JRH Meet @ Brewster -- 3.17.2021 (Pictures)

 Hello Liberty Bell Fans!

Unfortunately, race results have not yet been published, therefore I won't be able to do the typical write-ups. Instead, I'll post some pictures (courtesy of Haida) for now, and follow up with another post as soon as possible!

NCR XC #3 @ Eastmont - 3.13.21

NCR XC #3 Eastmont 3.13.21

RACE COURSE: Eastmont Junior High Campus. 5k. A warm-feeling 60 degrees and a challenging 2 loops up and around tiered ballfields. Long open stretches of flat and several short steep hills plus a longer down.

HS GIRLS: 5k. 33 Finishers.
While we may be a small racing team this year, our heart is big! And, once again, you did the Liberty Bell uniform (and glitter!) proud, with each of you racing hard, pushing your own boundaries, and realizing you are tougher than you knew! This season is all about adjusting, accepting, and recognizing that we can do hard things. Next fall, we’ll get that full team vibe going again, for sure. For now, enjoy the journey, be proud of your brave efforts, and take satisfaction in meeting all sorts of challenges!

Leki: 21:24, 1st place. First mile, 6:58 - 6:53 pace overall.
Strategic. You are one smart racer, displaying the patience and tactics of a much more experienced runner. Another week of patience but also putting yourself in a useful spot to be in the right race from the beginning. You let the runner from Eastmont do a lot of the hard work for the first half and then you turned that racing mind on at the “thinking spot” on the hill in lap 2 and you took the lead. She tried to go with you, but you didn’t panic - which is not always easy to do! You just kept running tall and strong and by the next level up on the course you had gapped her and then you just kept opening it up. Excellent long downhill and in that last half mile, your lead grew. Love that your first mile and overall pace are so close - you are doing all of this right!

Sandra: 28:06, 22nd place, First mile 9:14 - 9:03 pace overall.
Powerful. You looked so strong on each of the uphills. You were moving your arms well and keeping your eyes focused at the top of the hill. You did a great job moving with others and staying connected to that group from the second wave. You were out quite a bit more conservatively than your overall pace. That makes me think that maybe next time we go out just a little bit faster and see what happens! I know you had a side stitch this week and those shins are a pain, but you powered through it all and you had a great last kick on the infield. Another really nice race.

Ayeanna: 30:23, 31st place, First mile 9:18 - 9:47 pace overall.
Tenacious. I know that one hurt but wow did you stick with it. I appreciate your willingness to get out there and give racing a try, even when I know you felt like you weren’t totally ready. You haven’t had an opportunity to put in the running miles yet that you usually do before a race. You brought your brave for sure and you can feel good about how deep that well is within you. Now, we need to be smart, too, and not hurt those shins too much, so let’s communicate a lot this week about how they are feeling and what they need. But, if you ever wondered just how much determination you have, you answered it on Saturday - a LOT!

HS BOYS: 5k. 32 Finishers.
Another race and another couple of steps forward for this young squad of runners. Excellent team support and some fine adjustments from last weekend. Still a few things work on for sure - like going out under control, but not SO under control that we lose contact and let the race get away from us. But in this super short season every race is a workout and we enter the next three weeks with lots of room to grow.

 

Aksel: 19:17, 8th place. First mile 6:19 - 6:12 pace overall.
What a difference a week makes! While your pacing was a challenge last Saturday, today you nailed it! Near even for the first two miles and then a faster final stretch when the race really got rolling. You were in it, you had guys to chase, and that was a huge difference. You got our steady but not slow, tucked into that group and then just picked people off the entire way. You quite literally moved from maybe 25th or 27th early on and passed 18-20 people -- a super fun way to run and you looked strong and steady the entire way. Congrats on an awesome day. The seconds will peel away week by week if you keep running smart as the fitness builds.

