States

Another year, Come and gone.

So i'm just going to start with saying, Cross Country is my favorite sport, You get to know your teammates really well and end up like a family.
This year, the entire team has been making phenomenal leaps in amazingness.

Now, I don't actually remember that much from this race, i don't know if thats a good thing or not, so this may be a short post.

Ms. Fournier told us to go out conservatively or else we would overwork ourselves in that first 400 meters. That is the last time i listen to her on something like that. I went out, not slow, but not as fast as i would have. And because we were in box 7, right in the middle, i got boxed in. So I had to make my way to the outside, and then i sprinted past people to get up higher in places. The race went kind of downhill from there.

I reached the first mile, and since i wasn't quite sure where it was I took the latter one, which was the marking on the tree, and clocked myself at 5:30. I figured, that for a first mile that wasn't terrible, although i wish i was doing better. I tried to push it there, however right before we came out of the woods for a second time, Jake, our number 2 runner passed me. I knew Jake was having an amazing race, he had been right on my tail the entire time, but I didn't plan on letting him stay ahead of me. So right before we came out of the woods i passed him back.


The section of woods where you go back in, and get to the 2 mile mark is where i failed. I had jake right behind me the entire time, and so i was able to keep a good pace, but i really didn't make any moves and i should have. I passed through the 2 mile mark at about a 5:40, which put me 18 seconds ahead of last week!!! This gave me energy and I started to make some moves. I passed the scarborough kid who had been pacing off me the entire time and continued forwards.

Next thing I remember is going down the hill before you take a right and go to the finish, i tried to pick it up around this corner, while holding some people off. As I continued down the stretch to the finish chute, i had nothing left, i kept trying to accelerate but just couldn't. A kid from windham blew past me, and i knew that was it, i couldn't let him get too far ahead. I began to accelerate all out, and just went kinda crazy




I managed to edge out the lawrence kid again by mere seconds and crossed the finish line with nothing left. I ran a 17:31, which I knew was incredibly well on this course, especially since my PR was a 17:27 at Belfast, however I was disappointed that because I had gone out a bit slower, I was playing catch-up the entire time and didn't have much energy. However I was incredibly impressed and proud of Jake, our number 2, who ran a 17:37 and PR'd by 30 seconds!




So, with another season gone, i'm wicked excited for next year, however am very sad at the seniors we are losing. Especially Stephen Purcell who began talking to me at the beginning of Indoor track, and really got me to know other runners. And Melody Lam, who also talks to me sometimes.
I am going to miss all the seniors, even if you haven't talked to me that much, you are great competition, and next year I will have fewer runners to run against.

Questions

So I know for me, and quite a few of my team mates ask ourselves many questions while we do our runs.
The main one is

Do other teams talk about us??

What I mean by this, is that, whenever we are doing our long runs, we talk about the upcoming meet. Like for KVACs we were trying to decide, obviously Will and Kelton and Jason are main topics, but other then them we usually discuss what people from there team we want to to beat. Like for the week before Mt. blue Relays, and KVACs we mostly discussed trying to beat Brody, he was our main hope at beating Mt. Blue. Earlier in our season it was more about beating Alonzo and Scarponi. The main question that we always ask each other on runs, is do other teams talk about us. I mean obviously we don't have fast runners like Will, or kelton, but we have decent ones, So we always try to figure that out.

Other then that the other question is
What do you guys do for a workout, cause whatever it is, it works?
Obviously for boys when i say it works i mean for will and kelton and jason, but they are just pretty awesome runners anyways.

So thats my mid week blog, i'll let you know how states go saturday night or sunday morning, I'm sure everyone is oh so excited for those posts. Good luck to all of you running in states with me,e i'll see you there!

Eastern Maine Regionals

Yesterday morning our team was greeted with bad news as we sat on the bus waiting for everyone to arrive. Our number 2 runner, Jake was running late because he thought that bus wasn't supposed to leave until 7:30 as supposed to 7:00. We called him up and he got in his car to head over. On his way he called again with the bad news that he had gotten in an accident and for us to leave without him. Luckily it wasn't bad he has just gone off the road, however he did total his car.

With that bad news we started off. We ended up being the 2nd team to arrive (Mt. Blue beating us by minutes because of our wrong turn) we all unloaded and went STRAIGHT to the bathroom! After we were done, we went out and walked the course. The conditions were much better then last year, there being a ton less mud, however the one big downside was that there was a lot of wind!

The girls race went first and it was pretty crazy. I know i shouldn't have been but when I saw melody out in front I was glad that she was having a better race this week then she did last, plus I knew our girls had it in them to win anyways. Going into the last half mile Katie from Brunswick pulled ahead of Kate by a couple of feet. But then they crested the hill Kate had pulled back ahead by quite a bit.

