OVERALL: Another excellent all-around performance leaving no doubt whatsoever who is the team to beat in District 6. Another solid warmup and good preparation. Some excellent pack running at the start and some individual mental toughness to fight through a rough patch or two and to put this one in the books. We did our jobs; we made it back to State. A few more days of tune up and rest, then we get to see how far up on that podium we can be. It’s gonna be a dogfight, but you all have as good a shot as anyone!
VARSITY: 45 Finishers. 6 complete teams. Liberty Bell 17, Brewster 46, Tonasket 81, Manson 113, Okanogan 119, LR 130 1:10 spread.
Will: 16:50, 1st place. 1st Mile: 5:25, Overall pace: 5:25
A perfectly balanced 1st mile > final pace on a course with two long hills and running totally solo. This kind of result is perfect testament to just how much you know about changing rhythm on the flat vs hills and for being able to push yourself across the length of a race -- even when totally on your own. You got out strong and held steady. Next week you will get a Race! You’ve looked super solid and confident all year. State should be a fun repeat of races like Twilight and Wenatchee. Grrr!!
Graham: 17:39, 2nd place. 1st Mile: 5:35, Overall pace: 5:41
Another great race Graham and this time your strength at the end took the prize over Juan David’s decision to follow Will out early and to push the pace. Remember that feeling too on the course next weekend. The first mile will be quick, but you can also hold just a wee bit back and feel good about having TONS of people to pass in the later stages of the race. In 2019 State did run something like 10-25 seconds faster than our races at Twilight -- and that puts you right in that 17:00 range where you will have loads of company. Exciting stuff!
Isaiah: 17:39, 3rd place. 1st Mile: 5:38, Overall pace: 5:41All systems go at just the right time! Really excellent racing today Isaiah and a seriously impressive and well-fought second half in chasing down Aksel, Carter, and Juan -- almost even getting Graham at the end. You were close, but not quite on the group to start that second lap, but you made steady progress and made it happen in that final 400m again to the finish. Contact, contact, contact. Keep believing in yourself over those middle sections of the race and give yourself a chance at the end by staying close enough to roll with the strength that you know is there. State will be a little more crowded for sure in that opening stretch, but find your teammates early, keep it close at the mile and keep that focus all the way through. Can’t wait to watch you guys race on Saturday!
Will: 16:50, 1st place. 1st Mile: 5:25, Overall pace: 5:25
A perfectly balanced 1st mile > final pace on a course with two long hills and running totally solo. This kind of result is perfect testament to just how much you know about changing rhythm on the flat vs hills and for being able to push yourself across the length of a race -- even when totally on your own. You got out strong and held steady. Next week you will get a Race! You’ve looked super solid and confident all year. State should be a fun repeat of races like Twilight and Wenatchee. Grrr!!
Graham: 17:39, 2nd place. 1st Mile: 5:35, Overall pace: 5:41
Another great race Graham and this time your strength at the end took the prize over Juan David’s decision to follow Will out early and to push the pace. Remember that feeling too on the course next weekend. The first mile will be quick, but you can also hold just a wee bit back and feel good about having TONS of people to pass in the later stages of the race. In 2019 State did run something like 10-25 seconds faster than our races at Twilight -- and that puts you right in that 17:00 range where you will have loads of company. Exciting stuff!
Isaiah: 17:39, 3rd place. 1st Mile: 5:38, Overall pace: 5:41All systems go at just the right time! Really excellent racing today Isaiah and a seriously impressive and well-fought second half in chasing down Aksel, Carter, and Juan -- almost even getting Graham at the end. You were close, but not quite on the group to start that second lap, but you made steady progress and made it happen in that final 400m again to the finish. Contact, contact, contact. Keep believing in yourself over those middle sections of the race and give yourself a chance at the end by staying close enough to roll with the strength that you know is there. State will be a little more crowded for sure in that opening stretch, but find your teammates early, keep it close at the mile and keep that focus all the way through. Can’t wait to watch you guys race on Saturday!
Carter: 17:54, 5th place. 1st Mile: 5:35, Overall pace: 5:46
10 seconds faster on a slightly longer course and tough running once again in this final tune up before State. You are running great and that pack of you and Aksel and Isaiah is tough as they come in our match-up with other teams. Expect some good races with St. George’s #2-4 and probably the same from PJP2. How we match up in some critical 3rd to 5th positions makes all the difference. I feel lucky to have you guys on this team and truly believe that we’ve got the better pack. Some taper and turnover on tap for the week. I’m excited for you and Graham to get to run in your first-ever State XC meet!
Aksel: 18:00, 6th place. 1st Mile: 5:35, Overall pace: 5:48
Not your ideal feeling, I know, but considering the sandwich perhaps a little too close to race time, your effort out there was basically the equivalent of our earlier Okanogan race where you actually felt really good. You are ready to drop some serious time and to mix it up late in the race at State. Spend the next few days excited about your best races of the season. Capture that feeling and that energy. That’s what you want on the line in Pasco and you are ready to go!