 

Isaiah: 21:18, 26th place. 1st mile 6:55 - 6:51 pace overall.
Negative splits again -- with a little blip up in that second mile -- and you had a powerful kick when it started rolling in that last 50m. That being said, you are fully capable of running even or negative splits with a 6:45 or a 6:40 to start, you just have to get in the flow and keep your mind on the race and the guys just a few feet down the trail ahead. Your best best sections of the day came with catching a ride on the Eastmont runner just a little before mile no. 2 and that was the difference maker in a faster final mile. Trust yourself! You are stronger than you think and you’ve got an awesome flow and ease when you are cruising with rhythm. Next week be sure to keep contact with the likes of Aksel. You guys were just seconds apart the week before and it will be an excellent repeat of your races with Graham or running with Ian last year if you can work together and help each other along. Team racing rules. When we get Will back and tighten up with you and Aksel together we’re an entirely different team. We’ll try to get those spikes worked out this week too!

Jackson: 21:29, 28th place. 1st mile 6:58 - 6:55 pace overall. (2nd 7:14)
Just a touch slower overall than last week but that early pace was probably just a little slower than necessary. You are strong and mentally tough - and you thrive for sure on getting side-by-side with another runner and pushing yourself ahead. You moved well later and helped Isaiah late by giving him a mental push. Find some competition in that first 800m next weekend and make that your race until you drop ‘em like a rock and catch a ride on someone else. If last weekend’s Wenatchee results are any indication, it’s a course that runs quick and we have one more race under our belts plus another good week of training. Looking forward to it!

Tristan: 21:48, 29th place. 1st mile 6:56 - 7:01 pace overall. (2nd 7:41)
Guts! Pure grit and determination that entire race. No fun that your shins are hurting, but your heart and mind are strong and you fought it admirably the entire way. Ice and some modified workouts will help in the week ahead. We want to be smart about the shins and rest them but still get in the quality workouts when we can. Really hopeful that a few more days and potentially new shoes will make a nice difference. Stay patient and know that you can take a few days a little easier and still have a great last three weeks!

Kyler: 22:28, 31st place. 1st mile 6:59 - 7:14 pace overall.
A new PR by 8 seconds and a first mile roughly 38 seconds faster than last week. A gusty way to get that faster time, but a good sign too of more time to drop when we even out that energy expenditure and get in some side-by-side racing with folks in the later part of a course. You looked really strong on the hills and fought hard even when it got quieter out there in that final mile. Next week in Wenatchee you should have even more runners to race from the start. That should be fun and the course is looking fast and fun with a few changes from previous years. Keep driving those arms and congrats again on the new PR!

Madison & Jayden: Hope we see you next Saturday!

JRH Meet @ Oroville - 3.10.2021

Oroville Meet – 3/10/2021

Distance: 1.4 miles

General notes: The course is certainly difficult, with the beach stretch and the hill coming just after the mile. The wind was very strong heading down the long hill but worked to your advantage for a good portion of the course. I do think the course is a bit shorter than advertised, but I think it was the same distance as last year for those who ran this course before. Our girls had the only complete team, and as such we won with a perfect score of 15 points!

Parents, I apologize for the lack of photos. I'll be sure to take some at the next meet!

Nella: Finishing time -- 11:36, 1^st place. Average pace -- 8:17. One mile split -- 8:39.

Congratulations on your very first XC race! You ran super well with Samra the whole way and were able to kick it in all the way to the finish. After powering up the hill, you really picked up the pace for the last 600 meters, which is evident by your average pace being way below your mile split. Way to never back down!

Samra: Finishing time -- 11:37, 4^th place. Average pace -- 8:17. One mile split -- 8:39.

For your first XC race, you seemed very much in control! I know you were feeling a bit nervous about the race going in, but you controlled those nerves and went out at a solid pace that you could maintain. This paid off a whole lot as you were able to pick up the pace after the mile and cruise down the hill to the finish. I can’t wait to see what you accomplish this season!

Zoe: Finishing time -- 12:33, 7^th place. Average pace -- 8:57. One mile split -- 9:17.

You showed all your racing savvy with this one! By going out at a controlled pace, you could speed up the final hill and then cruise all the way down to the finish. And all of this was after showing up and getting thrown right into the warm-up! To top it all off, despite having two weeks of training, you were only 30 seconds off your time last year at this race. Way to keep a level head and still lead this team through a fun meet!

Greta: Finishing time -- 14:46, 15^th place. Average pace -- 10:32. One mile split -- 10:43.

