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State Coaches Invitational - '05

The term rolling has a very specific connotation in cross country. You hear it often when college coaches and athletes talk about the middle and latter stages of a race. At the beginning of a race it is all about building. In the latter stages it is about maintaining the early momentum and maybe even bringing it up another notch. So when some of the weaker athletes are trying to hold on in the final stages, the fit athletes just keep it rolling. It is the perfect state of being.

 

I feel like my team's season has been like that. With over half the top 7 being new to the team, it took a while for the pieces to fall into place. It was about building and trying to create some speed. But by the last dual meet they had found their stride and now they are just rolling. Every chance they get they build a little more momentum. They are nowhere near wanting the season to end, well aware that each time out they are going to improve. It is a combination of increasing fitness, ever increasing confidence and a great appreciation of the “here and know”. By that, I mean they love each moment of the season for what it is. So the season is winding down for some teams, but we feel like we're still rolling.

The State Coaches Invitational was just another step in the process. It started with the sophomore race. This was the first race ever on a course that just might become “THE” course for eastern Massachusetts. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the unveiling of the new course at Wrentham Developmental Center.

Sara Krasney and Katie Noll were NA's two entries in that inaugural race. “Kras” put in some serious early race surges, bounding through the mile in 6:10. With 800M to go she was in 12 th and she caught one more runner to finish 11 th in 20:34 – a PR for this distance. Katie dipped under 24 minutes for the first time, posting 80 th place in 23:28. Total runners in the race were 210.

Now before I go any further, let me say a few more things about the course. Yes, it ran fast – but its not easy. Maybe there are no big hills, but there aren't too many flat areas either. There are a lot of breaks in rhythm due to turns, drops, rises and uneven footing.   I expect that if Franklin Park is in good condition next Saturday, times will run much the same.

In the freshman race NA had one entry, Katie Czepiel. She got to toe the line with 221 other runners. Word has it that she was nervous about how she would do. But as always, she dug down right away and put herself in a position to place high. The race was only 3K, not exactly to her advantage since her endurance is her strong point. Nonetheless, Katie flew in at 25 th place in a time of 14:18.
 

 

North had four entries in the junior/senior race. There was a little pre-race excitement as Djerica Lamousnery was stung by a bee just ten minutes before the gun. So her last prep before running was icing the area. DJ decided to compete anyway, breaking 29 minutes for the first time with a 27:06 – good for 215 th out of 240 finishers.
Jenna Banks had NA's highest placement – 6 th – with her first sub-20 5K. At 19:45 she came in between two runners that had beaten her by over a minute earlier in the year.
Stephanie McNamara had a breakthrough race running 20:23 and placing 14 th . She and Marrah Fry (both juniors) sat in the top 20 early and Steph was able to hang on. Marrah also medaled placing 37 th in 21:42.
In all, North brought home five medals on the day. They like the course – just one more step at keeping it rolling.