The girls managed to squeak by with a 4 point lead on Mt. Blue to win. Finally it was our turn. Approaching the starting line I was a bit nervous. We didn't have our number 2 runner, and Colin Swan was running instead. If there was a runner I would want running on varsity its colin, I don't know why, but when we did our strides having colin there next to me just felt right. The main worry was that without Jake we might not have enough to get in the top off. I was rather confident that I would be able to make it (being number 14 last week) but I was really hoping we would make it was a team, we have all worked our Asses off for this race and we deserve to all go no just one. The gun went off and I BOOKED it out of there. I think everyone went out a bit fast to counter-act the amount of wind there was. I was happy to hear after the race that Colin Cundy and Nick D. Were both RIGHT behind me for that first mile, and the three of us were very close behind Will, Kelton, and Jason.

My goal for the day was to run with Will Lundquist from Cony. I went out with him for the first mile (running a 5:15) but then he managed to pull ahead going up the long grass hill. I started to hurt my second mile and felt like I slowed down, but when i reached the second mile and took my split I was surprised, I had run a 5:58, one second faster then I did at KVACS, my only thought then was that I was going to have to run a very fast third mile if i wanted to run sub 17.

I really love the last mile at Belfast because it feels a lot shorter then it actually is. As I went across the bridge I had the Lewiston and Lawrence kid right in front of me. Those were the two I was going for. Going through the little dip roller-coaster is where I made up ground, and cresting that is where I passed the Lewiston kid. I managed to hold him off until taking the turn that brings us back around to the finish sprint. I could not get myself moving until i crested that hill at the very end. Then I started moving. I blew past the lawrence kid and ended up only 2 seconds behind the lewiston kid with a time of 17:27

I was happy with the fact that I got 17:27 and placed 12th which meant I moved up 2 places. However I was mad at the fact that I wasn't able to keep up with Will Lundquist or get a sub 17. However I am now ranked 32 in the state for class A, so if I run fast enough, i may have a small Chance at making it too New Englands, but that chance is very very small.

me ranting

soo i was really looking forward to Regionals tomorrow!! i have been getting TONS of sleep, and getting pumped
AND THEN THEY HAD TO GO AND POSTPONE!
MPA bugs me! a ton, last year we had the track issue, and now they wont let us run tomorrow...
and the forecast for tomorrow
47º and 10% of precipitation
so i ask you, why can't we run, I thought cross country was about running in all sorts of weather, in all sorts of conditions, and yet when its going to be only rain, they cancel, which screws up our training
so that was my little rant
i hope you enjoyed it
ill see you all in one week for regionals now i guess

KVAC

so yesterday for me was a BLAST! approaching the meet i wasn't sure if i was ready or not because i felt a bit tired and like I couldn't get my legs moving. I had decided to go out fast, the course bottlenecks pretty quickly and so you'll get boxed in otherwise. For some reason I felt like treating today like a USATF meet and not any of the others, which I now realize is a mistake. However I saw the girls start and the adrenaline starting pumping. The girls had a bit of a rocky start thanks to a bad command to the starter, but everyone got off okay. Watching Kate get first REALLY got me pumped. As we approached the starting line to do strides I mentioned to Jake, Nick, and Colin "I'm going out fast, I hope your with me" Jake had already sad that by the first mile we would the four of us be packing, but I wasn't completely positive about this, because usually the races start, i'm 4th for the team and I try to get people to rope onto me as I pass them.

So we did some strides, and on our final one we all circled close and did our chant. It was really nice to finally be at the wiked important meets. So we are on the line ready, the starter gives the command. and BANG off goes the gun. I BOOK it. I was up with the front group for awhile, Liam Cassidy didn't pass me until about where the 200 mark from the finish was (this is very good for me.) I kept close to that group, but more importantly didn't get boxed in at all, so I knew I was running as well as I could. I just kind of went with the flow for the first mile, surging occasionally, and making sure to push up the hills. I reach the mile marker, slap my watch so it will save the time and hear Colin Swan yell out my time "5:20 andy!" this got me wicked pumped and I surged a bit harder. This race was definitely my best so far, and I was having lots of fun. I'll skip ahead cause most of this part is a blur except i remember getting a bit of a cramp and slowing down a bit. Going over the bridge right before the long grass hill is where 2 lewiston kids passed me. I pushed it as hard as I could up that hill, and from the top of that hill to the 2nd mile mark was definitely the hardest part of the course for me. I reached the 2nd mile mark and heard "11:19" From Dakota who was there. I didn't get it, how did I run a faster 2 mile here then at the relays last week? I didn't care, I knew I still had the hardest part of the course left, however it was also a nice downhill before then, so i just let myself go with it. Reaching the hill I pushed, I pushed and pushed it up the hill and felt like I was going to die a the top. But I didn't, and so I kept going, and made it around and back onto the grassy section. As I reached the back side of the grassy field i made a quick look at my watch and saw 16:44, no sub 18 for me today I thought to myself. Either way I started to pick up speed, and when i crested the tiny little hill i starting sprinting, I tried to focus on what coach had told me about keeping my head in line with my body, and that entire time was the clock clicking upwards with the time, and as i got close i saw 17:43 :44 :45 and I crossed the line! I couldn't believe it, I had PR'd on the hardest course we had raced on yet! it was a great race for me, even if the rest of the team only had good ones. They have good enough ones for us to get 4th overall beating Mt. Blue! and giving us a chance next week if everyone else has a good race!