I know you had some nerves going into the race, but you stayed calm and worked all the way through your very first XC race! As the field starts to spread out, it can be difficult to remain motivated, but I could tell that you were pushing yourself the entire way through the finish line. You were super consistent, which is fantastic for your first time. Great job!

Layla: Finishing time -- 16:37, 17^th place. Average pace -- 11:52. One mile split -- 11:36.

Just like Zoe, you had to jump out of the car and jump into the warm-up, which can be very difficult. But you handled it with flying colors! Then, you went on to run a super smooth and consistent race. You maybe went out a bit too fast, but that’s totally fine, because this was your very first race! With each race, you will gain experience and soon you’ll be a pro!

Tristan: Finishing time – 9:31, 3^rd place. Average pace – 6:47. One mile split – 7:01.

Wow! You made that whole race look easy. Going out slower paid off in the long run as you reeled in those front runners throughout the last mile of the race, and all while running by yourself! You definitely showed your experience, and despite such a short training window you were only 30 seconds off your time at Oroville last year, which is truly fantastic!

Ethan: Finishing time – 11:54, 18^th place. Average pace – 8:30. One mile split – 8:30.

For your very first race, you ran the most consistently I’ve ever seen! You got off the line quickly, but your mile split was exactly the same as your average pace, which means you were a machine out there. You even remembered to get your arms windmilling coming into the mile, and then you turned right around and cranked up that hill. That was truly spectacular!

Malloch: Finishing time – 12:34, 19^th place. Average pace – 8:58. One mile split – 9:11.

The Malloch Kick™ was on full display after over a year. You really picked it up in the last half mile and cruised down that long hill. Then, when you could see the finish, you let it go. Way to lay it all out there! And guess what? You went 1:40 faster than you did on this course last year! I have no other words than wow!

NCR Meet #2 @ Okanogan Golf Club - 3.6.21

NCR XC #2 Okanogan 3/6/21

RACE COURSE: Okanogan Valley Golf Club. 5k. 50+ degrees again, spring-like and sunny! A firm fairway surface with some cart path running and a large uphill/downhill near the one-mile mark.

BIG THANKS: To the Okanogan AD and all of the other coaches who delayed the race start and gave us an extra 30min to warm up after our late arrival. It was a “go with the flow” moment for sure, but the rest of the field was very gracious and patient.

HS GIRLS: 5k. 18 Finishers.

Leki: 21:33, 1st place. First mile, 7:12 - 6:56 pace overall.

So great to see you just get faster, stronger, and more confident as the race wore on. I know it’s a totally different thing being in the boys race and you had to find your racing group there in the first mile, but you settled in and then showed incredible patience moving up steadily. It would have been really easy to go out too hard, but instead you showed a lot of racing wisdom and got faster with each step. You are a powerful hill climber and you used the long relatively flat straight-away section between miles 1 and 2 to really reel in the runners ahead. This was a super solid time on a tough course. Can’t wait to see you next week!

Sandra: 27:13, 10th place, First mile 8:39 - 8:46 pace overall.
I think you must like those spikes! Congratulations on your first 5K! We should point out that your per mile pace this week was 7 seconds a mile faster than last week -- and last week was only 2 miles! You are getting stronger and stronger with each practice. I like that your first mile and your overall pace were within 10 seconds of each other -- that tells me that you have a good sense for what pace feels right and you aren’t going out too hard. You did a great job racing the boys around you -- you worked hard to stay connected to the racer ahead and, like last week, you had a huge kick! A great week.

HS BOYS: 5k. 45 Finishers.

 

Will: 19:57, 10th place. First mile 5:50 - 6:25 pace overall.
Congrats on the first HS 5k! Out in about the same mile pace as last week, and really looking good and under control for those first 2-2.5 miles. Super hard to say where the stitch came from, but you got yourself to the finish line and you know in your head that you had a firm grip on 3rd place if you’d been able to breathe. Goal for the week: Quick arms and quick feet. Think about some power to go with that smooth glide and we’ll play with pace again a little to mix things up.

