After being given a tip from a friend, we traveled to Bellwood Antis to meet with Ben Hatch. He finished 3rd at States in the AA 800, but is a relative unknown in XC. As his confidence has grown throughout the season, that is changing.
Ben is an unique situation. Two days a week he does workouts with a private coach and the rest of the days he runs with his high school team. He is the top returner in the 800 making him the early favorite, but that is months away so I will get back on task.
Bellwood is a small town about 35 miles southwest of State College. Bellwood is similar to many small towns in Pennsylvania where high school football is king. The football team is having a so-so season but the you can still feel the energy and hope that all the townspeople have every Friday night when the stadium lights kick on.
When we arrived at the high school we were impressed by the track facility. The track is situated inside the football stadium and when you walk through the gates you can almost hear how the crowd roars every Friday night, even on this is cool Monday evening. With states a week away, Ben's coach prescribed what he calls an "Indicator" workout. He feels the workout gives an accurate indication of what the athlete is capable of on race day. What was the dosage you ask: 5x1000m with 1 minute rest. And I do agree it is a tough workout and will tell you what you are capable of.
Like so many of the top PA athletes this year, Ben is focusing on the Foot Locker Northeast Regional. But he also wants to have a good showing at states. He knows everyone sees him as a long shot, but he has a shot, and this is why we run the races.
As I am speaking with the coach, I notice some smoke billowing from the far end of the track. The coach notices it as well and says he hopes it doesn't affect the workout too much, but as we can start to smell it, we know it could be of concern.
The 5x1k workout is a great workout will let us know just how far Ben has come this season. The pace for the intervals, 3:05-10, 74-76s per 400. Pretty quick, I know. But if you are trying to be all-state and make Foot Lockers, these are the types of workouts you need to do. As Coach Craighead put it, "Gut-Check Workouts".
Someone is running with Ben to help with the pace. I shadow the coach throughout the workout. First 1000 goes fine, 3:06. It's amazing how short of a time a minute is. Next 1000, 3:04. I am not sure what those people are burning, but the smoke is getting worse. The coach says these next two are key, because he has a tendency to drift in the middle part of the race. It is something he has been stressing to Ben throughout the season. The importance to stay in good position and not to let gaps form, so he can use his speed and strength at the end. Third 1000, another 3:04. The workout looks easy to him. Before the 4th thousand is underway, I can see in his eyes that he is anxious and wants to take off. In the 4th thousand he does just that and cranks the pace down to 3:01. The smoke is becoming almost unbearable by now and I can not imagine what it would be like to run through. In the 5th thousand, he runs 3:15. He said it was just getting too hard to breathe with the smoke. The workout was impressive nonetheless.
Ben and his coach are pleased with the workout and both agree that he is ready to go for the weekend. After speaking with them both, I can tell that the real focus is the 800 and XC is just icing on the cake.
What will happen this weekend in Hershey? Hard to say, the AA boys race is wide open. But based on this workout, Ben will definitely be a factor and he is ready to go. We wish him the best.
Good Luck to Ben and all the competitors this weekend.
There will be more on Ben leading up to the Foot Locker Regional including his workout video and team interviews. So stay tuned to the Road to San Diego.
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
States Preview
It is the first weekend in November and that can only mean one thing, all of PA is converging on Hershey for the PIAA State XC Championship. Well maybe not all of PA, because high school football is still going on as well, but I digress.
This has been an epic year for PA and it is just getting started as we enter the championship phase of the season. The depth in PA from an individual and team standpoint has been outstanding and will lead to a day of mind-boggling performances on Saturday.
Girls AA
The big show gets starts off with the girls AA race. There will be three way battle upfront for the individual title between Carly Seymour (Central Cambria), Kacey Gibson (Neshanock), and Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs). This will be the 4th and final time the trio does battle in Hershey. Here's how the last 3 years have broken down.
2004
Gibson 3rd; Millhouse 13th; Seymour 58th
2005
Seymour 1st; Millhouse 7th; Gibson 48th
2006
Gibson 1st; Seymour 2nd; Millhouse 4th
Millhouse has had a steady ascension throughout her career and Seymour and Gibson have both won titles. It will be war and a great way to start the day. All three will be gunning for the title, as it will be another indication of their fitness level before the Foot Locker Northeast Regional. They are focused and ready to lay it on the line over hill and dale in Hershey.
Seymour has some extra motivation as her Central Cambria Red Devils are looking to make it to the podium this year. They narrowly missed it last year with their third place finish. Central Cambria has only lost once this year in PA and that was 1-point defeat to the hands of Lewisburg at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Inivitational. Lewisburg lost one of their triumvirate to a stress fracture but reloaded with two key freshmen. Central Cambria is the team to beat but will face a tough challenge from Lewisburg. I predict after all is said and done, everyone will be be asking if they are the best girls team in the state regardless of AA or AAA classification.
Girls AAA
AAA girls are next on the schedule and will feature District 3 trying to claim both the individual and team title by way of Neely Spence (Shippensburg) and the Northern York Polar Bears. Neely Spence is the defending champ. When she races you see the determination in her eyes. She is on a mission this year. All of her races have been dominating performances as she has yet to be challenged in a race all season. Her first obstacle will likely surface on November 24th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, but that's looking ahead. Spence will look to defend her title and as she puts it, "check in on her current racing fitness level."
The race for the team title will be great, perhaps the closest of the day. The three favorites are Emmaus, Northern York, and Latrobe. Emmaus has been ranked number 1 all season by the PennTrackXC.com Top Ten rankings. Northern York and Latrobe continue to get stronger throughout the season. Natalie Bower (Greater Latrobe) and Rachel Wong (Northern York) will battle for the runner-up spot in AAA and hope their teams pack it in tight behind them as they look to upset Emmaus. They will be joined in that chase pack by Meghan Lutz (Nazareth Academy) as she also makes a run at a top-five finish.
Boys AA
In AA boys, the individual race is wide open. Someone will make a name for themselves as they step up and take control of the race in an effort to break the rest of the field. The early favorites are Alex Zubey (Tamaqua), Joe Beveridge (Bishop McDevitt), and Jim Spisak (Bishop McCort). All three won their district meet in a convincing fashion and appear to just be hitting their stride as the season is winding down. The field behind them will not let them get away easy as this is truly anybody's race.
The race for the team title will appear to be a rematch of the District 10 Championship with North East, West Middlesex, and General McLane trading blows once again. McLane was district champ, followed closely by North East and West Middlesex, respectively. They have held the top three spots in the PenntrackXC.com Top Ten Rankings for the last 8 weeks. In 2006, West Middlesex was victorious with General McLane in third. District 10 will try to occupy the top three team spots this year. But in what order? The race will come down to the wire as these three are very closely matched. The team competition will rival AAA girls for the closest of the day.
