Course Length – 2 miles
General Notes – This is a course where part of the race is flat (grass and track) and the other is rolling hills on a gravel path. Despite the large field and lots of spectators, the back section is fairly quiet and secluded. The weather during the races was in the low to mid 60s, with rain off and on (mostly off, but definitely on during the 9th Grade Girls and 12th Grade Boys races), so really good for running! There were lots of schools at the meet, especially from the West side. Everyone ran really well in our first meet of the season!
Quick shoutout to Elliot and Dexter for helping the coaches take pictures! I'm personally terrible at that, so you really came through in a big way!
In the JV Boys 1 Race, there were 158 competitors.
In the 9th Grade Girls Race, there were 172 competitors. Liberty Bell was 7th out of 14 scoring teams.
In the 9th Grade Boys Race, there were 150 competitors.
In the 10th Grade Girls Race, there were 173 competitors.
In the 10th Grade Boys Race, there were 169 competitors.
In the 12th Grade Boys Race, there were 139 competitors.
For the merged team scores, Sehome uses the McDowell scoring system, wherein a team's score is calculated by adding the top finisher in each class race plus the next two best finishers in any race. Neither of our teams had a runner in every class race, so it isn't exactly clear how our team scores were calculated, however, they are as follows:
Girls Team: 684 points, 25th out of 36
Boys Team: 839 points, 31st out of 44
Soren – One mile: 5:47. Finish: 11:49, 24th place. Average: 5:55.
What a strong race Soren! That was a very impressive performance for only having one week of practice. Let’s build on this going into the rest of the season. Next week you will have more teammates to key off of and work with. I can’t wait to see what you can do with a little more training.
Calvin – One mile: 10:59. Finish: 23:21, 154th place. Average: 11:41.
Great job Calvin! You stayed very consistent and pushed yourself the entire time. Your first mile especially was really great!You're really starting the season off in a good place, and you're way ahead of where you were last year at this point. Keep working hard!
Sam – One mile: 6:07. Finish: 12:25, 84th place. Average: 6:13.
Excellent running Sam! You got out pretty fast, but you were able to maintain your speed well through the second mile. You definitely fit right in with the pack, and you were consistently moving up throughout the race. By the way, you had some awesome passes using the inside of the corner. Way to use the course to your advantage!
Luke – One mile: 6:38. Finish: 13:47, 112th place. Average: 6:54.
Good job Luke! You got out quick in the first mile and were able to hang tough the second lap. For only having a week of training under your belt you did fantastic! It’s a great starting place and I’m excited to see where you are in a few weeks after some more training and workouts.
Crispin – One mile: 6:55. Finish: 13:43, 108th place. Average: 6:52.
Nicely paced race Crispin! Great job not getting sucked along too quickly in the first mile. The conservative start really paid off as you were able to reel in and pass lots of people the second lap. A great start to the season - keep it up going into next week and your first 5k!
Bhavana – One mile: 8:42. Finish: 18:03, 139th place. Average: 9:02.
Great job Bhavana! You looked calm and in control the whole race. Your average pace for two miles was faster than almost all of your races from last year. That’s awesome - what a great place to start the season! We will keep working on getting your hip healthy. Keep up the good work!
Finn – One mile: 7:45. Finish: 15:39, 68th place. Average: 7:50.
Well done Finn! Way to start our team off! You stayed calm and consistent throughout the race, maintaining your pace very well through the second mile, even as the field started to spread out. You're in a very good place this early in the season, with lots of time to continue growing. I was really impressed with how well you picked up coming through the track sections, using the course features to find your stride. Keep going!
Dexter – One mile: 4:54. Finish: 10:08, 6th place. Average: 5:04.
Way to hang tough Dexter! It may not have been your ideal race, but you got out fast and worked hard despite facing some disruptions to your rhythm. It was definitely a fast field, which gave you lots of people to race with. And what's even more impressive is you improved your time by 18 seconds from two years ago, so you're clearly coming into the season ready to go. I'm very excited to see what you can do this year!
Ingrid – One mile: 7:03. Finish: 14:46, 47th place. Average: 7:23.
You did so well Ingrid! A fast start put you right there with the field, and I know you would have held on if your leg hadn't acted up. Even so, you ran a strong second mile and finished with everything you had at the end. Despite not quite having the second half you would have wanted, you still turned in a really impressive time, and you're way ahead of where you were at this point last year. The sky's the limit!
Brodi – One mile: 5:58. Finish: 12:28, 101st place. Average: 6:14.
Great race Brodi! That was definitely a fast start, but you and Tristan kept working hard through the second mile and kicked it in down the stretch. Plus, you beat your time goal! You and Tristan ran really well together, helping each other along as it got tough. Who knows, maybe the rain helped? And right now you're way ahead of where you were last year, so I'm very excited to see what you can do this season!