 

Aksel: 20:22, 13th place. First mile 6:04 - 6:33 pace overall.
Congrats as well on your own first HS 5k XC race. An excellent job getting out there and fighting hard through the second half of the race. Correct pacing is an enigma right now, but we will dial it in slowly but surely. You probably got out a little hard, but you pitched yourself into those dowhills, still had some kick left at the finish and now we’ve got one race under the belt to build on. Excited for race number two!

Isaiah: 20:39, 14th place. 1st mile 7:00 - 6:39 pace overall.
Negative splits always look great, and your pace this week for a longer race was only 5 sec. slower per mile then last week. We can’t always start you in the second wave, but in doing so you stayed relaxed, ran your own race, and moved up through the field. You can do the same in wave #1, and it will accelerate the overall time and understanding of who you are racing as well. Really glad that the back was improved over last week and your finishing kick looked really strong!

Jackson: 21:15, 18th place. 1st mile 6:22 - 6:50 pace overall. (21:12)
Just three seconds shy of your 5k debut last year, and that seems pretty great considering that in 2019 you had also run a 2mi race in Bellingham and had about 4 weeks of solid training under your belt beforehand. Like Will, Aksel and Tristan, you got out strong and fought hard when it hurt. Your first mile was a little more under control and you moved up well throughout. Next week we’ll hope to be chasing even harder and feeling even better in the second half. So much great experience for next fall!

Tristan: 21:20, 19th place. 1st mile 6:09 - 6:50 pace overall. (20:53)
Well done Tristan despite the short warmup and “all of a sudden” feeling of the race. You went for it for sure with a 6:09 first mile, and in another two weeks that is going to feel a LOT better than it did for this one. Awesome heart and determination on display at the finish. I’m not sure that any of you are fully prepared for that kind of all out kick just yet, but your brain simply took your legs and arms as far as they would go. Admirable for sure! That kind of drive can’t be trained, but we can in the next few weeks get the legs a little more ready to follow.

 

Kyler: 22:36, 28th place. 1st mile 7:38 - 7:16 pace overall.
Like Isaiah and Leki, you also managed to get faster as the race went on! Congrats on your HS debut 5k and also on running smart and consistent - either generally moving up or holding steady in various places along the way. Negative split racing is not at all easy -- and especially when there are major hills in your first longer race. Really glad the the aches from last week were a little less and it’s worth noting for sure that your “Frigid 5k” on the track last Oct. was 23:15 -- so you just ran 50+ seconds faster WITH 2 x up that hill. Good work!

Madison: 30:27, 43rd place. 1st mile 8:37 - 9:48 pace overall.
SO much to be excited about here Madison. It was hard for sure and it probably hurt, but you didn’t walk when you wanted to and you finished your first-ever XC race in style! Next week should feel even better from a fitness/experience standpoint, and we also won’t have the rushed start time that we had this week, which should make the whole experience just a little more predictable and relaxed. Really glad that you are giving this a try and I can’t wait to see those times start to drop in major chunks!

Jayden: Sorry we missed you this week but we hope that you will join us for the race in East Wenatchee next Saturday!

NCR XC Meet #1 @ Moses Lake - 2.27.21 -- XC is Back!

NCR Moses Lake Meet #1 - 2/27/21

RACE COURSE: Blue Heron Park. 2 miles. 49 degrees and sunny. A pretty great day for the first official XC meet in 15 or 16 months :)

BIG THANKS: A huge thanks to all of the kids who were able to run, for bus driver Robert for getting us to and from the meet, and to everyone who has been working so hard to navigate this tricky and trying and difficult year. We ran a XC meet, people, and it was grand!

LIVE STREAM! As a bonus element, some of our races will be live-streamed :) XC’s never felt more hip and awesome! Use the links below for last Saturday’s event and Michael will send out future links for meet broadcasts as well.

Boys XC meet part 1

Boys XC meet part 2

Girls XC meet

HS GIRLS: 2mi. 19 Finishers. It was SO AWESOME to have Leki and Sandra give such great efforts in their first-ever high school XC races and, undoubtedly, in the first XC race they've ever run in February! It was also SO AWESOME to see grass and run ice-free and have the sun shining the whole way. The course was great, everyone had someone to run with, and both Leki and Sandra ran strong and confidently. It was a great kick-off to this most unusual season!