Boys AAA
The AAA Boys race should be called, Vince McNally (Conestoga Valley) vs. Chris Aldrich (West Chester Henderson): Round 1. Their individual battle has all the makings of heavyweight prizefight. Both were neck and neck the whole race at last year's meet but Aldrich was able to secure a 4th place finish ahead of McNally in fifth, but both athletes were given the same time, 15:29. Jason Weller (Boyertown) ran 15:04 to win last year's title. I think both athletes will beat that time and it will take between 14:50-55 to win. This one is too close to call. They both have had marvelous performances this year and it will definitely be a great race to close out the day. Several athletes will give chase to these two including Mark Denin (Boyertown), but Aldrich and McNally are the class of the field.
North Penn looks to keep the team title in District 1 as they continue their phenomenal season. They have dominated all foes that have come their way. If their #2 all-time average at the Manhattan Invite is not an indication of how special this team is, I don't know what is. North Allegheny, the preseason #1 and pre-states champion, will be in a tough battle with Upper Dublin and Cumberland Valley for the second spot on the podium. Cumberland Valley suffered a big defeat at the District 3 meet but should bounce back at States.
PennTrackXC.com PIAA State Champs Preview
Also on the line is a berth to the Mid-East Regional Championship. The top seniors at the state meet will earn an opportunity to represent PA in Ohio.
But this is just a preview with a few predictions, mainly for the fans as they will be fortunate to see an incredible day of racing. For the athletes, I wish you all the best of luck . When Saturday rolls around all the previews and predictions in the world will not matter because the races will not be decided on paper, or the web for that matter, they will be decided over the 3.1 mile layout of the Hershey Parkview Golf Course. Which is why ladies and gentlemen, we run the races.
This has been an epic year for PA and it is just getting started as we enter the championship phase of the season. The depth in PA from an individual and team standpoint has been outstanding and will lead to a day of mind-boggling performances on Saturday.
Girls AA
The big show gets starts off with the girls AA race. There will be three way battle upfront for the individual title between Carly Seymour (Central Cambria), Kacey Gibson (Neshanock), and Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs). This will be the 4th and final time the trio does battle in Hershey. Here's how the last 3 years have broken down.
2004
Gibson 3rd; Millhouse 13th; Seymour 58th
2005
Seymour 1st; Millhouse 7th; Gibson 48th
2006
Gibson 1st; Seymour 2nd; Millhouse 4th
Millhouse has had a steady ascension throughout her career and Seymour and Gibson have both won titles. It will be war and a great way to start the day. All three will be gunning for the title, as it will be another indication of their fitness level before the Foot Locker Northeast Regional. They are focused and ready to lay it on the line over hill and dale in Hershey.
Seymour has some extra motivation as her Central Cambria Red Devils are looking to make it to the podium this year. They narrowly missed it last year with their third place finish. Central Cambria has only lost once this year in PA and that was 1-point defeat to the hands of Lewisburg at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Inivitational. Lewisburg lost one of their triumvirate to a stress fracture but reloaded with two key freshmen. Central Cambria is the team to beat but will face a tough challenge from Lewisburg. I predict after all is said and done, everyone will be be asking if they are the best girls team in the state regardless of AA or AAA classification.
Girls AAA
AAA girls are next on the schedule and will feature District 3 trying to claim both the individual and team title by way of Neely Spence (Shippensburg) and the Northern York Polar Bears. Neely Spence is the defending champ. When she races you see the determination in her eyes. She is on a mission this year. All of her races have been dominating performances as she has yet to be challenged in a race all season. Her first obstacle will likely surface on November 24th at the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, but that's looking ahead. Spence will look to defend her title and as she puts it, "check in on her current racing fitness level."
The race for the team title will be great, perhaps the closest of the day. The three favorites are Emmaus, Northern York, and Latrobe. Emmaus has been ranked number 1 all season by the PennTrackXC.com Top Ten rankings. Northern York and Latrobe continue to get stronger throughout the season. Natalie Bower (Greater Latrobe) and Rachel Wong (Northern York) will battle for the runner-up spot in AAA and hope their teams pack it in tight behind them as they look to upset Emmaus. They will be joined in that chase pack by Meghan Lutz (Nazareth Academy) as she also makes a run at a top-five finish.
Boys AA
In AA boys, the individual race is wide open. Someone will make a name for themselves as they step up and take control of the race in an effort to break the rest of the field. The early favorites are Alex Zubey (Tamaqua), Joe Beveridge (Bishop McDevitt), and Jim Spisak (Bishop McCort). All three won their district meet in a convincing fashion and appear to just be hitting their stride as the season is winding down. The field behind them will not let them get away easy as this is truly anybody's race.
The race for the team title will appear to be a rematch of the District 10 Championship with North East, West Middlesex, and General McLane trading blows once again. McLane was district champ, followed closely by North East and West Middlesex, respectively. They have held the top three spots in the PenntrackXC.com Top Ten Rankings for the last 8 weeks. In 2006, West Middlesex was victorious with General McLane in third. District 10 will try to occupy the top three team spots this year. But in what order? The race will come down to the wire as these three are very closely matched. The team competition will rival AAA girls for the closest of the day.
Boys AAA
The AAA Boys race should be called, Vince McNally (Conestoga Valley) vs. Chris Aldrich (West Chester Henderson): Round 1. Their individual battle has all the makings of heavyweight prizefight. Both were neck and neck the whole race at last year's meet but Aldrich was able to secure a 4th place finish ahead of McNally in fifth, but both athletes were given the same time, 15:29. Jason Weller (Boyertown) ran 15:04 to win last year's title. I think both athletes will beat that time and it will take between 14:50-55 to win. This one is too close to call. They both have had marvelous performances this year and it will definitely be a great race to close out the day. Several athletes will give chase to these two including Mark Denin (Boyertown), but Aldrich and McNally are the class of the field.
North Penn looks to keep the team title in District 1 as they continue their phenomenal season. They have dominated all foes that have come their way. If their #2 all-time average at the Manhattan Invite is not an indication of how special this team is, I don't know what is. North Allegheny, the preseason #1 and pre-states champion, will be in a tough battle with Upper Dublin and Cumberland Valley for the second spot on the podium. Cumberland Valley suffered a big defeat at the District 3 meet but should bounce back at States.
PennTrackXC.com PIAA State Champs Preview
Also on the line is a berth to the Mid-East Regional Championship. The top seniors at the state meet will earn an opportunity to represent PA in Ohio.
But this is just a preview with a few predictions, mainly for the fans as they will be fortunate to see an incredible day of racing. For the athletes, I wish you all the best of luck . When Saturday rolls around all the previews and predictions in the world will not matter because the races will not be decided on paper, or the web for that matter, they will be decided over the 3.1 mile layout of the Hershey Parkview Golf Course. Which is why ladies and gentlemen, we run the races.
National Power Rankings
The latest MileSplit Foot Locker National Power Rankings were released. PA still has three athletes ranked, Vince McNally of Conestoga Valley (7th), Neely Spence of Shippensburg (3rd), and Carly Seymour of Central Cambria (4th). All three athletes won their respective District Championship this past weekend and will look to continue their winning ways at this weekend's PIAA State Championship.
