BART XC - Meet #8 October 29, 2011
Disclaimer: I want to apologize for the rather long-winded report this week. It is a combination of a coach’s reflections, race recap, and predictions for the future. Scroll down for the “good stuff” if you want the race details.
Our BART cross country teams were back in action for the eighth and final time of the season today at Berkshire Community College. While we had hoped to field complete teams, several key absences resulted in our roster at half strength. All week tension had been high as meteorologists forecasted a nor’easter. The night before the race my phone exploded around 8:00 with last minute directions and instructions for our BCC meet. The ADs decided it would be best to run the varsity races first with junior varsity to follow, in case weather necessitated a postponing of races. In addition, I was instructed I would receive a call by 10am on Saturday if all races were postponed. Thankfully I never received that call.
As our runners started to assemble at BART a little before 11:00, I couldn’t help but reflect on all the wonderful accomplishments each has made this season. Dylan Quinn, who started the season in stand out fashion, a first year runner with a lot of natural gift and talent who attended all practices but one, and always finishes a race with a smile on his face. Chris Doubiago, who started the season seeing each run as a critter collection opportunity, but finished the season running full strides all the way to the line. Alexis Lesure, a stand out first timer who stepped bravely into the role as captain and has helped form a tight-knit, formidable team that will be a force to be reckoned with in coming years, and nabbed the fastest 5k time of any girl this season. Angie Stanley, also a first time runner, who despite battling a host of maladies has persevered and shown to the world the true dedication and heart of a long-distance runner triumphs over all types of adversity. Alyssa Cook, one of only two returning runners, who has become a motivator and supporter on the team, selflessly circumventing her own goals to help realize those of other newer runners. And of course, Kaliq Sherman who as a walk on sixth grader has proved to be a fun-loving, quirky, and dedicated runner, completing an incredible 5 - 5ks this season - the most of any sixth grader from BART! However I was somewhat saddened at the noticeable absences of several of our runners: Lakeria Darkins - our only other returning runner who has valiantly battled the ongoing fight between academics and athletics. Morgan Covert - a natural runner who has found her stride during this season and proven to herself that she can do anything she puts her mind to. Kylee Herold - our third sixth grader, and one of the most dedicated runners on the team who has battled injury and feelings of inadequacy in a sport generally dominated by juniors and seniors, and persevered to finish races most of us cannot. Adam Moore - one of the most improved runners this season - who is finding the confidence to hang tough and push himself until it hurts, knowing that it will be worth it.
When I look at the runners we have, I think they stand in a class of their own. It is hard at times to remember that all but one runner for BART this season are middle schoolers. What I am proud to note is that I think our runners represent our school’s community. There has not been one race where they have not cheered on other schools’ athletes. There has not been one race where a runner decided to quit and throw in the towel for reasons other than injury. There has not been a single moment where I have doubted the potential of our scholar athletes. And, I dare say, there has not been a single moment where any one of our runners regretted the decision they made choosing to be a member of this team. We have had our ups and downs this season and our ranks have fluctuated, but the constants, the ten hard working kids who finished the season with us, have formed the backbone of what I hope to be a long-lasting and successful athletic program.
RACE REPORT Weather was clear and cold as we boarded the bus at 11:00 this morning in Adams. Temp was a “balmy” 34 degrees. We made good time down to the college, and unloaded quickly, finding a spot to stash our gear in the gymnasium. We secured a course map from Laura, the St. Joe coach, and I took our team across the street to walk the tricky Mile 1/Mile2 transition. This worked in our favor as the reversal of JV/Varsity races gave us an extra hour, something most teams are afforded anyways at meets, as they release 1-1.5 hours before us. Our runners really loved pointing out potential hazards and tricky turns to their teammates. I loved seeing Dylan, Alyssa, and Alexis really taking the other runners under their wings. And, I think our runners’ enthusiasm and support is rubbing off on others, as the PHS girls’ team went by and more than one runner said, “Good luck today, BART! You can do it!”
One of the added benefits of running in the JV races, aside from running with folks more at our ability level, is the ability to see how other runners start and finish a race. I instructed our runners to look closely and see the pros and cons with starting quickly as opposed to steady and slowly. As St. Joe and Drury ran their teams in the varsity, this allowed for us to be on the outside of the fishbowl looking in as they competed.
Varsity runs the top 7 of each team both boys/girls. In the boys race, it was a learning experience for Dylan Quinn and Alexis to watch as Unique Nelson-Oles (Drury) took off like it was a 400m race, securing second spot behind a Lenox runner, only to fade quickly on the first hill, completely spent, and running nearly three minutes slower than I’ve seen him run this season, finishing 52nd of 59 runners in 25:09. Conversely, Charles Davis started slowly and steadily climbed his way to 54th place in a time of 25:47 on a hilly and challenging 5k course. This reflects a nearly four minute PR from his first race of the season.