Nina – One mile: 7:29. Finish: 15:08, 50th place. Average: 7:34.
Awesome first race Nina! You paced yourself nicely and were able to run a very consistent race. You put yourself in a great place the first mile and were able to move up and pass tons of people in the second half of the race. I couldn’t even tell you were battling injuries and a cold all week. You are a tough competitor! Let’s get you healthy and see what you can accomplish this season. Keep it up!
Elsa – One mile: 7:29. Finish: 15:41, 67th place. Average: 7:51.
Great race Elsa! Racing with teammates is always fun - like last year it was great to see you running and working with Sisu through the first mile. This was a great start to your season and your first HS race! Next race think about starting a little more conservative and finding your pace early on. Keep working hard and you are going to have a great season!
Liam – One mile: 6:23. Finish: 12:59, 116th place. Average: 6:30.
Very well run Liam! That was a quick opening mile, and you found a way to hang on during the second mile. You're a very strong runner! It was especially impressive the way you and Orlo found a whole new gear to finish the race together. I would say you're definitely ahead of where you were at this point last year, and with lots of time left, I can't wait to see what you can do!
Maren – One mile: 7:11. Finish: 14:23, 35th place. Average: 7:12.
Excellent race Maren! You did a great job at finding your pace early and settling in - your average pace and your mile time are very similar. You ran smart and composed like an experienced racer. I was very impressed seeing you pass a big pack of runners with 300 meters to go and push all the way to the finish. Keep up the good work - I can’t wait to see what you accomplish this season!
Posey – One mile: 7:24. Finish: 15:27, 59th place. Average: 7:44.
What a strong race Posey! That was a fast first mile but you stayed tough and held on during the second mile. Nice job using your arms and staying strong all the way to the finish. And it was great to hear how good you felt during the race! Next week let’s try to start a little more conservative and settle into a good pace early on. I’m very happy with where you are at this point in the season. Good job!
Alida – One mile: 6:49. Finish: 14:08, 32nd place. Average: 7:04.
What a race Alida! You went out pretty fast, but you found a way to hang on during the second half. I know you really wanted to break 14:00, and I think that is absolutely doable for you. What's even more exciting is that, right now, you're basically where you left off last season. Another year of gaining confidence in your running is going to be so fun to watch!
Elliot – One mile: 8:28. Finish: 17:01, 102nd place. Average: 8:31.
Nice job Elliot! Way to start off your season! You stayed calm and ran your race - I even caught you smiling during the race. You are in a good place for the rest of the season - I’m excited to see your first 5k next week. You are going to do great things this season!
Tristan – One mile: 5:58. Finish: 12:30, 103rd place. Average: 6:15.
As always, Tristan, great run! You're such a consistent runner, which is definitely your strong suit. The opening mile didn't slow you down much, and you found a way to hit your time goal! You and Brodi dug deep to close out the race, pushing all the way through the line after coming out of the trees. And get this: you were a whole 1:20 faster than two years ago, and you were 15 seconds faster per mile than last year at Ellensburg, so you are in a really good place at the start of this season! Keep up the good work!
Sisu – One mile: 7:29. Finish: 15:37, 65th place. Average: 7:49.
Way to go Sisu! It was great to see you running with Elsa and Nina through the mile. Racing with teammates is always fun. I would say you are ahead of where you were at this point in the season last year - you ran a similar pace at your first meet last year on a shorter course. There’s lots of time left this season and I’m excited to see what you are going to do!
Orlo – One mile: 6:35. Finish: 13:00, 117th place. Average: 6:30.
Wow! Orlo, that was an exceptional run. A somewhat conservative start really seemed to pay off when you dropped the hammer on the second mile. Letting it roll on the downhills and working hard on the uphills set you up for a phenomenal finish as you continued working towards Liam. Then as soon as you two met up it was like a whole new race, and you both just took off! This is a great place to start the season, and now we know what you're capable of!
Madie – One mile: 7:59. Finish: 15:51, 73rd place. Average: 7:56.
Awesome race Madie! You ran such a smart race by showing patience in the first mile then picking people off and moving up the field the second mile. You looked strong on the hills and all the way through the finish. This was a great start to the season and I can’t wait to see what you will accomplish this year!
Ava –
Thank you for joining us Ava! It was great to have the entire team there, and it was a lot of fun seeing you support your classmates. Plus you were always there to congratulate people after their race, and you even snuck in a little cool-down run. Now that you've experienced a high school meet, I hope you feel more confident and prepared for your first 5k!