"He's Hungry"
On October 22nd, Matt and I traveled to Conestoga Valley High School in Lancaster, PA. The purpose of our trip: to spend the afternoon with Vince McNally, Coach Mike Craighead, and the rest of the Conestoga Valley Buckskins. McNally was on a separate schedule from the rest of his teammates. While preparing for the upcoming District 3 meet and a chance to qualify for the state meet, his teammates look on while McNally has his sights firmly planted on the state meet at Hershey; and perhaps further.
McNally's teammates pounded out a hard mile + 4x400 while Vince, with the assistance of a teammate returning from injury, pushed through 5x800. The Buckskins were focused and looked ready for the district meet. Excitement was in the air.
Vince and Coach Craighead said this will be the first time he has been healthy for a full year. His 4:08 mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals being a strong indicator what he was capable of after being healthy for only six to seven months. That begs the question, "What will he be capable of after being healthy for a full year?" The potential answers are all mind-blowing thoughts. Only time will tell what he is capable of, and we should all be happy that we will be able to bear witness to his senior year.
Coach Craighead, a state champion in the 4x800 and 800 himself, knew Vince was a gifted athlete when he saw him run 4:31 as an 8th grader. But he said what separates Vince is his attitude and attention to detail. He does all the little things one needs to do to succeed and personifies that quote, "A little on a little becomes a lot." The progression he has made is staggering in both XC and track. But there are still a few goals he would like to cross off his list before he graduates.
Coach Craighead has a myriad of adjectives to describe Vince: hard-working, humble, relentless, tough, aggressive, and the list goes on, but perhaps the best description he gave was, "He's hungry." It was something that was instilled in his freshman year, as the seniors on the team along with Vince ran 7:40 to win the 4x800 AAA State title. Vince and Coach Craighead both said these past seniors helped to instill an amazing work ethic in Vince and they displayed a ferocious tenacity as they charged after their goal. That work ethic was embedded into Vince's attitude and has morphed into something even greater as he races through his last high school season.
This tenacity roars on as Vince is focused now on the stretch run of the season that includes the state meet, the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, and hopefully a berth to the Foot Locker National Championship. The first of the trifecta is this Saturday, November 3, in Hershey and Vince looks to improve on his previous placings at states (13th-freshman, 4th-sophomore, 5th-junior) and claim the title.
There will be more on Vince leading up to the Foot Locker Regional including his workout video and team interviews. So stay tuned to the Road to San Diego.
McNally's teammates pounded out a hard mile + 4x400 while Vince, with the assistance of a teammate returning from injury, pushed through 5x800. The Buckskins were focused and looked ready for the district meet. Excitement was in the air.
Vince and Coach Craighead said this will be the first time he has been healthy for a full year. His 4:08 mile at Nike Outdoor Nationals being a strong indicator what he was capable of after being healthy for only six to seven months. That begs the question, "What will he be capable of after being healthy for a full year?" The potential answers are all mind-blowing thoughts. Only time will tell what he is capable of, and we should all be happy that we will be able to bear witness to his senior year.
Coach Craighead, a state champion in the 4x800 and 800 himself, knew Vince was a gifted athlete when he saw him run 4:31 as an 8th grader. But he said what separates Vince is his attitude and attention to detail. He does all the little things one needs to do to succeed and personifies that quote, "A little on a little becomes a lot." The progression he has made is staggering in both XC and track. But there are still a few goals he would like to cross off his list before he graduates.
Coach Craighead has a myriad of adjectives to describe Vince: hard-working, humble, relentless, tough, aggressive, and the list goes on, but perhaps the best description he gave was, "He's hungry." It was something that was instilled in his freshman year, as the seniors on the team along with Vince ran 7:40 to win the 4x800 AAA State title. Vince and Coach Craighead both said these past seniors helped to instill an amazing work ethic in Vince and they displayed a ferocious tenacity as they charged after their goal. That work ethic was embedded into Vince's attitude and has morphed into something even greater as he races through his last high school season.
This tenacity roars on as Vince is focused now on the stretch run of the season that includes the state meet, the Foot Locker Northeast Regional, and hopefully a berth to the Foot Locker National Championship. The first of the trifecta is this Saturday, November 3, in Hershey and Vince looks to improve on his previous placings at states (13th-freshman, 4th-sophomore, 5th-junior) and claim the title.
There will be more on Vince leading up to the Foot Locker Regional including his workout video and team interviews. So stay tuned to the Road to San Diego.
Monday, October 29, 2007
PA Independent Schools State Championship
Germantown Friends kept their winning streak alive and stayed perfect in PA as they won the PA Independent Schools State Championship. Just as he has done all season, Max Kaulbach lead the charge with a victory in 15:46. His teammates followed closed behind him as the spread through five was sixty-one seconds and the Tigers placed their scoring 5 in the top ten.
Germantown continues on their trek to Nike Team Nationals. The Northeast Regional for Nike Team Nationals is November 24th. Germantown's dominant victory should keep them at number 2 for the PennTrackXC.com Top Ten Rankings and at number 5 for the Northeast Region. They have a great shot to make it and the important thing is that they will get that shot at regionals and must take full advantage of their opportunity.
Germantown continues on their trek to Nike Team Nationals. The Northeast Regional for Nike Team Nationals is November 24th. Germantown's dominant victory should keep them at number 2 for the PennTrackXC.com Top Ten Rankings and at number 5 for the Northeast Region. They have a great shot to make it and the important thing is that they will get that shot at regionals and must take full advantage of their opportunity.
Friday, October 26, 2007
Districts Coverage
The electrifying racing weekend was an amazing preview of the upcoming state meet. All of our favorites qualified to states where they will have the opportunity to showcase their abilities.
District 7
The District 7 or the WPIAL meet was on Thursday, October 25. Kacey Gibson started the day off with a bang. Her 18:14 was 75 seconds ahead of second place in the girls AA race. And it would end up being the fastest girls time of the day. Kacey looks poised and ready to defend her state title this week. But she has some tough competition, Carly Seymour and Kara Millhouse, who are looking to dethrone her.
Natalie Bower continued her WPIAL dominance as she won her third title in the girls AAA race. Bower's victory helped to lead her team to the crown as well. Latrobe will look to return to the top of the podium at the state meet as well. I feel they are the team to beat.
David Adley continued his winning ways as held off North Allegheny's Matt Jacob to win the boys AAA race. His victory helped to secure 4th place for Baldwin and get them back to the big show. With their 2-3 placing, North Allegheny won the team title and looks to be on track regain their form of the "dyNAsty days" of the mid 1990s.
District 1
In the AAA girls race at Lehigh, Meghan Lutz was the early leader at the mile, but ended up finishing 4th. Her 18:31 clocking is just a few ticks off of her fast 5k from this year's Nike Outdoor Nationals. She will be ready to go in Hershey and prepared to make a run at the state title.
Chris Aldrich continued his preparations for the state meet and beyond, with a 15:02 victory in the AAA boys race. Aldrich broke away from the field with a 1000m to go, but Mark Denin was able to close the gap before Aldrich put in one final surge down the homestretch to seal the victory. Denin was a close second in 15:06. In Aldrich's post-race interview, he said he felt the strength and speed that wasn't there over the final 800 at Manhattan. He appears to be rounding into form at the right time. He also said all training has been geared for Foot Locker Regionals. Being the competitor that he is, I am sure it will be a great showdown with Vince McNally this weekend.
