XC 2024

Sectional @ Busse Woods

11/2/2024

Today, I listened to Des Linden & Kara Goucher's podcast: Nobody Asked Us. These two American distance-running legends have made me laugh, cry, and think over the course of this first year of their show. They discuss professional racing, shoe technology, doping, and beyond. This week's episode was a live show in New York City in anticipation of Sunday's marathon. Audience members asked a variety of questions about the course, managing the distance, and handling a less than A-day. It was a standard pre-race show, but at one point, Des made me pause.

For some background, Des Linden is iconic. She has been mixing it up professionally for decades after being a solid college runner at Arizona State. What I love most about her is that she is a grinder; she has put in the work over the years, and, to use her words, she believes that you should just "keep showing up." Well, after years of coming close to a podium, she WON the Boston Marathon in 2018, the first American to do so in thirty-three years. The weather was complete trash that day--it was in the 30s with icy rain and wind gusts over 30 miles per hour. Early on, she decided that she wasn't having an A-day, but she thought she could help fellow American Shalane Flanagan by pacing her. But then people started dropping out in droves, and Flanagan told Des to go because she didn't have it; by the end of the race, half of the professional runners had given up. But not Des. She caught a second wind and started feeling like she could catch the leaders. And by the end of the race, she did just that, making history and inspiring American distance runners across the country. She is currently the American Masters Marathon record holder, and she placed 11th in New York!

So what did she say in that podcast that made me pause? Someone asked her a great question. I'm paraphrasing, but it went something like this: "You always talk about remembering your 'why' when you get to the tough parts of the race. I really struggle with that advice because I just keep asking myself, 'Why the heck am I doing this???' In those tough moments, I don't have a why.'" Des's answer was magical. She talked about remembering two things. First, she said that thinking about all of the people who have gotten her to that point really helps. Her family that came out to watch her give her all--they don't want to see her just phoning it in; her significant other and friends who have sacrificed dinners on Saturdays because of long runs on Sundays--they certainly don't want to watch her slack; and coaches/mentors who planned everything to get her to that moment 100% do not want to see her give less than her best. She said those people lift her during the hard parts. Second, she said that she reminds herself of the following: "I deserve to be here. I belong here. I'm going to be with these [elite] women. Yeah, and you have to be willing to have your heart broken because that's part of it. Buying in, believing, picturing it, knowing what that moment is going to be like. You don't give up on that until the tape is broken...that's a lot to invest."

You can see why I paused. You seven did just that all season long--you thought of each other, and you weren't afraid of getting your heart broken. At practice. At the Warren Invite. At Sterling. At Conference. At Regionals, you thought about each other in that last mile. How did Lauren hold off the charging Vernon Hills #1? How did Fia catch so many girls? How did Norah dig deep to fix the gap between her and Fia? How did Jana catch the VH girls and so many others? How did Liv run down so many girls in that last 400 to fix the gap? How did Rachel catch Mundelein's #5 among others? How did Juju finish despite a rebelling stomach? And then all week, you were light and funny and focused. You looked amazing in the confidence workout Tuesday, and you looked ready on the course on Wednesday. You were ready to give your whole hearts.

And on Saturday? I felt so good going into the race. As a team you have grown SO MUCH since you toed the line last year.

Lauren: Last year, you got out hard, but did not stay locked in on that second loop for a variety of reasons. This year? You got out solid and then caught a ton of people in the second 800 (according to you, 30!). You vowed to work on catching 5 people in the second loop, and you looked SO LOCKED IN during that second mile! And in the last? I yelled no regrets, and you attacked the parking lot straightaway up top and drove down the hill. I felt SO GOOD about your race because you went FULL SEND...you put your heart on the line. And let's be honest--this is your true 3-mile PR. We know that Lake Forest is a 2.95. Your 17:59 converts to at least 18:17 for 3.0. You smashed that, running 18:12. Honestly, there isn't a thing I would change about your race. You stayed engaged. You didn't let jitters distract you. And you ran 58 seconds faster than last year on the same course. Nearly a minute! What more could a coach ask for? SO proud of you! And this isn't the only race that looked like that. Since Sterling, you have been on a roll, and it was so fun to watch! More importantly, when you got the news that you had missed State by two cruel seconds, you handled the deep disappointment with class. You had your moment to mourn, and then you cheered Ryan on in his last XC race as a Zee-Bee. You welcomed your teammates to join you at NXN. You grabbed the foam roller bag. You held the door. Trust me--I know Saturday's end result was a gut punch, but your career and character are so much bigger than some bad luck. Proud of you, kid--you raced your heart out.