Leki: 13:34, 1st place. First mile, 6:41 - 6:47 pace.
Congratulations, Leki! What an impressive opening high school performance. You were calm, cool, and collected on the starting line and I even saw you crack a small smile at the "check-in with myself spot" we designated after the big downhill about 800 meters in. Such smart racing -- you did the right thing to go out with the lead pack but to just let them do the work for a bit and keep your mind blank. You used the long gradual downhill to move up and then you took the lead just after the mile with a statement move -- going into the curvy section you made the pass and put the distance on. From there on out, I know you were working hard, but you made it look easy. Excellent!

Sandra: 17:46, 12th place, First mile 8:50 - 8:53 pace

Congratulations, Sandra! You are one tough racer and you opened your high school XC career with a really solid run. You made a couple of excellent racing moves. You got out in a good position, controlled and aware. By about half way through the first lap, you set your sights on the pack of 3 Ephrata runners running just a bit ahead of you. You did such an excellent job being patient and you used that long gradual downhill to break up their pack. By the start of the second lap, I could tell you were feeling good and then, oh my....that last gradual downhill and finish were all out. You were using your arms so well and you had so many gears left. I can tell you are going to love 5K! Can't wait to watch you race again next week.

HS BOYS: 2mi. 49 Finishers. Rust buster! Like Sarah mentions above, PR’s all around for February XC races, and let’s cross our fingers that it’s a lifetime PR that you cherish forever. A more serious ‘thank you’ for all of the great efforts out there. Not only in your racing and preparation, but in stepping through this entire process from last summer’s covid practices, to this fall’s time trial routine, to now our first official return to the sport that we all have missed. It was a good day! It’s excellent to share some sun and warm up routines and snowless grass with all of you. This season is laying serious foundations on which to build, continue, and elevate the Liberty Bell XC tradition. GRRR!

PS Everyone take a minute today to tell Sarah 2 positive things from the race and 1 thing that you know you want to work on.

Will: 12:05, 8th place. First mile 5:49-ish - 6:03 pace
Congrats on your HS XC debut! Super impressed with your early patience and then as well with your willingness to move in that second lap to track Miguel Nunez from Ovoville. He went pretty strong but you didn’t overreact. You gave chase when it mattered most to create some separation from the rest of the group, and you hung in with the Moses Lake kids after the hill and made ‘em work a bit across those flats and into the final hill. Your later race fitness and finishing kick will come soon enough. Super glad to have you finally a part of the HS squad.

**It would appear from the results that several Ephrata runners from wave #2 were able to move up through the ranks. Now that we’ve got this first race under our belts it should be more clear who should be in what sort of wave. It’s my sincere hope that in future races wave one will give a more realistic glimpse of the competition. There will always of course be a runner or two who emerges from a deeper wave - especially as we end up with larger fields - but there seemed to be a lot of Ephrata folks in wave 2 that should have been in wave 1. It will get better.

 

Isaiah: 13:08, 13th place. 1st mile 6:08-ish - 6:34 pace.
Great job in the return to racing, and in fighting through that lower back pain as the race progressed. It was excellent to see you out there again and like you said a few weeks back this is all about getting into a routine and gaining speed and endurance back for track -- and next fall! Keep reminding yourself this week that quick arms will set the rhythm for your legs. Think light, springy and quick off the ground with all of that good energy moving right through your core and into your legs.

 

Kyler: 13:50, 21st place. 1st mile - 6:490-ish - 6:55 pace.
Congrats as well Kyler on your HS debut! You threw yourself into the mix as well, and your 13:50 time was quicker than some of the 2mi fall races on the track! You looked strong and ran tall. You found a good spot early -- not shy at all about being in the first wave and you earned a spot well into the upper half of a field with nearly 50 kids. Let’s be a little cautious this week on the miles. Talk to Sarah today about your hip/knee and use some ice at home 1-2 times per day plus lots of good stretching and warm-up activity. Stay quiet and quick on the midfoot when we’re running faster this week, but also think about staying tall on the easy days. Great job Kyler, or should I say, Gucci Kangaroo!