District 6
We are on-site for the District 6 meet and saw several great races throughout the day. Carly Seymour and the rest of the Red Devils from Central Cambria did not disappoint in the AA girls race. Carly looked strong and relaxed as she broke her own course record by running 17:39. The rest of team used a :38 spread from runners 2 through 5 to claim the title. Their top 5 finished within the top 9 of the race. A very impressive showing by Central Cambria. The team is focused on winning states, after just missing the podium last year with a third place.
Jim Spisak of Bishop McCort dominated the field to win the individual title of the boys AA race. His 16:24 was the fastest boys time of the day. While the AA boys race appears to be up in the air for states, Spisak just marked himself down as a potential favorite with his effort. The other athlete we mentioned, Ben Hatch from Bellwood-Antis, finished in 7th. His race was very controlled and saw him blow by 6 people on the finishing straight. Hopefully he will crank it up another notch at the state meet, and maybe district 6 can go 1-2.
District 3
The final championship of the weekend was on Sunday. District 3 postponed their Saturday meet because of weather. Even with the day wait, there were no surprises as everything pretty much went as planned. Kara Millhouse was victorious in the AA girls race. Millhouse was well in control by 2 miles into the race and maintained her lead over the last mile as she won comfortably in 20:17.
In the girls AAA race, Neely Spence and Rachel Wong went 1-2. Neely was simply Neely as she was by herself at the mile and increased her lead throughout the race as she crossed the line in 19:04. Wong ran a very smart and controlled race as she finished in second place in 19:56. Her runner-up finish lead the Northern York Polar Bears to a dominant team victory, 66-144, over Cumberland Valley. Wong will be in the hunt as individual and in the team race, making her decision of what race to choose on November 24th even more difficult.
The boys AAA race was the last of 2007's District Week. McNally repeated as champ, creating a 5-second advantage by the 2-mile marker. He will add to that lead as he crossed the line in 16:38, 19 seconds ahead of his closest competition. McNally has his eyes set on the state meet and winning the title. From the results, it looks as if the AAA race at states will be a showdown between McNally and Aldrich, a preview of the Foot Locker Northeast Regional.
Great job to all of the competitors and we look forward to seeing everyone step up their game as we move onto the PIAA State Championships.
District 7
The District 7 or the WPIAL meet was on Thursday, October 25. Kacey Gibson started the day off with a bang. Her 18:14 was 75 seconds ahead of second place in the girls AA race. And it would end up being the fastest girls time of the day. Kacey looks poised and ready to defend her state title this week. But she has some tough competition, Carly Seymour and Kara Millhouse, who are looking to dethrone her.
Natalie Bower continued her WPIAL dominance as she won her third title in the girls AAA race. Bower's victory helped to lead her team to the crown as well. Latrobe will look to return to the top of the podium at the state meet as well. I feel they are the team to beat.
David Adley continued his winning ways as held off North Allegheny's Matt Jacob to win the boys AAA race. His victory helped to secure 4th place for Baldwin and get them back to the big show. With their 2-3 placing, North Allegheny won the team title and looks to be on track regain their form of the "dyNAsty days" of the mid 1990s.
District 1
In the AAA girls race at Lehigh, Meghan Lutz was the early leader at the mile, but ended up finishing 4th. Her 18:31 clocking is just a few ticks off of her fast 5k from this year's Nike Outdoor Nationals. She will be ready to go in Hershey and prepared to make a run at the state title.
Chris Aldrich continued his preparations for the state meet and beyond, with a 15:02 victory in the AAA boys race. Aldrich broke away from the field with a 1000m to go, but Mark Denin was able to close the gap before Aldrich put in one final surge down the homestretch to seal the victory. Denin was a close second in 15:06. In Aldrich's post-race interview, he said he felt the strength and speed that wasn't there over the final 800 at Manhattan. He appears to be rounding into form at the right time. He also said all training has been geared for Foot Locker Regionals. Being the competitor that he is, I am sure it will be a great showdown with Vince McNally this weekend.
District 6
We are on-site for the District 6 meet and saw several great races throughout the day. Carly Seymour and the rest of the Red Devils from Central Cambria did not disappoint in the AA girls race. Carly looked strong and relaxed as she broke her own course record by running 17:39. The rest of team used a :38 spread from runners 2 through 5 to claim the title. Their top 5 finished within the top 9 of the race. A very impressive showing by Central Cambria. The team is focused on winning states, after just missing the podium last year with a third place.
Jim Spisak of Bishop McCort dominated the field to win the individual title of the boys AA race. His 16:24 was the fastest boys time of the day. While the AA boys race appears to be up in the air for states, Spisak just marked himself down as a potential favorite with his effort. The other athlete we mentioned, Ben Hatch from Bellwood-Antis, finished in 7th. His race was very controlled and saw him blow by 6 people on the finishing straight. Hopefully he will crank it up another notch at the state meet, and maybe district 6 can go 1-2.
District 3
The final championship of the weekend was on Sunday. District 3 postponed their Saturday meet because of weather. Even with the day wait, there were no surprises as everything pretty much went as planned. Kara Millhouse was victorious in the AA girls race. Millhouse was well in control by 2 miles into the race and maintained her lead over the last mile as she won comfortably in 20:17.
In the girls AAA race, Neely Spence and Rachel Wong went 1-2. Neely was simply Neely as she was by herself at the mile and increased her lead throughout the race as she crossed the line in 19:04. Wong ran a very smart and controlled race as she finished in second place in 19:56. Her runner-up finish lead the Northern York Polar Bears to a dominant team victory, 66-144, over Cumberland Valley. Wong will be in the hunt as individual and in the team race, making her decision of what race to choose on November 24th even more difficult.
The boys AAA race was the last of 2007's District Week. McNally repeated as champ, creating a 5-second advantage by the 2-mile marker. He will add to that lead as he crossed the line in 16:38, 19 seconds ahead of his closest competition. McNally has his eyes set on the state meet and winning the title. From the results, it looks as if the AAA race at states will be a showdown between McNally and Aldrich, a preview of the Foot Locker Northeast Regional.
Great job to all of the competitors and we look forward to seeing everyone step up their game as we move onto the PIAA State Championships.
A Preview of the District Meets
Well this is the next big weekend of racing. All of the top kids made it through Week 1 of the championship stretch, Conference Championships, with flying colors. Now we are onto the District Championships which serve as the qualifier for the state meet.
Runners to watch by district:
District 1
On the girls side, Meghan Lutz seems to be hitting her stride. She ran 18:08 to win her conference meet and serve notice that she is ready for the stretch run. On Friday she will take aim against the rest of the district in Bethlehem, PA, at the spectator-friendly course of Lehigh University. She will have stiff competition from several girls, but she looks to be ready for the task.