Race Day Playlist

So with KVACs tomorrow and Regionals and States in the upcoming weeks I have been turning up the music. I have a certain race playlist I listen to on the morning of the race, and some pump up songs the couple of days before.

To some, the playlist makes no sense, because unlike some playlists that just have a lot of really good beat songs.
My playlist starts out pretty slow, and slowly gets faster. Also most songs in it have a certain meaning.
1. Happy Ending -Mika
2. Fix You - Coldplay
3. Desperdao -The Eagles
4. If I should Fall Behind - Bruce Springsteen
4. Thunder Road - Bruce Springsteen
5. In My Eyes -Sam R-P
6. Maho - Sam R-P
7. Sending Me Angels -Delbert McClinton
8. We Have a Say - Sam R-P
9. I don't want to miss a thing -Aerosmith
10. The Weight -The Band
11. Soulshine -Gov't Mule
12. 36 Days -Hawk Nelson
13. Letters to the President -Hawk Nelson
14. Jasons Song -Hawk Nelson
15. Centerfield -John Fogarty
16. Wonderful Day -OAR
17. Zero -Hawk Nelson
18. Happy Ending -Mika
19. Bring 'Em Out -Hawk Nelson
20. And of course! Chariots of Fire

so thats my list, I would love if i could find some better kinda of pump up music rather then getting focused music, but i still like the playlist!

A confusing post about an amazing sport

How do you explain to people about running. I mean almost anyone can go out and run right? well what am i supposed to say. It's just something indescribable. I mean all the sports out there have hard days, and they all complain. Now how am i supposed to tell them that when coach makes us do mile repeats as fast as we can and i feel like i'm going to throw up/crap my pants/faint...and yet wish we could do it for more than 40 minutes. Being on Varsity means that when we do 200s and 400s, everyone except us is done because they had to do 6 400s and 8 200s. we had to to 8 400s and 10 200s. I am dead tired, and ready to quit, but it feels so good! tomorrow is the hardest practice of the year, and everyone is complaining and worrying, and here i am thinking YES!!!!! SOO SOO EXCITED!!! AHHHH i just dont get it. I don't even know if people like Geoghegan or Cullenberg feeling like this. I don't know if there is a way to describe it, but I just get wicked excited about running. The weirdest part is that over the summer and on the weekends i have so many problems getting myself to get changed and go for a run, even if i REALLY REALLY want to!

so that is my problem issue how i feel about running,

oh and i get really annoyed when i hear like the Emma Wood (a very good friend) who is number 2 on the team being like, well i love it more then soccer but its still painful. And I find that really obnoxious cause although she IS someone who works really hard a practice, and she definitely deserves being one of the top in the state. I just don't quite get why I run really hard and although i think i am doing really well being first for the team, and like number 98 in the state. I just get soo annoyed with girls who don't have it easier, but to boys it feels like it is easier, cause i mean seriously how hard is it for the top guys to run an 18:30? not very, but for a girl? very hard and although i understand that, i just get annoyed, cause i mean if i want to be in the top 50 for the state i need to be running sub 17:30 by the end of the year!


so ya im done now I SWEAR! for those of you who suffered through and actually read everything congrats and for those of you whom are runners, please let me know how you feel about this if it made any sense to you?

The Relays

As I approached the line I began to worry. This entire race was based on me, if I did poorly our team would suffer. All around me I could hear people wishing each other good luck. Looking around I was surprised to see Alonzo running first for Morse. We went out strong, with me being in 7th overall. During the first mile all I could do was pay attention and worry about the mud. My first mile was a 5:34, which was my 5k first mile also, this gave me energy and as we headed back into the woods I passed Alonzo. Desperate to put distance between us. As I came out of the woods for the second time and looked to the left, I realized that Cullenberg was so "close" he hadn't even gone back into the woods for the last time. I was by now following a messalonski kid and was determined to pass him. The big strategy we had all planned was halfway up the final hill to push it. I passed the mes. kid there, and as we crested the hill I prayed he had nothing left. I knew that if he was able to push it a little harder I might not be able to stay with him, luckily he didn't and so I tagged off to nick with a 11:33 and in 5th place.
After the race we had the of course DANCE PARTY! I don't understand myself in the fact that I can't dance very well i think, and I barely dance at all at Homecoming, but put me in a group of Cross Country runners and I will dance my best (which is still pretty bad) After the dancing we went into the cafeteria and ate. we of course had to make our famous cup pyramid/tower. This year we used over 100 cups! afterwards we went to a rave dance party in the auditorium waiting for awards ceremony. I got fastest sophomore, we got third overall as boys. On the Girls side out MTA A team got 2nd, with our A, B, and C teams all getting top 10.
Overall it was a fun time and I am very excited for KVAC's next weekend!