Jackson: 19:12, 11th place. 1st Mile: 5:47, Overall pace: 6:11
You finished in front of a Riverside Christian boy who ran 16:39 and finished 10th at the State meet in his sophomore year. Not every race can go exactly as you hope, but I know for sure that you will be excited this week and that you will have all of the motivation that you need to have your best race of the season and to walk away with your head held high no matter what the final team result. Important and favorable matchups for us regarding 5th-7th runners from both PJP2, St. Georges, and Asotin. We will give you some things to focus on for sure and know that you are stronger than ever -- totally ready to crush it this weekend!
Tristan: 19:37, 15th place. 1st Mile: 5:51, Overall pace: 6:19
Out in near the same pace as last time but with an obviously longer first mile given that adjusted start. That being said this was just one more workout effort and a stair step along the way to the big dance in Pasco this weekend. At SO many meets this year the job for you and Jackson has been a little less than clear. That changes this weekend when we are so closely matched with several other teams and our depth and ability to displace a 5th or 6th runner from some other group could be a difference maker in the race. You and Jackson both hold an edge over 6th/7th runners from St. Georges and Asotin who will both be breathing down our necks in the team scoring. We’ll make it clear who they are and where they are as the race unfolds. Bottle that feeling from the awesome interval days you had just a few weeks back. You are ready to go!
BOYS JV: 9 runners.
Kyler: 20:18, 1st place. 1st Mile: 6:29, Overall pace: 6:32
I can’t say enough about this impressively paced race with you and Tristan both running from the front and having to drive things totally on your own. The fact that you were only 8 seconds off a PR is really phenomenal, since basically this was an intersquad time trial with you and Tristan running side-by-side. Sorry to tease about the “battle royal” but it only felt right because I knew that you would triumph (Little T, the smart $ was totally on you!). Either way, a little extra motivation never hurts. Congrats on a great season and I know that if you are called upon at State then we are totally in excellent and capable hands!
Little T: 20:27, PR, 2nd place. 1st Mile: 6:29, Overall pace: 6:35
Awesome Tristan, and a really nice exclamation point on a terrific freshman season! I mean you still get the job of being a second alternate at State next weekend, but your consistent work and obvious potential for a nice 5k PR all came into play. More time to drop was definitely on the table if it had been a more crowded race, but you and Kyler did an excellent job of pushing each other just enough to keep the race moving. With a 6:29 opening mile and an avg. pace of 6:35, you guys barely fell off at all on an otherwise lonely and kinda quiet course. That didn’t happen, and it was great that you could push each other even when it might have been easy to cruise. Also, a full minute faster than the last time we ran here -- and it was longer!
Mali: 22:30, PR, 5th place. 1st Mile: 6:53, Overall pace: 7:15
A new PR by 50+ seconds and nearly 1 min faster than your race just 5 weeks earlier. A terrific job in pushing yourself through the middle of that race and especially in sticking with the kids from Cascade Christian who did give you a little bit of some company and a challenging race at just the right time. More spike racing in future years for sure! You looked smooth and focused at the start and even in a less than crowded race moved up well past one person and another until there was no one left to pass. Congrats on a great freshman season Mali and we look forward to having you back on the team in 2022!
Taro: 23:19, 6th place. 1st Mile: 6:52, Overall pace: 7:30
Another solid effort Taro, and as you said the other day you have definitely found some toughness and guts in your running that probably didn’t exist at the start of the season. A quick early mile and ideally with a little more time and a few more days a week of running you will see your average pace and opening mile even out just a little more. You have tons of upper body strength in your arms and just like in our hill workout before Moses Lake, you can surprise yourself a bit with how easy “faster” can feel if the cadence in your arms helps to drive the pace. Congrats on a great freshman season and I hope that we’ll see you back in 2022!
Madison: 24:16, 7th place. 1st Mile: 6:58, Overall pace: 7:49
Maybe not your day exactly with your leg still sore and hurting, but you were still about 1:10 faster than during our earlier race at Okanogan, and this course was longer by just a little bit. Tough as well that the race was so small. Most of your best races in the past two seasons have come with a good solid group in your pace range what could help you push through the quieter and harder parts of a course. Over all in your first full XC season consistency was a big improvement over the 5 week season in the spring. Hopefully we’ll get you back again fo some major PR dropping in your final senior season!
Hunter: 29:34, PR, 8th place. 1st Mile: 9:14, Overall pace: 9:31
Flat out terrific! Such a different, quiet race where you really had to pace with just yourself -- but you ran nearly 4 minutes faster than you did just one month earlier, and that is quite an accomplishment for sure. Basically every mile was 50-60+ seconds faster. You’ve gotten stronger, learned how to push, and also recognized a little more about what is race pace effort vs what is just getting out there for a run. Impressed as usual with your humility and your get the job done approach. Congrats on a terrific sophomore year and first season of XC running. We sincerely hope that you will join us again in 2022!