Chris Aldrich is the favorite for the boys. His second place finish at the New Balance Manhattan College XC Invite, was a great opener. Coach Kelley said they have been putting in a great deal of quality work, and they will use this race to test the waters a bit. Alrdich will be challenged mainly by Mark Denin of Boyertown, who is having a fine season as well.
District 3
Our largest contingent of potential Foot Locker qualifies lies in the heart of PA (District 3 and 6). In girls AAA, Neely Spence is the favorite. At Mid-Penns she said she tries to use each race as an indicator of her fitness. Look for a very controlled effort from Spence as she is supremely focused on the end of the next three meets (PIAA Championship, Foot Locker Northeast, Foot Locker Championships). Her biggest competition will come from Rachel Wong who will try to lead the Northern York Polar Bears to the district team title. Northern York is looking like they are the team to beat for the state title as well.
Kara Millhouse will look to move up one spot to the top of the podium in the girls AA race, as she finished in second place last year. Kara should be relatively unchallenged which will allow her to use this as tune-up for next weekend's big show down with Carly Seymour and Kacey Gibson.
Vince McNally will try to repeat as champion in the Boys AAA race. Vince has not been challenged all year, and that trend will continue on Saturday as he gives the onlookers a preview of what is to come the following week at states. After witnessing Vince's workout on Monday, there is no doubt in my mind that he is ready to go for the upcoming meets.
District 6
AA reigns supreme in District 6. The top teams and individuals are from the "small" schools. Carly Seymour will lead the charge for her Central Cambria team as they look to repeat as champions. Carly was also victorious last year. The team is firmly focused on Hershey and bringing the team title to Ebensburg.
In the boys AA race, a few Foot Locker dark horses emerge, Jim Spisak and Ben Hatch. Spisak has won just about every race he has run this fall and Hatch has been steadily improving throughout the season. Look for those two to do battle upfront.
District 7
In girls AAA, Natalie Bower will look to win her third crown in as many tries for the Latrobe Wildcats. There will also be a tight team battle, as she looks to get Latrobe back to the top of the podium, Mt. Lebanon dethroned them last year. North Allegheny and Mt. Lebanon (again) will be their toughest opposition.
David Adley will look to keep his winning form as he tries to win his first District XC title. With a win, he might be able to lead the Baldwin Highlanders back to the big show.
Kacey Gibson should be unchallenged in girls AA. The race should serve as tune-up for next week's state championship race, as she looks to repeat as champ. She will have a race on her hand as Kara Millhouse and Carly Seymour have their eyes on the crown as well.
Runners to watch by district:
District 1
On the girls side, Meghan Lutz seems to be hitting her stride. She ran 18:08 to win her conference meet and serve notice that she is ready for the stretch run. On Friday she will take aim against the rest of the district in Bethlehem, PA, at the spectator-friendly course of Lehigh University. She will have stiff competition from several girls, but she looks to be ready for the task.
Chris Aldrich is the favorite for the boys. His second place finish at the New Balance Manhattan College XC Invite, was a great opener. Coach Kelley said they have been putting in a great deal of quality work, and they will use this race to test the waters a bit. Alrdich will be challenged mainly by Mark Denin of Boyertown, who is having a fine season as well.
District 3
Our largest contingent of potential Foot Locker qualifies lies in the heart of PA (District 3 and 6). In girls AAA, Neely Spence is the favorite. At Mid-Penns she said she tries to use each race as an indicator of her fitness. Look for a very controlled effort from Spence as she is supremely focused on the end of the next three meets (PIAA Championship, Foot Locker Northeast, Foot Locker Championships). Her biggest competition will come from Rachel Wong who will try to lead the Northern York Polar Bears to the district team title. Northern York is looking like they are the team to beat for the state title as well.
Kara Millhouse will look to move up one spot to the top of the podium in the girls AA race, as she finished in second place last year. Kara should be relatively unchallenged which will allow her to use this as tune-up for next weekend's big show down with Carly Seymour and Kacey Gibson.
Vince McNally will try to repeat as champion in the Boys AAA race. Vince has not been challenged all year, and that trend will continue on Saturday as he gives the onlookers a preview of what is to come the following week at states. After witnessing Vince's workout on Monday, there is no doubt in my mind that he is ready to go for the upcoming meets.
District 6
AA reigns supreme in District 6. The top teams and individuals are from the "small" schools. Carly Seymour will lead the charge for her Central Cambria team as they look to repeat as champions. Carly was also victorious last year. The team is firmly focused on Hershey and bringing the team title to Ebensburg.
In the boys AA race, a few Foot Locker dark horses emerge, Jim Spisak and Ben Hatch. Spisak has won just about every race he has run this fall and Hatch has been steadily improving throughout the season. Look for those two to do battle upfront.
District 7
In girls AAA, Natalie Bower will look to win her third crown in as many tries for the Latrobe Wildcats. There will also be a tight team battle, as she looks to get Latrobe back to the top of the podium, Mt. Lebanon dethroned them last year. North Allegheny and Mt. Lebanon (again) will be their toughest opposition.
David Adley will look to keep his winning form as he tries to win his first District XC title. With a win, he might be able to lead the Baldwin Highlanders back to the big show.
Kacey Gibson should be unchallenged in girls AA. The race should serve as tune-up for next week's state championship race, as she looks to repeat as champ. She will have a race on her hand as Kara Millhouse and Carly Seymour have their eyes on the crown as well.
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Foot Locker Power Rankings
PA is represented very well in the Foot Locker Power Rankings. Vince McNally (Conestoga Valley) is 6th on the boys side and Neely Spence (Shippensburg) and Carly Seymour (Central Cambria) are 3rd and 4th respectively on the girls side.
They will use their district championship races this weekend to solidify and improve their spots. But all the rankings go out the window come November 24th.
They will use their district championship races this weekend to solidify and improve their spots. But all the rankings go out the window come November 24th.
The word is spreading
Well Ebensburg's best kept secret is out, Carly Seymour and the Central Cambria XC team. After big days at Pre-states, Eastern States, and the Laurel Highlands Conference meet, everyone knows Carly and her team are the ones to beat for the AA State title. Lewisburg appears to be their closest challenger. They beat Central Cambria by 1 point at the Harry Groves Spiked Shoe Invitational. Central Cambria is ranked 5th in the Northeast Region, while Seymour's special season has her ranked 4th in the Foot Locker Power Rankings.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
I Will See Your Effort, and Raise You...
It looks as if the other conferences saw the results from Mid-Penns and decided to up the ante. Mid-Penns was a great race, but it was just the tip of the iceberg as to what was in store for the rest of conference championship week.
Where do I start?
At the Lebanon-Lancaster League meet, Vince McNally was unstoppable. He ran 15:02 for the victory. But let me put that in perspective, his next closest competitor ran 16:20. And yes, it was a record setting performance. Who's record did he break? None other than Craig Miller, the former Manheim Township standout who is now starring for the University of Wisconsin. He beat Craig's time of 15:19 from 2005. It is a great indicator of his fitness level, as Vince begins to make his final push to the end of the season.
