Monday, September 14, 2026

Sehome Invite: 9/12/2026

 Sehome Invite – 9/12/2026

 

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 high 60s to low 70s, with the sun coming out from time to time and heating things up. There were lots of schools at the meet, especially from the West side. Everyone ran really well in our first meet of the season!

  

In the JV Boys 2 Race, there were 102 competitors. 

In the 9th Grade Girls Race, there were 147 competitors.

In the 9th Grade Boys Race, there were 119 competitors.

In the 10th Grade Girls Race, there were 152 competitors. 

In the 11th Grade Girls Race, there were 175 competitors. LBHS was 7th out of 12 scoring teams.

In the 11th Grade Boys Race, there were 130 competitors. LBHS was 5th out of 12 scoring teams.

In the 12th Grade Girls Race, there were 116 competitors.

In the 12th Grade Boys Race, there were 130 competitors.


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 class race. Our girls team had someone in each class race. Our boys team did not have a runner in every class race, so they do not have a score for this format.


Girls Team: 181 points, 13th out of 28


Sehome also included the merged scores, which assumes everyone from a team ran in the same race, then uses conventional scoring methods. Those scores are as follows:


Girls Team: 419 points, 12th out of 38 

Boys Team: 519 points, 18th out of 37 


Ingrid – One mile: 6:54. Finish: 14:11, 41st place. Average: 7:06.

Woo Ingrid! First race of your senior year! You ARE fit, and you are a strong runner! One race does not dictate the rest of your season, so brush this one off and keep moving forward. We asked a lot of you during the day — warming up with the younger runners, making sure everyone was where they needed to be, and helping lead the team — and you did a great job with all of it! You are a great leader on this team, and that is such an important part of being a senior. Keep your head up, trust your fitness, and remember that there are so many more races ahead of you. I'm excited to see what you will accomplish this season! 



Silas – One mile: 6:44. Finish: 13:18, 23rd place. Average: 6:39.

Congratulations on finishing your first high school XC race Silas! And what a way to come out of the gate! In a very big race, you went out in 6:44 for your first mile, then got even faster in the second mile! In fact, your average pace was faster than the time trial last week! You did a great job working up those little hills and going over the top. A big part of running is learning what your race pace is, and it takes time to learn that lesson. However, you're well on your way, absolutely nailing your race goal! Great start!



Thorsen – One mile: 6:01. Finish: 12:04, 45th place. Average: 6:02.

Great first high school XC race Thorsen! This was a big race, and even though you got pinched in the beginning, you didn't let that throw you off. You went out at your goal pace for the first mile and then held on, basically even-splitting the race! That is hard to do in your first race and shows a lot of maturity. You did an awesome job pushing up those little hills and working your way up through the field. Learning how to stay patient and keep moving forward in a race takes time, and you did a great job of that today. You are clearly very fit from all your ski training, and it will be great to see how that fitness transitions into the rest of the XC season. Great start! 



Liam – One mile: 6:05. Finish: 12:28, 64th place. Average: 6:14.

Congratulations on your first high school XC race Liam! The time trial last week was a distance you're familiar with, but the 2-mile distance is totally new. Nevertheless, you did great! You got out a bit fast, which is totally normal at a big meet like this, especially since you were right behind Thorsen in the early part of the race. Still, you battled hard in the second mile, and you actually had a faster average pace at Sehome than in our time trial! All that meant you hit your race goal! As you get through your first few 5ks, you'll start to learn what your pace is, and when you can turn it on. Keep it up!



Orlo – One mile: 6:01. Finish: 11:56, 83rd place. Average: 5:58.

Way to go Orlo! You came into the race with a very clear race plan - go out at 6:00, then see what you can finish in. Guess what? You nailed it! Plus, you were 14 seconds faster than last year, which means you're in a really good place this early in the season. I think a lot of that has to do with how much you understand about racing, and how much you trust yourself to push through. Also, you really let it go on those down hills, using your stride to pick up speed and places. I could've sworn I saw the Terminator out there…I think it's going to be a great year!



Karen – One mile: 5:53. Finish: 11:59, 3rd place. Average: 6:00.