Mt. Blue Relays

Tomorrow is Mt blue relays, the plan is to go out and hold on. Last year I got fastest freshman, and this year I am going for fastest Sophomore. Not sure of the order of the other teams but our biggest worry is Mt. Blue. If they have Cullenberg go out first I will just have to go out and hold on as best I can, hopefully not much farther back then 30 seconds or so. If they have Brody Hines go out first I hope to be able to keep up with him or go out ahead since he usually doesn't pass me or anyone else on our top 4 until after the 2nd mile mark, and since there will only be 2 miles... After those two, i'm not sure who else they have, but they are slower then our 2-4.

In other news, it has now been nearly one year since my mother died. Last year on Thursday October 9th, 2008 my mom passed away. She made sure that we were ready, and only held on cause she didn't want us to be unprepared. Not a day goes by when I don't think about her, and I know that ever since then every race I have run has been run for her. My only hope, is that now after a year has gone by I wont feel like she has let me go and make me run on my own. I know that when I go to the caribbean for Thanksgiving (a place she loved) I will be thinking of her. I run my race tomorrow, for you, and only you, Betsy Reifman March 21, 1953-October 9, 2008 from Breast Cancer

Maranacook 9/4

the race sucked! As varsity walked to course the plan was to take the beginning slow because you go up a giant hill in the beginning and go up at least 2 more later on. It was also very hot and humid which just made it painful. Just before the race our number six dropped out because he had a sore throat and coach didn't want him to run. I had the same problem, but knew if I told coach fournier she wouldn't let me run, and I really wanted too. I started the race like we planned, although maybe a bit too slow, going up the first hill i was right ahead of Dan, with both Colins, Jake and Nick ahead of me. Right after we reached the mile marker was another hill, very very steep, and that is where i caught up to both colins, from there I was in pain. I managed to stay where i was and keep pushing though, reaching the second mile marker I felt like i couldn't go on and kind of blacked out for about 30 seconds....when I started thinking again I had made up my mind, i pushed for all i was worth and started to speed up. At the end of the race you have to go back down the hill you first went up, afterwards you go into a wooded path which is very narrow, I didn't go very fast down the hill, but I used the path to my advantage, pushing ahead of the other two guys I had been running with, i was first onto the path, now i knew i could relax just a bit. However coming out of the path without about 200 meters to go the real race started. I pushed myself as hard as i could with both boys starting to flank me, i managed to pass another kid as i finished and beat the other two...i then proceeded to dry heave for a second. Overall I got 14th with a time of 19:58, which isn't bad considering most people are like minutes worse on this course. I'm hoping for the leavitt course (which i hear is worse) I won't be sick and will be able to run up with jake and nick

Maranacook on friday

My plan for friday is to go out slow, I'll probably start as 5th for the team (our 4th and 5th runner joining us again) but that by the time we approach the 1st mile i'm hoping to be up in the lead, i am really hoping that we will pack tight this meet as a team and have a very good chance of scoring well. We are all worried about the hill at the beginning but our coach just says to push up it, and more importantly push hard at the top!

This past friday was the Scott Lalibert invitational. My goal was to go out at a good pace that i could keep and be first for the team. I started out a bit too fast and by the middle of the first mile I already had a cramp and was 3rd for our team. The plan i had with Nick D. at the beginning of the race was to crawl up the hill like Tyler Toothaker had last year and power past people at the top on the grass, unfortunately this year they cut out part of the field section. As I approached the hill I decided that being 3rd for the team I wouldn't push too hard up the hill, but didn't take it too easy. I passed Colin Cundy going up the hill and was now 2nd for the team. After going down the hill on the other side and having to go up the one on the other side of the river I started to hurt. I lost Colin going up that hill. Jamison Esquibal of south portland went back and forth for awhile but I pulled ahead coming out of the woods for the final time. i followed Justin Greely going across the football field without him knowing, as I went up the rise to the finish I heard my coach yelling at me to power up it and sprint through the finish, i dug deep and caught up to Justin, it was a great finish though and i look forward to racing against him in the future to see if i can beat him. Overall combining all the teams we got 3rd however boys got 7th. Girls on the other hand god 1st!