At the Ches-Mont League Championship, Chris Aldrich began his final tune-up with a victory in 15:41, 20 seconds ahead of second-place finisher, Chris Bodary (Bishop Shanahan). Aldrich will have some competition next week at the District 1 Championship, as North Penn prepares to close out a great season. Aldrich is really rounding into form as his season is just getting underway.
New to the watch list this week is Natalie Bower. Bower won the Tri-State Coaches Association meet. Her winning time of 18:49 outdistanced the competition by 32 seconds. Bower will look to continue her streak of top-5 finishes at the state meet as she leads her team to a hopeful top-5 finish as well. Bower should definitely move up from her 91st place finish of a year ago. How high can she go? With the type of season she has been having she should get into the top 25. Watch Bower's post-race interview.
Carly Seymour continued their dream season as she and her team won the Laurel Highlands Conference meet. Seymour cruised through the 3 mile course in 17:07, 1:33 ahead of second place finisher, Sarah Strayer. Central Cambria won the team title with a score of 24 over Bishop McCort who tallied 82. Seymour stayed perfect on the year. Next up is the District 6 Championship.
Another newbie to the list is Meghan Lutz (Nazareth Academy) who was victorious at the AACA Championship with a fine time of 18:08, 47 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. Lutz will add depth to PA's strong contingent at the Foot Locker Northeast regional.
Germantown Friends and Max Kaulbach continued their dominance as they won the Friends School League Championships. They appear to be on schedule to make a serious run at the NTN regional on November 24th.
Next up: Districts!
Where do I start?
At the Lebanon-Lancaster League meet, Vince McNally was unstoppable. He ran 15:02 for the victory. But let me put that in perspective, his next closest competitor ran 16:20. And yes, it was a record setting performance. Who's record did he break? None other than Craig Miller, the former Manheim Township standout who is now starring for the University of Wisconsin. He beat Craig's time of 15:19 from 2005. It is a great indicator of his fitness level, as Vince begins to make his final push to the end of the season.
At the Ches-Mont League Championship, Chris Aldrich began his final tune-up with a victory in 15:41, 20 seconds ahead of second-place finisher, Chris Bodary (Bishop Shanahan). Aldrich will have some competition next week at the District 1 Championship, as North Penn prepares to close out a great season. Aldrich is really rounding into form as his season is just getting underway.
New to the watch list this week is Natalie Bower. Bower won the Tri-State Coaches Association meet. Her winning time of 18:49 outdistanced the competition by 32 seconds. Bower will look to continue her streak of top-5 finishes at the state meet as she leads her team to a hopeful top-5 finish as well. Bower should definitely move up from her 91st place finish of a year ago. How high can she go? With the type of season she has been having she should get into the top 25. Watch Bower's post-race interview.
Carly Seymour continued their dream season as she and her team won the Laurel Highlands Conference meet. Seymour cruised through the 3 mile course in 17:07, 1:33 ahead of second place finisher, Sarah Strayer. Central Cambria won the team title with a score of 24 over Bishop McCort who tallied 82. Seymour stayed perfect on the year. Next up is the District 6 Championship.
Another newbie to the list is Meghan Lutz (Nazareth Academy) who was victorious at the AACA Championship with a fine time of 18:08, 47 seconds ahead of her closest competitor. Lutz will add depth to PA's strong contingent at the Foot Locker Northeast regional.
Germantown Friends and Max Kaulbach continued their dominance as they won the Friends School League Championships. They appear to be on schedule to make a serious run at the NTN regional on November 24th.
Next up: Districts!
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Mid-Penn Cross Country Championshps
On Wednesday, October 17, Matt and I traveled to Big Spring HS for the Mid-Penn Conference Championships. It was beautiful drive with many great views along the ride. We were hoping that the race would be able to match the trip.
And it did. The Mid Penn Conference is home to three of the top girls in the state, Neely Spence (Shippensburg), Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs), and Rachel Wong (Northern York). Rachel's Northern York team is also one of the top teams in the state, and will be vying for the AAA title in less than a month.
The weather was warmer than we expected in Newville, PA home of Big Spring HS who played host for the conference championship. You couldn't ask for a better course from a runner's perspective, wide-open alleys to run down, then a wooded section which is the perfect place to make your move and break open the race. And that's just what happened. A pack of about 7-8 girls entered the woods together which is about the mile marker, but when it was time to emerge, one, Neely Spence, clearly had broken things open. Neely would continue to extend her lead all the way to the finish, running 18:37 and winning by 52 seconds.
Next to emerge from the woods was a pack of 3, Kara Millhouse, Racehel Wong, and Kristy Ulrich (Susquenita). Kara kept the pressure on and was able to separate herself and secure second place with a great time of 19:29. Kristy and Rachel were not far behind in 19:31 and 19:42 respectively. Northern York was able to hold off Cumberland Valley in the team portion 73-78. Neely and Kara were both pleased with their races and their preparation as they headed into the championship phase of the season. Rachel was a little disappointed with her performance, but said she would be ready to right the ship by districts.
If this race is any indication of what is in store for the next month and half, then we are in for quite a treat.
Newspaper Articles
Spence wins 1st piece of postseason trifecta (Wouldn't this actually be a Super Yankee if you include Foot Locker Regionals and Finals?)
Mid-Penn Cross Country Championships: Spence smokes opposition
And it did. The Mid Penn Conference is home to three of the top girls in the state, Neely Spence (Shippensburg), Kara Millhouse (Boiling Springs), and Rachel Wong (Northern York). Rachel's Northern York team is also one of the top teams in the state, and will be vying for the AAA title in less than a month.
The weather was warmer than we expected in Newville, PA home of Big Spring HS who played host for the conference championship. You couldn't ask for a better course from a runner's perspective, wide-open alleys to run down, then a wooded section which is the perfect place to make your move and break open the race. And that's just what happened. A pack of about 7-8 girls entered the woods together which is about the mile marker, but when it was time to emerge, one, Neely Spence, clearly had broken things open. Neely would continue to extend her lead all the way to the finish, running 18:37 and winning by 52 seconds.
Next to emerge from the woods was a pack of 3, Kara Millhouse, Racehel Wong, and Kristy Ulrich (Susquenita). Kara kept the pressure on and was able to separate herself and secure second place with a great time of 19:29. Kristy and Rachel were not far behind in 19:31 and 19:42 respectively. Northern York was able to hold off Cumberland Valley in the team portion 73-78. Neely and Kara were both pleased with their races and their preparation as they headed into the championship phase of the season. Rachel was a little disappointed with her performance, but said she would be ready to right the ship by districts.
If this race is any indication of what is in store for the next month and half, then we are in for quite a treat.
Newspaper Articles
Spence wins 1st piece of postseason trifecta (Wouldn't this actually be a Super Yankee if you include Foot Locker Regionals and Finals?)
Mid-Penn Cross Country Championships: Spence smokes opposition
Sunday, October 14, 2007
PA makes it mark at the New Balance Manhattan Invite
WOW!!!
What a day Pennsylvania had at Van Cortlandt Park aka Vanny.
