Ladies,
We got through it. This is the meet I dread every year. Not because it is a bad race, because it isn't. On paper it's a great meet for us, and gives us a chance to race a little differently than we ordinarily would. No, the major negative is Homecoming always falls on this weekend.
And I can't compete with that.
Couple that with the warmer weather, rougher course, and late start (for the upperclassmen race) and it's a tough race to generate enthusiasm. Don't get me wrong, I think you guys were great; but coming off last week's huge drops, this race can feel like a letdown to you.
Know that I never expected fast times today. No team ran fast. Jasper threw themselves against it twice, and in both cases lost first because of an insane first mile. Example: in the first race, Jasper's #1 hit the first mile in 5:40 (17:34 pace). She finished in 20:00 (6:27). That's a disaster. If she had tried 6:10 she might have held it, but instead she let the Henryville girl, who was much more patient, overtake and destroy her.
Now it was easy to see up-and-down the line how it was going in race one, so I spoke to our girls before race two and advised patience. That worked. Carrie was around #30 at mile one, and finished 12th; Katlyn was maybe 50th at the mile and finished 17th. That's smart racing.
Still, we can't overlook how bravely the girls in the first race went after it. Joslyn was right on the 6:30 I gave her, finishing in 2nd for the Frosh. Zoe also stuck with it, slowing in the second mile but keeping the third even for 9th. And how about the Chelsey/Cynthaney duel? Right down to the wire with nearly identical times! Let's look at the numbers:
We got through it. This is the meet I dread every year. Not because it is a bad race, because it isn't. On paper it's a great meet for us, and gives us a chance to race a little differently than we ordinarily would. No, the major negative is Homecoming always falls on this weekend.
And I can't compete with that.
Couple that with the warmer weather, rougher course, and late start (for the upperclassmen race) and it's a tough race to generate enthusiasm. Don't get me wrong, I think you guys were great; but coming off last week's huge drops, this race can feel like a letdown to you.
Know that I never expected fast times today. No team ran fast. Jasper threw themselves against it twice, and in both cases lost first because of an insane first mile. Example: in the first race, Jasper's #1 hit the first mile in 5:40 (17:34 pace). She finished in 20:00 (6:27). That's a disaster. If she had tried 6:10 she might have held it, but instead she let the Henryville girl, who was much more patient, overtake and destroy her.
Now it was easy to see up-and-down the line how it was going in race one, so I spoke to our girls before race two and advised patience. That worked. Carrie was around #30 at mile one, and finished 12th; Katlyn was maybe 50th at the mile and finished 17th. That's smart racing.
Still, we can't overlook how bravely the girls in the first race went after it. Joslyn was right on the 6:30 I gave her, finishing in 2nd for the Frosh. Zoe also stuck with it, slowing in the second mile but keeping the third even for 9th. And how about the Chelsey/Cynthaney duel? Right down to the wire with nearly identical times! Let's look at the numbers:
| Runner | Mile 1 | Mile 2 | Mile 3 | 5K | MPM | Kick | |||
| Joslyn | 6:30:00 | 13:33:00 | 7:03:00 | 20:44:00 | 7:11:00 | 21:23:00 | 6:53:52 | 39:00.0 | 5:12:00 |
| Madison | 7:15:00 | 14:58:00 | 7:43:00 | 22:47:00 | 7:49:00 | 23:30:00 | 7:34:50 | 43:00.0 | 5:44:00 |
| Zoe | 7:05:00 | 14:40:00 | 7:35:00 | 22:18:00 | 7:38:00 | 23:05:00 | 7:26:46 | 47:00.0 | 6:16:00 |
| Chelsey | 7:32:00 | 15:52:00 | 8:20:00 | 24:07:00 | 8:15:00 | 24:53:00 | 8:01:37 | 46:00.0 | 6:08:00 |
| Cynthany | 7:32:00 | 15:57:00 | 8:25:00 | 24:07:00 | 8:10:00 | 24:53:00 | 8:01:37 | 46:00.0 | 6:08:00 |
| Sara | 7:33:00 | 15:57:00 | 8:24:00 | 24:20:00 | 8:23:00 | 25:09:00 | 8:06:46 | 49:00.0 | 6:32:00 |
| Mile 1 | Mile 2 | Mile 3 | 5K | Kick | |||||
| Carrie | 6:43:00 | 13:56:00 | 7:13:00 | 21:25:00 | 7:29:00 | 22:12:00 | 7:09:41 | 0:47:00 | 6:16:00 |
| Katlyn | 7:05:00 | 14:32:00 | 7:27:00 | 22:06:00 | 7:34:00 | 22:49:00 | 7:21:37 | 0:43:00 | 5:44:00 |
| Diana | 7:39:00 | 16:19:00 | 8:40:00 | 25:28:00 | 9:09:00 | 26:33:00 | 8:33:52 | 1:05:00 | 8:40:00 |
| Kate | 7:40:00 | 16:19:00 | 8:39:00 | 25:20:00 | 9:01:00 | 26:09:00 | 8:26:08 | 0:49:00 | 6:32:00 |
Okay, so that likely went off the page. Sorry about that! I do find the splits interesting, especially one I haven't been able to collect for a while; mile 3. That enables me to get the final 200 meters, and therefore kick speed. I've wondered who on the team had the fastest kick. This pretty much settles it, doesn't it?
Let me finish with a few comments:
Joslyn - great race. You can't argue with that finish. Way to fight!
Carrie - smart race. Controlling the early part kept you in it. You slowed as it went on as everyone else did, but it didn't destroy you. Thanks for listening!
Katlyn - these are remarkable splits inasmuch as you had so little drop. You earned your medal!
Zoe - ditto what I said to Katlyn (again). You two are two peas in a pod. Nice!
Madison - the rough nature of the course was bound to hurt your hip a great deal. You're going to have to put your eyes in Katlyn's back and hang on for dear life! It was good race, and you only missed medaling by 20 seconds!
Chelsey/Cynthaney - you followed instructions to a "T". I felt there was little between you right now, and you proved it. Way to take it to the kick and fight it out!
Sara - it won't be long before there is another girl kicking it out for a top-7. Good race!
Kate - I didn't mean to sound so harsh earlier, because I certainly am not angry. You are a young racer and don't understand things yet. My point was you never give up an advantage you've earned. Ever. You owed it to Diana to leave her and try to put as much distance on her as possible. She understood that, and that's why she yelled at you. You did exactly what I told you to do though, so in part that's my fault. Your results were fine, but understand you gave up some places by going back to her. In a State tournament environment, that could prove fatal.
Diana - I'm proud of you. Proud of the way you tried to follow the plan, proud that you kept fighting when you became ill, proud of your attitude toward Kate when she came back to you... Kid, you get it. You understand your responsibility as captain and a member of the team. Your behavior was exemplary in every respect. You are everything a captain should be.
There was another moment that made me smile... after the racing was done, I pointed out to Joslyn that her 2nd in the Freshmen race was the highest finish we've had since I've been coach. "Carrie had 3rd her freshman year," I said. "What was her time?" inquired Joslyn, sporting a wry smile.
Ah, yes. I love competition! (the answer is "21:11")
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