Fia: Despite your calves feeling like rocks, despite feeling a little under the weather all week, you FOUGHT. You got out hard and worked with Norah. You attacked the hills. And even when your tank was on empty in the last loop, you found a bit of extra fight to finish strong. And you raced 7 seconds faster than last year, despite all those factors trying to hold you back. But this one race doesn't sum you up. You have grown SO MUCH this season. I saw it coming during track. You had finally let go of your fear of getting your heart broken. You simply raced. How else do you crack into the 18s? How else do you earn an All-Conference medal? How else do you find so much grit at Regionals? The number at Sectionals doesn't capture all of that, but we all know. We have seen you grow and race without regret and tear up workouts and make the most of your senior season. It has been a joy to see you let go of that freshman/sophomore timidity and just own your strength. So proud of you for running with your heart, Fia!

Norah: What a change since last year! As a freshie, you were figuring out this sport. To be honest, I didn't think you were going to join the team over that freshie summer when I stood at your front door and talked with you about Bee Linked and the team. But from that moment of doubt to you stepping up at Regionals last year and then running a big PR at the Sectional, it felt like you were hooked. Track showed what you could really be, and this fall was a continuation of that growth. For you numbers nerds, Norah ran 23:45 on our home course last year. This year? 20:18. And in her final race as a freshie at Busse? 22:09. This year? 19:24, only seconds off her huge race at Lake Forest. What's more fun than the numbers, though? HOW Norah raced this year. She smartly leaned on the wisdom of Fia in the first loop. She listened to how she felt in the second, snagging people on the downhill and competing hard on the uphill. And she closed like she meant it on the last loop, finishing with a beautiful kick! In sum, you raced with HEART all season, Norah, and I could not be more proud!

Jana: I know we have talked about this before, but I knew you would be a good runner from your first XC season--you just needed time to get strong and learn the sport--but I didn't know you would be a game-changer this year. Last year, you made such a big leap, but it was nothing like this season. I could see you starting to put things together during track...and then this summer, you flipped a switch. As a sophomore at Conference, you ran 26:14 at Lake Forest. This year while not feeling 100%? 20:38! And that was not your best race of the season! At last year's regional, you had a strong day on Grant's challenging course, running 22:36. Now I know the courses are nothing alike, but you lit it up at Warren this year, running an impressive 20:03. And at the Sectional? Last year, you ran an LPR of 21:58. What growth to throw down at 20:22 this year! I also loved your analysis after the race. You admitted that you were waiting for people to come back to you, and they didn't. We talked about that concentration of talent on the bus ride home from the course, but saying it and knowing it are two different things. You have become such an insightful racer, and I cannot wait to see what that becomes during track. So proud of your heart, Jana!

Rachel: I know that this season has not been easy. The obstacles started coming at the end of track, and they persisted all summer: a cough that wouldn't quit, knee pain, and hip pain. When that many obstacles are colluding to stop you, it's hard to keep your mind in the right spot. To your credit, you kept working at it, and by Sterling, you were starting to put parts of races together that you could be proud of. I know the times were not what you were hoping, but by the Regional, your mindset was in a good spot, and your heart was definitely in the right place, which let you have a great race to help us beat Mundelein and advance as a team. After that day, something lifted from your shoulders. You looked so good in workouts, and you seemed free to race how you wanted at the Sectional. There wasn't a moment when you didn't look focused and HAPPY. It was a joy to see you race like you--free, aggressive, and focused. Out of our whole team, you had the best downhill racing today, attacking it like it did you wrong. You maximized that spot all three times. You also had a tremendous finish, looking strong all the way to the mats. Your outcome? Four seconds faster than your effort last year on the same course. More importantly, it was fun to have you back--having fun before, during, and after the race. Of course I was proud of you the past two years when you raced fast and with ease, but I am most proud of you for pushing through the challenges of this season and showing up for yourself and your team. At Sectionals, you ran from the heart, and it showed!

