHS Girls XC tradition proud with your efforts at this League Meet. While we weren’t able to field a full team, had we been able to, it sure seems like we could have defended our League title. Our 3 racers were strong and unflappable and they carried with them the spirits of our injured runners who sure wish they could have been out there. Sometimes being on a team is about team cheers and team victories, but it is always about supporting each other no matter what. The LBHS girls team has always known how to do that so well.
Liv: 22:37, 3rd place. 1st Mile: 6:57, Overall Pace: 7:17
In this last race of your “childhood,” you showed so much grit and maturity. You practiced restraint at the beginning and so much tenacity running that whole second half relatively alone. I know you still didn’t feel great, but you looked smooth and ran tall and strong and you kept the knee and elbow tempo quick. It was awesome to see you get a boost from teammate Sandra when you crossed paths at the end of the race. You’re an amazing runner – athlete all in all – and you sure know how to endure the pain and just keep going. Next week’s going to feel great.
Lena: 24:12, 6th place. 1st Mile: 7:18, Overall Pace: 7:47
There is so much here to be amazed by. You got out well and were racing from the start. Then, that pesky side stitch started and when I saw you on the big downhill, I will admit I was worried. The next time I saw you about half a mile later powering up the big hill, you looked like a totally new runner. Whatever you did in between to manage the stitch and keep yourself calm and in the race was perfect – and such a wonderful sign that you really do know what you need. That, more than any place or time means a lot to me as a coach. It was just plain fun to watch you run that last half and when you made your move going into the finish you never looked back. Take that with you to your life after LBHS. One more XC race in green to go!
Sandra: 26:59, 13th place. 1st Mile: 8:48, Overall Pace: 8:41
Under 27 and another PR. Also another race where your overall pace is quite a bit faster than your first mile. You thrive in catching people as the race goes on. It takes confidence to run that way and I feel like we could watch your confidence grow throughout the race. The first time up the hill you got stuck behind some runners and I just knew that the next time I would see you, they would be in the distant past. I believe you still have even more PR in you and next week will be a great time to give just a little bit more (not much but a little) in the first mile and take off even more time!
Leki and Keeley: Thanks so much being there, taking great mile splits, and doing the hard work of showing up for your team even when you can’t race yourself. It’s not easy but you handled it with optimism and heart and we hope you know that your presence makes the whole scene more fun!
Ayeanna and Payten: We hope you are healing up and we’ll look forward to seeing you soon! You both are important to this team, too, and we miss you!
Under 27 and another PR. Also another race where your overall pace is quite a bit faster than your first mile. You thrive in catching people as the race goes on. It takes confidence to run that way and I feel like we could watch your confidence grow throughout the race. The first time up the hill you got stuck behind some runners and I just knew that the next time I would see you, they would be in the distant past. I believe you still have even more PR in you and next week will be a great time to give just a little bit more (not much but a little) in the first mile and take off even more time!
Leki and Keeley: Thanks so much being there, taking great mile splits, and doing the hard work of showing up for your team even when you can’t race yourself. It’s not easy but you handled it with optimism and heart and we hope you know that your presence makes the whole scene more fun!
Ayeanna and Payten: We hope you are healing up and we’ll look forward to seeing you soon! You both are important to this team, too, and we miss you!
HS BOYS: 5k. 43 Finishers.
If we turned a corner at Wenatchee, then this week showed the rest of the League who we are... and will continue to be in the years ahead: smart, tough and fast! You all are young but running like veterans. SO much patience, poise and grit out there. It was really fun to watch :) On the performance list “hypothetical meet” we should have finished 4th, but that is why you run the race. Define yourself in the moment. Race what lies ahead of you. And even more fun and impressive that your racing was to hear how well you supported your teammates as soon as your races were done. Congrats to all. One more to go and you are ready!
Aksel: 18:35, 3rd place. First mile 5:52 - 5:59 pace overall.
Another race run really patient -- nearly earning another PR in the process but definitely making a point and showing once again that you can move up through a race with confidence and poise. Way too many older runners went out too fast, and you steadily ate them up. This has been a short season but you are making the best of it. Fun things ahead for track with all of this base training and strength from the 5k racing. Now we get to work on speed!
Will: 18:59, 6th place. 1st mile 5:57 - 6:07 pace overall.