There were no former students in the girls’ varsity race, though Morgan Holm ran in the girls JV race, running a time of 30:48, good for 59th place of 82 finishers.
BOYS’ JV RACE (2:00 PM). Well the ADs made the right call. No sooner did the girls’ varsity race finish then snowflakes began to fly. Despite young Kaliq Sherman’s fervent “I’m not running.” and “No, I really don’t want to run”, all three BART gentlemen toed the line amidst white out conditions, ready to wage war on the slopes of BCC.
As the gun went off I was proud to see BART running THEIR RACE, THEIR PACE, and NOT getting sucked along. One of the nice things the BCC course affords is the opportunity to see your runners at the start, 1/2 mile point, 1.75 mile, and 2.75 mile points. Despite the coldest temperatures of the season, runners were quite quick. The winning runner in the boys’ race was a solid 19:02. DYLAN QUINN held his own, burning all the fuel in the tank to run a 22:13, not a PR but a solid time and good for 44th place of 106 finishers!
CHRIS DOUBIAGO with the performance of the season, gutting it out and running an impressive 29:18, good for 97th place of 106 finishers. This time, 29:18, reflects an overall season PR of 10 MINUTES AND 22 SECONDS from his first 5k of 39:40. He demonstrated yesterday that he can hang tough, even when things hurt, and run his own race. Three cheers are in order for Chris, arguably the most improved runner of the season.
KALIQ SHERMAN despite falling in mile 2 on the slippery snow-covered hill, he power walked and jogged when he could, determined not to give up or give in. Finishing as the youngest runner in the race, in a time of 47 minutes, good for 106th place overall. Kaliq finished an impressive 5 races this season, the most of any 6th grader! He also attended more practices than any other sixth grader.
GIRLS’ JV RACE (2:35 PM) By the start of the girls’ race, snow was really flying. Nearly three inches of snow had fallen on the ground by the time the race winded down half an hour later. I told our three young spartan warriors to give it their best, to take no prisoners and as Winston Churhill said, “never, never, never, never give up”. With the gun, away they went.
Angie and Alexis ran most of the first half mile together, though already by .5 miles, both of them had to remove their glasses. One of the least favorite things for runners who do not wear contacts is having to run in the rain or sleet/snow. As if running in blinding white out conditions were not bad enough, now they had to traipse through an unfamiliar, snow-covered course with turns and markings covered by the white stuff, sans glasses.
Despite less than favorable conditions, they hung though. Alyssa settled in with a group of Taconic runners, of which Morgan Holm was one, and ran her rhythm.
As girls filed by with snow-dos in their hair, mascara dripping down their face reminiscent of late night middle school breakups or that mean tea-lady from Disney’s Mulan, Angie was first to emerge from across the road. Snow covered her eyebrows and lashes, but she kept her head down, trudging forward and determined to get the job done.
Alexis emerged next a minute or two behind, throwing me her glasses and trying to stay on course. Alyssa continued to plod on in a less than favorable position, exposed to the wind as the Taconic group made a slight gap on her.
ANGIE STANLEY with a solid 90 second PR, running the second fastest 5k of any girl this season in a time of 30:13, good for 54th place of 82 total.
ALEXIS LESURE hanging in there despite not being able to see more than a couple feet in front of her, navigating the treacherous course in a time of 31:34, good for 64th of 82 total finishers.
ALYSSA COOK refusing to give up on the last meet and determined to finish even if not in her fastest time. Running a solid and inspiring 41:27, most of it alone, bringing the 2011 BCC Invitational to a close in 82nd place.
All but Kaliq and I secured rides home, so we had some time to think on the bus to ourselves and then share a coffee (decaf of course) as we waited for the car to warm up to get him home in one piece. In the nearly 3 hours it took to get from Pittsfield to Adams and back again, I realized that I am one of the luckiest coaches in Berkshire County. Our runners have heart, they have determination, and they have spunk. I could not and would not trade any of them for anything in the world, and I hope that you have enjoyed seeing their successes this season. The number of personal gains, personal records, and barriers that have been smashed and annihilated is inspiring enough to make me want to go out there in the white stuff and run a race myself. I hope that you give a high five to each and every one of our runners from this season, even the ones unable to make the last race as they are truly TRAIL BLAZERS & RUNNING WARRIORS.
Keep on truckin’
Coach Griffin
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