Alivia: I am so thankful that you and your parents moved so quickly to get you tested for anemia. Although you were still in the "normal" range, I could see the difference in your reactions once you started fueling more and taking iron. You no longer ended races and workouts looking like you were gasping for air. You finished empty, but healthy! The last few weeks, I could also see what I need to do in coming seasons to help you finish strong--you need more strength training (and to be honest, everyone will benefit from that!). When your shin started acting up, we had to manage it because it was late in the season. You were so good about advocating for yourself--a mix of tape, ice, and bike helped you deliver an outstanding race at Conference. I could see your confidence grow in that moment when you hit that new PR. I KNEW you would pop a good race at Regionals, and you did not disappoint! Not only did you eat in the last mile, you finished on absolute empty for your team. It was a beautiful race to watch! For you to run FASTER on Warren's longer course was a statement! During Sectionals week, I could see your concern as your arch started to act up, no doubt due to compensation for that salty shin. Again, you advocated for yourself, rolling your arch, getting tape, and resting on the bike leading up to the race. Readers, if you have never had plantar fasciitis, please keep it that way. I think it is one of the most miserable injuries to endure. Every step feels like fire, and it erases any power in your stride. But on Saturday, you put on a brave face, believing me when I said the adrenaline would block the pain. I could see that you were fighting that foot the whole way, but fight you did! I loved how you pulled on Rachel and provided Juju visual inspiration the whole way. I never saw you quit despite how that hill must have felt on that angry arch. Your kick was powerful, and you ended very close to your time from Sectionals last year. Post-race, I could see you were disappointed, but I need you to know that I am so proud of your season. You learned how to be a savvy racer, you learned how to listen to your body, and you leaned into your team for laughs and inspiration. Altogether, you learned to race with heart! I cannot wait to see what you can do during track!

Juju: Last year, you were making gains over freshman year, but you were still figuring out the sport. Last year, you raced Varsity at Conference, but that was the end of your racing season. This year, though, you worked your way up throughout the meets to help us at Dawson and then Conference and the Regional. I have watched you gain confidence as you destroyed your old boundaries and set new PRs. I know that the Sectional was tough--it was your first time racing the big dogs. As I said in Jana's section, this race is the most concentrated collection of talent that we face all season. Gone are the sleepy runners who take a nap for a lap. Juju--you stayed in it the whole way, fighting down the hill and kicking hard at the finish. And while I was proud of your race today, I was absolutely beaming when we talked after. You seemed bummed, and I reminded you that you didn't even race in the Sectional last year, and that you learned a lot in this race. After the cool down, you came up to me with a giant grin on your face and said, "Next year is my year. I'm going to have a car to come to all of summer practice. Next year is mine." I can see Sofia's confidence in your words, and I don't want to wait until summer for it. Your heart is in it! Let's go in Polar and Track!

Overall, we placed 16th, two spots better than last year. We nearly nabbed Warren (they tied with us). More importantly, we put together an impressive season of heart. You weren't afraid to put your heart on the line and race to your full potentials. Honestly, that courage is hard to coach--you have to have that drive and willingness to dream big in you. You also have to have the right chemistry...the laughter and glitter and poop jokes and dance parties and everything in between to make it safe to take big risks. I am so proud of this group for finding that mix. I dare you to be hungry and seek more!

Before I go, I need to say thanks to all of the guys as well as Alex and April for all of the support on the course. Our bees swarmed Busse, offering encouragement and love at every turn. Thank you all for your energy and positivity!

It's hard to say goodbye to the season, but I honestly feel energized and ready for what's next. You can check out the opportunities below, and we will get Polar rolling once all the winter sports have had their tryouts and are underway. Until then, I will see you Thursday for one last round of links, and then Thursday, November 14th for awards (please spread the word--I want to see all of your faces there!).

Upcoming Race Opportunities: Please note, since the official IHSA season is over, none of the coaching staff can coach you or transport you to these races. We can supervise if you need the track or weight room. FYI, no pressure, either. If you want to race more, check one or both out! If you want to start your recharge, this is the right time of year to do that! Listen to your mind and body and proceed accordingly.

Nike Cross Nationals--Midwest Regional in Terre Haute: Click here to register before November 7th (price increase). Race is Sunday, November 17th. Pros: You are in great shape right now. You can extend that fitness and get in one more good race! Cons: It's a bit of a drive to the race.

Footlocker XC Championships--Midwest Regional at Parkside: Click here to register before November 17th (price increase). Race is Saturday, November 30th. Pros: You have run this course, it's close to home, and you have time to train a bit. Cons: Weather might be colder by then, and you have already raced there.

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