Awesome to have you back in the line up and you too showed lots of poise in not getting sucked along in that quicker early mile. Runners like Chase and others paid a serious price for following or setting the pace for Grant and Miguel (Manson and Oroville) while you and Aksel and Isaiah just steadily picked people off. You will be that runner who dictates a race and can run from the front or drop a kick out of nowhere in the final stretch. Just keep working on your strength and keep learning with each new event and distance as we roll into track. Wenatchee on Thursday will be an excellent chance to drop some more time on the season PR and you can easily stretch for the lower 18s.
Isaiah: 19:19, 8th place. 1st mile 6:06 - 6:13 pace overall.
Guts! Like I said at Thursday’s practice, remember this one and know that you earned it! You drifted a little at the start… and then you roared back into contention like you meant it. All arms. All turnover. All lift and drive up that little hill on the back side of the gravel loop in lap number two. The only thing that kept you from another sub-19 finish was that slight indecision early and the gap to other racers that got harder to overcome. Still, you did an amazing job of moving from 17th all the way back up to 8th in that second full lap of the course. Impressed with your guts and your ability to make a mid-race correction. Trust yourself. We’ve got 5+ weeks of consistent running under our belts. You are looking good and ready to roll!!!
Tristan: 21:25, 21st place. 1st mile 6:29 - 6:54 pace overall.
Another great job out there under less than ideal -- but still better -- circumstances than your last race at Eastmont. Your push at the end was helpful to both the team and to your brother’s finish for sure. With another week of taper and care with your shins, I suspect that you will be ready to drop even more time on the Wenatchee course -- which is out fastest of the year. Then you can give yourself a solid week or two of rest!
Jackson: 21:30, 24th place. 1st mile 6:20 - 6:55 pace overall.
SO impressed! You took one for the team on Wednesday, and we truly hope that your gutsy effort in running with a visible limp doesn’t have lasting effects. Off to what could have been a perfectly paced low 20min/high 19min race with a first mile of 6:20 (19:41 pace). You looked strong and consistent until you had to muscle through it. Even still your determination kept us in second place for the day. Manson won’t know what hits them next fall when we are all back together and healthy! Hope that you are feeling better soon. Keep icing and rolling. One day at a time.
Kyler: 21:58, 28th place. 1st mile 7:09 - 7:04 pace overall.
Another PR. Near perfect pacing with a little bit o’ negative splits. Better than Tonasket #6 and really just 15 seconds behind their 4th and 5th. You are running with tons more confidence this year and getting stronger by the week. 21:45 and a 7:00min avg. pace per mile is well within your reach for the final race of the year. We’ll be sure to give you splits at both the 1mi and 2mi to help you push for it in that final bit. Great job Kyler and snakes are SO much better than worms!
BOY’S JV: 16 finishers.
Jayden: 23:53, 7th place. 1st mile 8:16 - 7:41 pace overall.
Terrific work in your first-ever race! Your time would have put you 38th in the varsity race and just behind Tonasket’s number seven runner. The difference between your first mile and your pace show that you were patient early but had TONS left to give in the middle to end of that race. An awesome showing in your first 5k and WAY better to speed up in the middle vs going out too fast and dying. This next week you can probably get out just a little harder and you will have even less work to do in catching people later on.
Madison: 28:35, 15th place. 1st mile 9:08 - 9:05 pace overall.
Very close to the same pace as your race in Wenatchee -- but on a hillier course with lots of loops and wind! Things are looking smoother and stronger. You also got into a good race with several runners early that helped to pull you through that first lap. The almost even pacing is also pretty great. Given your speed in some of our strides and 200 repeats, I have full confidence that a sub-9min paced, sub 28min race is definitely possible this week in Wenatchee. Congrats a great fierst XC season so far. One more race to go!
If we turned a corner at Wenatchee, then this week showed the rest of the League who we are... and will continue to be in the years ahead: smart, tough and fast! You all are young but running like veterans. SO much patience, poise and grit out there. It was really fun to watch :) On the performance list “hypothetical meet” we should have finished 4th, but that is why you run the race. Define yourself in the moment. Race what lies ahead of you. And even more fun and impressive that your racing was to hear how well you supported your teammates as soon as your races were done. Congrats to all. One more to go and you are ready!
PS Sorry Will and Jackson. My photos of your guys were ALL totally blurry. Next week!
