Liberty Bell XC
Location: Lake Osoyoos State Park - Oroville, WA Date: 10.18.14
Distance: 3 mi Conditions: 60-63 degrees. Overcast.
Comments: Tight early turns and round about course through a small park. A mix of grass, sandy beach (easier than Can-AM) and pavement. One side-hill + one short steep climb.
VARSITY / JV GIRLS - 2.8mi.
To flip the reporting order a bit this week. McKenzie had a huge race! Everything, from the starting mile to the finishing time was faster by leaps, and those tempo and race pace efforts at practice are really starting to pay off. Great race! Koharu, still battling the pain in your shins, but when you get set on that finish the form is there. Two more races to focus and we know that your strong and steady - excellent finishing from can hold tough through the middle of the race to get that average pace notched back under 7:50 per mile.
VARSITY BOYS - 3mi. First place team. 40pts.
Another team victory to accompany a slate of excellent races. Top to bottom (throwing out Manson and Bridgeport as outliers of short distance) these were our best pace/times of the year. Also of note, our average splits were awesome and NO ONE was more than 5 sec. slower than average on their last mile, with most of you being within 2 seconds — or perhaps even running your 3rd mile fastest** of all. Willy’s 1st and 3rd mile were exactly the same but he warrants the “gutsy race” nomination here for nearly falling over about 15m before the finish. Tough. Well run. A huge drop in your pace here as compared to Wenatchee, and there is more to come (plus more stable legs) in the weeks ahead. Ben, a great effort to surge with 800m to go. You could move here more than you felt available to do in Can-AM — which is just what you want to feel - and kudos for giving it a shot. As discussed, the timing and hilly terrain conspired against you but it was strong/bold move and you only got caught because the hill opened a small window of opportunity. Joe: Awesome! You know where you should be at the end and you put yourself there smartly and confidently over the course of the race. That gap to the very front is shrinking by the week. Keep up the great work and you are going to have even more runners to race/pass at State. Eli: We talked on the bus, but ANOTHER excellent effort. Keep it rolling and great job moving in front of Willy to take a pull. You improved your race by launching to the next group and Willy’s by giving him a focal point for that tough middle section of the race. And Carter, your best, most consistent race of the year. A little tough that second mile, but this week you rallied for a 3rd mile faster than your 2nd. Start that kick a little earlier by ramping it steadily up from a little farther out. You don’t have to kick full-on right away, but be confident in your stride and in gathered momentum.
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| Willy Duguay, tearing up the beach! |
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| A great race and a strong finish from Josiah Klemmeck. |