 

Tristan: @home Time Trial. 1.5mi, 9:17 - 6:11 pace.
Jackson: @home Time Trial. 1.5mi, 9:23 - 6:15 pace.
And an excellent TT effort from both of the Schmekel brothers as well! Those times slot nicely into a space near Isaiah and it will be awesome to move forward next week with more and more of you in the mix. Thanks for making it happen and for getting in an effort that will surely help in the weeks ahead!

Aksel: Hope you are feeling better. Can’t wait to have you back in the mix!

Jayden and Madison: Looking forward to having you try a first-ever HS XC race this coming weekend!

"Fall" 2020 -- Now late February to Early April XC Season Update!

Greetings all,

As of early this week the region has a XC running plan! We will start on Monday, Feb. 22. and will have a shortened six-week season 2/22-4/3. There is already a racing schedule in place and some very strong support falling into place to make things happen.

As Mr. Wilbur's school-wide email also stated, the spring sports (track, baseball, boy's soccer, tennis and softball) will follow immediately after the "fall", so XC ends on Saturday April 3rd with a regional final... and the spring seasons begin on Monday April 5th. For the basketball and wrestling teams of the world, that 3rd "winter" season will occur (hopefully) at the end of spring sports.

A FEW MORE DETAILS:
We plan to host several coaches "off season" practices starting February 1st. We can do that for two weeks just to get you running again. Then we have a no-contact week before the season is official on 2/22.

FOR PLANNING AND CALENDAR SCHEDULES THE RACES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

SAT 2/27 @ Moses Lake w/ 8 schools 2B-4A
SAT 3/6 @ Okanogan W/ 1B/2B schools
SAT 3/13 @ Eastmont w/ 6 schools 1B-3A
SAT 3/20 @ Cashmere w/ 5 schools 1B-4A
SAT 3/27 @ Manson w/ 1B-2B "league" -- top 2 teams and 9 individuals go to...
SAT 4/3 @ Walla Walla Point Park (Wenatchee) Regional -- top 2 teams from all regional school classifications.

Still a little bit more to learn about transportation (and other things I'm sure) but right now my understanding is that buses will be available with the quota of 1 person per seat. More to learn on all of that but we will be in touch.

So there it is :) Practice again starting 2/22, some potential team running just to get us going as early as 2/1, and at least 5 races with a bonus regional!

We did a great job of making lemonade from lemons this fall, and we couldn't be more excited to do something a lot more real and team-like this spring!

Please do respond with a quick email if you are planning to run. The more we can learn about numbers and interest at this point the better we can plan for buses, coaches, etc.

Thanks so much and we can't wait to run with you soon!

GRRR!

Erik, Sarah, and Liam

Photos from the home course Time Trial!

On Saturday, 11/7/20 we ran our second XC-style time trial of the fall on the 3mi/1.5mi home XC course. We lucked out with the weather and despite the early chill had an excellent sunny morning for running. A terrific job to all and I really can't wait to get back to regular blog posting for races and the like when XC resumes again this spring :)

The final week of fall XC: 11/9-11/16

Hi all,

A slow start for me to the final week, but hopefully you all took a nice day off today or went for a short little outing in the snow. A little hard to tell what the rest of the week will actually bring on the weather front, but we will start with a plan and play it by ear.

I know that many of your have switched over to basketball or fuller-time ski training. No worries on either front and it was great to have you join us as often as you were able. We look forward to getting everyone back together again for an official XC season in the spring!

FOR THE WEEK AHEAD: A taper week for one last race effort on the weekend. Tues may last closer to 5 depending on seeding duties, but Thurs. we'll be done by 4:15-4:30 or so. 

TUES 11/10 - We will help Hanz with some seeding on the new campus trail, run a little with some strides.
WED 11/12 - Another short easy dist. day 20-30 min. Trying to rest a bit here for one more race effort :)
TH 11/13 - A short (really short!) speed workout and stretching.
FRI 11/14 - A 20 min run and a stride or two.
SAT 11/15 - A final race either on the course or on the track (depending on snow amounts though the week and conditions. Time, TBD, but ideally around 10am.

Thanks to all of your for putting in some work and for making an excellent effort at consistent and regular training this fall. If was fun to gather and to do a little work. We learned some things, had some fun, and are better for it all around!

Have a good week and we'll see you soon!

Erik, Sarah, and Liam