Carly Seymour wins Eastern States by setting a new course record (Carly's 13:55 broke Nicole Blood's record of 13:57) and leading her team to a 9th place finish. Considering Nicole Blood's record at Vanny, countless Foot Locker Northeast Regional titles plus a US Junior National crown, it puts Carly in very elite company. Emmaus would finish in 11th, they were separated by US #2 Midlothian in 10th. Fayetteville Manlius showed why they are #1 as they dominated the field, and beat runner-up Saratoga Springs, 87-159.
The great day PA had didn't stop there. North Penn sent a message to all of PA and the nation as they had the fastest team average of the day, 12:57, in Boys Varsity D race. Not only was it the fastest of the day, but it is the 2nd fastest all-time average. Very impressive considering all of the teams that run the invite year after year. Bradd DelMuto would be very proud of his alma mater.
Max Kaulbach (12:27) and Chris Aldrich (12:38) go 1-2 in the Boys Varsity E race. The race lived up to its billing, but in the end, Max was a little more race sharp than Chris, but it's only October and there is plenty of racing left. Germantown Friends won the team title as well, while West Chester Henderson was 4th. Barring some unforeseen occurrence, this race all but solidified Germantown Friends will be racing NTN Regionals, so Max will not be at Van Cortlandt Park on the 24th. But Chris Aldrich will. What a great opener for him. It appears everything is heading in the right direction, as he heads into the championship portion of his season.
What a day Pennsylvania had at Van Cortlandt Park aka Vanny.
Carly Seymour wins Eastern States by setting a new course record (Carly's 13:55 broke Nicole Blood's record of 13:57) and leading her team to a 9th place finish. Considering Nicole Blood's record at Vanny, countless Foot Locker Northeast Regional titles plus a US Junior National crown, it puts Carly in very elite company. Emmaus would finish in 11th, they were separated by US #2 Midlothian in 10th. Fayetteville Manlius showed why they are #1 as they dominated the field, and beat runner-up Saratoga Springs, 87-159.
The great day PA had didn't stop there. North Penn sent a message to all of PA and the nation as they had the fastest team average of the day, 12:57, in Boys Varsity D race. Not only was it the fastest of the day, but it is the 2nd fastest all-time average. Very impressive considering all of the teams that run the invite year after year. Bradd DelMuto would be very proud of his alma mater.
Max Kaulbach (12:27) and Chris Aldrich (12:38) go 1-2 in the Boys Varsity E race. The race lived up to its billing, but in the end, Max was a little more race sharp than Chris, but it's only October and there is plenty of racing left. Germantown Friends won the team title as well, while West Chester Henderson was 4th. Barring some unforeseen occurrence, this race all but solidified Germantown Friends will be racing NTN Regionals, so Max will not be at Van Cortlandt Park on the 24th. But Chris Aldrich will. What a great opener for him. It appears everything is heading in the right direction, as he heads into the championship portion of his season.
Setting the Stage for the Weekend
Shakespeaere wrote, "All the world's a stage, And all the men and women merely players...", well they will be no greater stage this weekend than the one at Van Cortlandt Park. Many questions will be answered this weekend. The biggest question will be how good is Carly Seymour and her Central Cambria team. They will be traveling to the "Five Boroughs" to race in the New Balance Manhattan College XC Invitational. They will be competing in the Girls Eastern States Division. All of the top NY teams will be there including, Saratoga Springs, Fayetteville Manlius, and Shenendehowa. Plus Super 25 #2 Midlothian (VA) will be making the trek North as well. Emmaus #1 ranked team in the PennTrackXC.com Top Ten will look to make their mark as well. It is an intriguing matchup because it is probably the only this year will get to see the #1 team in AA and AAA do battle. Good Luck to both squads.
On the boys side, Chris Aldrich will make his debut this season at meet as well. His West Chester Henderson team is in the same section as #1 ranked PennTrackXC.com Top Ten and #10 in the Super 25, Germantown Friends. It should be a great battle between the two teams, and their #1 runners, as Max Kaulbach looks to continue his great season. Also in action at Van Cortlandt Park, North Penn will look to validate their #2 PennTrackXC.com Top Ten ranking as they take their show on the road. It looks to be a great day of races, and a perfect warmup for "Conference Week" which hits PA in full force next week.
On the boys side, Chris Aldrich will make his debut this season at meet as well. His West Chester Henderson team is in the same section as #1 ranked PennTrackXC.com Top Ten and #10 in the Super 25, Germantown Friends. It should be a great battle between the two teams, and their #1 runners, as Max Kaulbach looks to continue his great season. Also in action at Van Cortlandt Park, North Penn will look to validate their #2 PennTrackXC.com Top Ten ranking as they take their show on the road. It looks to be a great day of races, and a perfect warmup for "Conference Week" which hits PA in full force next week.
Statement at Steel City
By the title I am not referring to the Steelers beating the Seahawks 21-0, but Vince McNally's 15:36 clocking, which was a 29 second victory over Mark Denin, at the Steel City Inivational hosted by Coatesville. McNally has had quite the progression at Steel City, 16:30 in 2004 for third, 15:56 in 2005 for second , did not race in 2006, and this year's 15:36 victory. His time is 11 seconds faster than last year's eventual state champion, Jason Weller. McNally is a force and he is leaving no stone unturned in his final high school season. Coatesville won the boys' team title for the 4th consecutive year.
Rachel Wong's second place finish lead Northern York to the girls team title. Rachel is having a great season and is helping her team reach new heights. They were 8th at states last year. With Rachel and the team improving so quickly, I forsee a Foot Locker-NTN conflict on the horizon. They are definitely going to surprise some people down the road. With Rachel's effort and her team's continued success, she has made the Road to San Diego Watchlist.
Rachel Wong's second place finish lead Northern York to the girls team title. Rachel is having a great season and is helping her team reach new heights. They were 8th at states last year. With Rachel and the team improving so quickly, I forsee a Foot Locker-NTN conflict on the horizon. They are definitely going to surprise some people down the road. With Rachel's effort and her team's continued success, she has made the Road to San Diego Watchlist.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Van Cortlandt Park aka Vanny
With the brisk temperatures rolling in this weekend, Fall is truly upon us. And with that, we are six weeks away from Foot Locker Regionals. As always, they are being held at one of the most storied courses in the country, Van Cortlandt Park or just simply "Vanny". Racing there is special. An opportunity to test yourself against the scores of people who have raced through the park and experienced the "Back Hills". The "Back Hills" is the location where the race generally breaks open. The finish is deceiving. When you slip out of the woods, you can see the finish in the distance, but it is not as close as you wished it was, it is still about a half-mile away.
The following piece is excerpted from "Cross Country Running" by Marc Bloom, editor, The Harrier:
"Van Cortlandt Park is America's cross country Mecca. It is not paradise by any means. It has not the prettiest course nor the most difficult. It does not have the best facilities. It is just that it lies smack in the middle of the most populous megalopolis, in an area rich in cross country tradition, where sponsors and those of influence have chosen to operate. Located as it is on the fringe of New York City, Van Cortlandt is most accessible. Public transportation funnels there from every neighborhood in the city. The subways are close by. Highways and turnpikes touch the park from distant locales in neighboring states.