Wow Karen! What a first high school XC race! This was a big race — way bigger than our league middle school races — and you handled it with so much poise and maturity. Great job! You went out fast, just behind the lead group, and then reeled them in on the first downhill. You raced at the front of the field until it broke up over the last 1/2 mile. I loved hearing how excited you were to race and how much you learned from the experience. That excitement and willingness to learn will take you a long way! Next week you’ll get to race with some teammates, so the start line won’t feel quite so lonely. Let’s keep having fun! 



Nina – One mile: 7:20. Finish: 14:32, 59th place. Average: 7:13.



Zoie – One mile: 7:15. Finish: 14:28, 47th place. Average: 7:14.



Luke – One mile: 6:19. Finish: 13:03, 111th place. Average: 6:32.



Elsa – One mile: 7:33. Finish: 15:54, 112th place. Average: 7:57.



Madie – One mile: 7:21. Finish: 14:32, 64th place. Average: 7:16.



Holden – One mile: 5:09. Finish: 10:13, 10th place. Average: 5:07.



Bhavana – One mile: 8:35. Finish: 17:31, 140th place. Average: 8:46.



Soren – One mile: 5:27. Finish: 10:58, 24th place. Average: 5:29.



River – One mile: 5:32. Finish: 11:13, 34th place. Average: 5:37.



Tova – One mile: 7:15. Finish: 14:26, 46th place. Average: 7:13.



Kylie – One mile: 9:15. Finish: 18:41, 150th place. Average: 9:21.



Cassius – One mile: 6:58. Finish: 13:36, 35th place. Average: 6:48.



Maren – One mile: 6:30. Finish: 13:22, 33rd place. Average: 6:41.



Lena – One mile: 6:18. Finish: 12:41, 11th place. Average: 6:21.



Crispin – One mile: 5:47. Finish: 11:50, 61st place. Average: 5:55.












Saturday, August 29, 2026

2026 Team Campout at Blackpine Lake

 

What a great weekend! The team returned to Blackpine Lake on Friday for the second annual campout. Despite the cooler temperature, there was plenty of lake time (both dry and not so dry), including swimming, games on the dock, and some awesome pizza. 

Did it rain all morning as we were packing up and eating? Yes. Did that slow us down? Only slightly. A quick pivot to running together out the West Fork Buttermilk Road led to some nice conversations and, most importantly, no dust.

Through it all, the team got to know each other, talked about their goals, and had a lot of fun! This team is ready for anything and everything the season can throw at them!





Sunday, July 19, 2026

LBHS XC Team Retreat '26

 It was a great few days for LBHS XC on Whidbey Island! 


Monday's drive was sunny and warm, with a quick stop at Diablo Lake and a brief detour to a corn field before lunch. After arriving at Deception Pass State Park, and getting an impromptu tour, the team headed out to Hoypus Point for a shake-out run. Great views of Mt. Baker and some trail running through the trees led into a relaxed evening of games and wildlife spotting.


Tuesday was a full day. We loaded up and drove to Fort Ebey State Park for a run along the bluffs on the West side of the island. The Olympic peninsula was prominent, especially while stretching on the beach. After our run, we popped into Coupeville for some lunch and to check out the shops. We bought some ice cream (and caught up on the World Cup score), perused the boutiques, and the coaches plotted how to build more connections to the area. Following a lovely stroll by some blackberry bushes and a quick stint at the beach, we moved on to Oak Harbor, where we were greeted by a giant carved acorn. From there, the team went back to Deception Pass for some more beach time. The water was cold. I heard someone describe it as "an ice bath and an epsom bath". After that it was time for dinner, before a team game and bed.


Wednesday was short and sweet. On our way out of town, we stopped at Pass Lake for an adventurous trail run along the lake and up and down the hills. There was an absolutely giant root ball (photo below). With the run over, we hopped in the cars to get lunch and then keep going. A stop at New Halem led to some bell-ringing on the train (an XC tradition), then with one more trip up and over Washington Pass, the team made its way back to the Methow.


Thanks to everyone - coaches, athletes, and families - who made this happen! The first LBHS XC team retreat was a success, and we all came back excited for the season and the great group of people who make the team so much fun!