Saints/Cavaliers Invitational: A Beautiful Day in the Sun

Race #1: 10,000m (men and women combined)
Goal: Establish a strong early pace and run even splits through 8k.


The women...This race was headlined by the famous "Coach Ponytail" making her outdoor track debut. The late-bloomer took all the drama out of her debut performance by taking the lead from the gun and pulling away from a race field comprised of collegiate runners. By a mile into the race it was clear that the lead was 20 seconds and by the mid-way point she was already lapping slower runners. With just over a mile to go every other runner in the women's race had been lapped and she began closing on the tail end of the men's race. When it was all said and done she closed out the 10k wire-to-wire victory with strong kick in front of an appreciative crowd of spectators.

The men....The flavor of this race was defined early by T-Birds at the front. In the men's race Eric & Peter took a lead they never relinquished. Both running the first 10,000 meters of their college careers the plan was a conservative early effort. Peter set the pace and lead for the first 2 miles of the race with Eric running right on his shoulder resembling the teamwork of a cross country race. From the 2 mile Eric and Peter took turns setting pace as the east side wind blustered around the Mt. Hood Community College track. At the 4 mile point the pace began to take it's toll, but the dynamic duo regrouped with a mile to go in preparation for a big push to the finish. With a half mile to go Eric surged ahead and opened a 20 meter lead...Peter easily could have run conservatively and cruised in for a second place, but he regrouped and closed the gap over the next 5oo meters and made a crowd pleasing move with 200 meters remaining to quickly putting a 10 meter gap on Eric. Passing lapped runners in the final 100 meters, Eric answered the move and closed the gap as the rumble from the grandstands built to an eruption as the cheering crowd rose to their feet to show their appreciation for the effort. As both finished shoulder to shoulder after 10,000 meters the race was decided by lean at the tape as Peter narrowly edged Eric by a mere .20. Peter's 34:44.38 qualified him for NWAAC's and Eric's 34:44.58 was nearly a 2 minute improvement to his personal best. The future is bright for these young runners who will begin training together this summer in preparation for cross country.

Race #2: 1500 meters (Joe)
Goal: Running only the third race of his budding track career Joe's goal was to lower his PR in the 1500 by running a conservative early pace and finishing with a strong kick. In his last 1500 he ran through the first 400 meters in 67 seconds and learned the hard way about the importance of a lactate threshold. Today he ran the first 400 meters in 71 seconds and was able to cruise the mid-point of the race in what would have been a PR for 800. The conservative early pace paid dividends as he was able to power home the last 200 dropped his lifetime best by another :03. With 1 race left in his rookie track season Joe is poised to end his season on a high note at the Conference Championships in 2 weeks.

RECAP: Warner Pac Mini-Meet

1500m: (Men and women combined into one race)
GOAL: (Joe/Flynn/Zinzile/Jessica) Gain race experience and a PR if things play out right.

The race got out fast but the unflappable Flynn gave us a glimpse of his potential coming through the first 400 in 65 seconds tucked in right behind the race leaders and Joe followed close behind in the chase group.

Zinzile cruised through the first 400 meters in 85 seconds right in the mix with the race leading women and Jessica ripped through the first 400 in 1:32, well ahead of her lifetime best for the distance.

The terrific opening lap for our newbies didn't come without a price. Heading into the second lap Flynn battled to maintain contact with the leaders and Joe worked hard to defend his position in the chase. Zinzile slid slightly off the back of the lead group and Jessica lost contact with the race.

In the third lap the race leaders pushed the pace, Flynn met the 300 lb. gorilla that lurks in turn 3 and Joe closed the gap along with the rest of the chase group. By the end of the lap the chase had caught up with Flynn and turned the final 300 meters into an exciting chase for a personal best. In the final stretch the room-mates and training partners ended up shoulder to shoulder with the Flynn out-pacing his team-mate with a lean at the line to finish in 4:48.

The ladies put in strong efforts and gained valuable experience that will reap benefits next fall in cross country.

Flynn: 65, 75, XX, 4:48
Joe: 72, 78, XX, 4:48
Zinzile: 85, 2:55, XX...5:48
Jessica: 92, 3:30, XX...7:30


4x800m Relay:
GOAL: Have some fun, get a fast effort and post a mark so that we would qualify to enter a team at Conference.

Leg 1(Eric): Got out strong with a terrific first lap taking the lead 200 meters into the race. After a strong push from the Warner Pac runner with 300 meters to go he put in a big surge and gained separation in the final 200. (61/65...2:06)

Leg 2(Shane): Taking the stick with a lead Shane battled through the first lap in solid position before running the second lap with an untied shoelace and no 800 meter race experience. Even so, he got the stick to Flynn for the 3rd leg firmly connected to the race leaders. (65/68...2:13)

Leg 3(Flynn) and Leg 4(Joe): Having already run lifetime bests in the 1500m this was going to be gravy. Both guys were pretty worked after their first race and neither had ever run an 800m so the warmup consisted of downing an energy gel and replacing fluids. Both were game, even if their legs weren't as cooperative as they would have liked. Flynn mustered a 2:27 (67/80) and Joe posted a 2:31 (73/78).

All in all a terrific glimpse at what lies ahead for the program.

GO THUNDERBIRDS,
Coach Howard
Cascade Cross Country/Track & Field