Aksel: 18:35, 3rd place. First mile 5:52 - 5:59 pace overall.
Another race run really patient -- nearly earning another PR in the process but definitely making a point and showing once again that you can move up through a race with confidence and poise. Way too many older runners went out too fast, and you steadily ate them up. This has been a short season but you are making the best of it. Fun things ahead for track with all of this base training and strength from the 5k racing. Now we get to work on speed!
Will: 18:59, 6th place. 1st mile 5:57 - 6:07 pace overall.
Awesome to have you back in the line up and you too showed lots of poise in not getting sucked along in that quicker early mile. Runners like Chase and others paid a serious price for following or setting the pace for Grant and Miguel (Manson and Oroville) while you and Aksel and Isaiah just steadily picked people off. You will be that runner who dictates a race and can run from the front or drop a kick out of nowhere in the final stretch. Just keep working on your strength and keep learning with each new event and distance as we roll into track. Wenatchee on Thursday will be an excellent chance to drop some more time on the season PR and you can easily stretch for the lower 18s.
Isaiah: 19:19, 8th place. 1st mile 6:06 - 6:13 pace overall.
Guts! Like I said at Thursday’s practice, remember this one and know that you earned it! You drifted a little at the start… and then you roared back into contention like you meant it. All arms. All turnover. All lift and drive up that little hill on the back side of the gravel loop in lap number two. The only thing that kept you from another sub-19 finish was that slight indecision early and the gap to other racers that got harder to overcome. Still, you did an amazing job of moving from 17th all the way back up to 8th in that second full lap of the course. Impressed with your guts and your ability to make a mid-race correction. Trust yourself. We’ve got 5+ weeks of consistent running under our belts. You are looking good and ready to roll!!!
Tristan: 21:25, 21st place. 1st mile 6:29 - 6:54 pace overall.
Another great job out there under less than ideal -- but still better -- circumstances than your last race at Eastmont. Your push at the end was helpful to both the team and to your brother’s finish for sure. With another week of taper and care with your shins, I suspect that you will be ready to drop even more time on the Wenatchee course -- which is out fastest of the year. Then you can give yourself a solid week or two of rest!
Jackson: 21:30, 24th place. 1st mile 6:20 - 6:55 pace overall.
SO impressed! You took one for the team on Wednesday, and we truly hope that your gutsy effort in running with a visible limp doesn’t have lasting effects. Off to what could have been a perfectly paced low 20min/high 19min race with a first mile of 6:20 (19:41 pace). You looked strong and consistent until you had to muscle through it. Even still your determination kept us in second place for the day. Manson won’t know what hits them next fall when we are all back together and healthy! Hope that you are feeling better soon. Keep icing and rolling. One day at a time.
Kyler: 21:58, 28th place. 1st mile 7:09 - 7:04 pace overall.
Another PR. Near perfect pacing with a little bit o’ negative splits. Better than Tonasket #6 and really just 15 seconds behind their 4th and 5th. You are running with tons more confidence this year and getting stronger by the week. 21:45 and a 7:00min avg. pace per mile is well within your reach for the final race of the year. We’ll be sure to give you splits at both the 1mi and 2mi to help you push for it in that final bit. Great job Kyler and snakes are SO much better than worms!
BOY’S JV: 16 finishers.
Jayden: 23:53, 7th place. 1st mile 8:16 - 7:41 pace overall.
Terrific work in your first-ever race! Your time would have put you 38th in the varsity race and just behind Tonasket’s number seven runner. The difference between your first mile and your pace show that you were patient early but had TONS left to give in the middle to end of that race. An awesome showing in your first 5k and WAY better to speed up in the middle vs going out too fast and dying. This next week you can probably get out just a little harder and you will have even less work to do in catching people later on.
Madison: 28:35, 15th place. 1st mile 9:08 - 9:05 pace overall.
Very close to the same pace as your race in Wenatchee -- but on a hillier course with lots of loops and wind! Things are looking smoother and stronger. You also got into a good race with several runners early that helped to pull you through that first lap. The almost even pacing is also pretty great. Given your speed in some of our strides and 200 repeats, I have full confidence that a sub-9min paced, sub 28min race is definitely possible this week in Wenatchee. Congrats a great fierst XC season so far. One more race to go!