"Therefore, in a given season, more runners race its trails than any other cross country site in the nation, if not the world. There are several distinct programs that merge at "Vanny" as it is called. The biggest is for the high schools. Manhattan College (and before it NYU), and Fordham University sponsor meets with a combined entry in excess of 10,000....over the "time tested" 2.5 mile course.
"At the Foot Locker Northeast Qualifier the high schoolers move up to the 5000m, the same route now used by women competing at the collegiate level. Essentially, it's the first 3.1 miles of the famed five mile course. When the men's college teams compete, they pass through the 5,000m finish area, then another two-mile loop remains. The flats are repeated, then along the cowpath a sharp left is taken up onto the infamous Cemetery Hill, a steep, rocky incline about 4.2m into the college run. "Cemetery" --that's the way it's referred to--just "Cemetery"--rises about a hundred feet during its length of about 300 yards. Its peak stands 150 feet above sea level. It's a killer alright, and the jibes abound. Runners die up there. They're dead and buried, laid to rest. Its name is so perfectly suited for the cross country assignment that one would assume running there had some historical relationship to it. Not so."
The following piece is excerpted from "Cross Country Running" by Marc Bloom, editor, The Harrier:
"Van Cortlandt Park is America's cross country Mecca. It is not paradise by any means. It has not the prettiest course nor the most difficult. It does not have the best facilities. It is just that it lies smack in the middle of the most populous megalopolis, in an area rich in cross country tradition, where sponsors and those of influence have chosen to operate. Located as it is on the fringe of New York City, Van Cortlandt is most accessible. Public transportation funnels there from every neighborhood in the city. The subways are close by. Highways and turnpikes touch the park from distant locales in neighboring states.
"Therefore, in a given season, more runners race its trails than any other cross country site in the nation, if not the world. There are several distinct programs that merge at "Vanny" as it is called. The biggest is for the high schools. Manhattan College (and before it NYU), and Fordham University sponsor meets with a combined entry in excess of 10,000....over the "time tested" 2.5 mile course.
"At the Foot Locker Northeast Qualifier the high schoolers move up to the 5000m, the same route now used by women competing at the collegiate level. Essentially, it's the first 3.1 miles of the famed five mile course. When the men's college teams compete, they pass through the 5,000m finish area, then another two-mile loop remains. The flats are repeated, then along the cowpath a sharp left is taken up onto the infamous Cemetery Hill, a steep, rocky incline about 4.2m into the college run. "Cemetery" --that's the way it's referred to--just "Cemetery"--rises about a hundred feet during its length of about 300 yards. Its peak stands 150 feet above sea level. It's a killer alright, and the jibes abound. Runners die up there. They're dead and buried, laid to rest. Its name is so perfectly suited for the cross country assignment that one would assume running there had some historical relationship to it. Not so."
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Road To San Diego
Where do journeys begin? How do they begin? The answer is different for everyone. But for the Road to San Diego we are not concerning ourselves with everyone. We are focusing on the top PA talent in cross country, as they continue their trek to qualify for the Footlocker National Championships in San Diego, CA. They have one shot to make it, November 24th in the Bronx, at the famous Van Cortland Park. The top cross country runners in the Northeast region will compete for the coveted spots, 10 boys and girls each, to earn a trip to the sun of San Diego and a chance to compete against the nation's best on the famed Balboa Park course.
But another question also rises? Why follow PA athletes this year? What makes it more special? There are several answers to that question. After Neely Spence and Carly Seymour finished 9th and 10th at last years National Championship, then followed that up with gold medals at the PIAA State meet and Nike All-American awards, it was a big sign that this year was going to be special. Not only that, Vince McNally narrowly missed last year's race (13th place). He then went on a tear and had a superb track season, one which saw him win gold at states and then run 4:08 at Nike Outdoor Nationals. These efforts made him the person to beat in AAA. Kacey Gibson also just missed making the trip to San Diego (12th place) and was the only Pennsylvanian to defeat Seymour in XC, and she did it on the grandest of stages, at the state meet. Plus Kara Millhouse, David Adley, Mark Denin, Meghan Lutz, Chris Aldrich, Natalie Bower, and Max Kaulbach, will also be looking to make a splash in New York. Hmm…Yes I said New York and not specifically the Bronx, because two of our athletes might run into a conflict, Seymour and Kaulbach. Why is a conflict possibly heading their way? Well it’s not their fault, but their blessing. They happen to be on two of the best teams in the Northeast. Guess the date of the Nike Team Nationals Northeast Regional? Yes that's right, November 24th at another location in New York. But we will have to see how those situations play out over these next 10 weeks or so.
Not only do we have the superstars with the loaded resumes, we are also looking for a darkhorse or two that could surprise some people come November. The runner who is hovering just below the radar waiting for their big performance, to shine when they the light is on them. These people can be hard to find. But sometimes all the people who are on the cusp need is a break, a chance where there wasn’t one before, and once they get that chance, look out, because they will do amazing things. As Shakespeare said, “Now bid me run, And I will strive with things impossible, Yea, get the better of them.” So we will need to keep our eyes open as the season progresses so we don’t miss anything special.
But another question also rises? Why follow PA athletes this year? What makes it more special? There are several answers to that question. After Neely Spence and Carly Seymour finished 9th and 10th at last years National Championship, then followed that up with gold medals at the PIAA State meet and Nike All-American awards, it was a big sign that this year was going to be special. Not only that, Vince McNally narrowly missed last year's race (13th place). He then went on a tear and had a superb track season, one which saw him win gold at states and then run 4:08 at Nike Outdoor Nationals. These efforts made him the person to beat in AAA. Kacey Gibson also just missed making the trip to San Diego (12th place) and was the only Pennsylvanian to defeat Seymour in XC, and she did it on the grandest of stages, at the state meet. Plus Kara Millhouse, David Adley, Mark Denin, Meghan Lutz, Chris Aldrich, Natalie Bower, and Max Kaulbach, will also be looking to make a splash in New York. Hmm…Yes I said New York and not specifically the Bronx, because two of our athletes might run into a conflict, Seymour and Kaulbach. Why is a conflict possibly heading their way? Well it’s not their fault, but their blessing. They happen to be on two of the best teams in the Northeast. Guess the date of the Nike Team Nationals Northeast Regional? Yes that's right, November 24th at another location in New York. But we will have to see how those situations play out over these next 10 weeks or so.
Not only do we have the superstars with the loaded resumes, we are also looking for a darkhorse or two that could surprise some people come November. The runner who is hovering just below the radar waiting for their big performance, to shine when they the light is on them. These people can be hard to find. But sometimes all the people who are on the cusp need is a break, a chance where there wasn’t one before, and once they get that chance, look out, because they will do amazing things. As Shakespeare said, “Now bid me run, And I will strive with things impossible, Yea, get the better of them.” So we will need to keep our eyes open as the season progresses so we don’t miss anything special.
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