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This week was a gift, and so was the Alivia's race on Saturday. She kept our streak of qualifying for Sectionals alive, even if it was a solo act. Because of her impressive Regional race, we all got a chance to have an extra week of XC!
The week was punctuated by an in-town long run plus chocolate banana muffins on Monday, a great workout on the course on Tuesday with post-practice pizza at Giordano's, an adventure run on Wednesday, fartlek on Thursday which included cute, hand-made crocheted friends courtesy of Kyranni, and one more day of birthday cake-sprinkle pancakes on Friday morning after a peaceful morning run. That's a lot of food! :) I am grateful to the men's team for their support all week long as well as the women who helped Liv on each run. On Friday, Liv and I talked about the race. We agreed that she still had more in the tank and that her game plan should reflect that: go out hard--not with that initial pack, but definitely at the back of the second pack; focus on passing in the second mile; keep her signature last mile strength. She was so at ease with this plan, and I was happy to see it! This race was a chance to make a statement! I asked if she was nervous, and she said no--that this season, she had really worked on having fun and enjoying the whole process. On Saturday, we packed a bus (thank you, bees!) and headed to Busse Woods. Thanks to our driver Ken, the ride was smooth, and we arrived to see still trees and sun trying to poke out of a cloudy sky. Like Tuesday, the course was in fantastic shape. When I returned from grabbing Alivia's bib number and chip, I was excited to see that Alivia was electing to go full pink for the day: top AND her own pink shorts! After her solo warm up, we headed over to the starting line for dynamic. Our extensive crowd was ready for breakdown, and their loud breakdown helped Liv get hyped for her race. On the starting line, Liv looked ready to race, with a sweet spot on the outside of the crowd--a straight line as her guide. At the gun, Liv go out SO WELL. She looked fantastic heading into the trees. I waited for her on the first downhill, and I'll be honest; she was so far up in the pack that I totally missed her. Libertyville's coach yelled to me, "Man, she is out FAST! Is that good?" I smiled wide and replied, "YESSSSS!" Liv was right on plan. Later, she reported that her first mile was around 6:10--her fastest of the season. Norah later shared a pic with me showing Liv racing with Libertyville's Julia (18:52) and Lake Zurich's Polina (18:24) after the first mile. Sweet! In the second mile, I saw Liv working up the hill, but something looked off. I encouraged her to take a deep breath and stay awake in the race. She clearly was struggling a bit with her early pace, but she was fighting hard. Going down the hill, she looked open and more locked in. I waited anxiously for her to come back to the top of the course for the last time. I could see that she was not having an A-day at this point, but I was so proud of the way she was fighting through it. Going down the hill for the last time, she seemed to have found a second wind. When I caught her one last time with 200 to go, she looked like the Liv we all know and love: she was kicking hard and catching people. Although the time was not what we talked about, it's important to keep it in perspective: she ran 30 seconds faster than last year, and 1:15 faster than freshman year! What progress! More importantly, this race represented all that I hoped for: she took a risk and put herself in the mix. Now that she has gone into that first-mile territory, she will be able to hold it longer in the future. I am so proud of her courage and grit! You heard it here first: I anticipate that Liv will hit the 18s next year--I can feel it! I hate that the season is over, but I am so wildly optimistic about this coming track season and next xc season. I am excited because the vibe of this team was so positive and connected, illustrated by the bus full of peeps who wanted to support Liv, watch great racing, and enjoy a celebration together after the meet. I am excited because of the conversations I had with people about Polar and Track and XC. Most importantly, I am excited because I can see how much you love each other and love running. That combination allows for great things to happen! Overall, this season was a joy, and while I am going to miss the 2025 iteration of ZBXC, I look forward to celebrating the season at awards night on November 12th. Until then, thank you to each and every one of you who came out on Saturday. I appreciate you all! <3 EDIT: After talking with Liv, I want to add a section on stress management! Prior to the meet, Alivia said she was not feeling any nerves, so I mistakenly did not talk to her about that issue. On race day, however, she said she woke up nervous (understandably!) Nerves are a normal reaction to any "stress." Obviously, Alivia wanted to do well on race day, but she did not have the normal routine of warming up with her teammates who were experiencing the same jitters! Listed below are many techniques you can use to help manage nerves for any situation: 1. Visualization: BEFORE a big event (test, race, speech, whatever!), walk your brain through the event. Picture the location, picture yourself, and SEE it unfold the way you want it to go. Imagine what could go "wrong" and how you would fix it (for instance, in a race, how would you manage the situation if you fell?). Visualizing an event can help your brain rehearse so that on the day of the event, your anxiety doesn't kick in. 2. Stick to routines: If you always eat a certain breakfast or listen to a certain song or wear a particular pair of socks, then keep those routines! Our brains LOVE patterns, and keeping things as "normal" as possible really helps keep nerves at bay. If you know something will be different (staying in a hotel, different race time, etc), plan ahead to "normalize" things as much as possible. 3. Physical resets: There are several ways you can override your brain's panic center. Your brain is trying to keep you safe, and a big event can trigger a fight or flight response, flooding your body with adrenaline and other hormones that help "protect" you. That flood wastes a lot of energy that you want to use in the race, though! Here are a few resets that can get your brain out of that fight/flight mode:
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It's so easy to play the "What if..." Game after a day like Saturday.
Let me backtrack: I was feeling SO optimistic after talking with Arwen on Monday. As I projected the simulation on my screen, she pointed and proclaimed, "Now that I am in the nineteens, I know that I can run faster. I can beat her and her and her and her. And if I do that, I know that Rachel and Alivia and Norah and April and Kyranni will go with me." Her confidence was infectious. And then we ran the time trial and more impressively, the 8-4-2 workout with everyone packed SO CLOSELY. And even though April was sick, I was confident in her grit and that she had plenty of time to recover by Saturday. And then Arwen taught our pack a French word when she shared her race plan with the team: Ensemble. I was convinced that Lady Luck would be on our side on Saturday. This time of year requires two elements to come together: a summer and season of growth plus a little luck. I have been at this long enough to know that we can only control our part, and control it we did. You all worked SO HARD this summer and season. When the weather was toasty, you kept your heads up and celebrated the small wins. You honed your competitiveness and leaned into each other. And when we had that magical race at Sterling, I was so proud that you let your fitness and mindsets shine. You stepped into the moment. So when Arwen got sick at the end of the week, I couldn't help but feel robbed. She was the one who had offered such optimism at the beginning of the week; it did not seem fair that she would pick up a bug that left her barely able to speak let alone get a good night's rest or even think of racing. What helped me get over that robbery was our ensemble. You remaining five didn't let Arwen's absence change your plans, though. I know it was a gut-punch to not have our Woman King at the meet, but you shook it off and got to work. I could not be more proud of that! There are adults who have not mastered the skill of letting things go, but you five warmed up, got to the line, and fought HARD for each other. Prior to the meet, we were seeded 9th as a team. And today, the five of you matched that seed without our #3. At the start, I watched you power up the hill for the first time, and then I headed over to the bridge--about 800 meters into the race. I was stoked to see Rachel in her normal spot as our pack leader, setting the pace with a great start. Liv and Norah were only steps away. April was only seconds behind, looking strong. And little Nani was up so close to April! I was so happy as I raced to the hill to see you after the baseball diamonds. At the almost halfway point, we were looking so good! I was too excited to snap any pictures because Rachel, Liv, and Norah were three-strong going into the woods. April was doing such a great job of pulling on them, and Nani was in full race-mode. She whipped her glasses off and then whipped around the bend into the woods. The final time up the hill, everyone was looking so gritty. I knew that Rachel was having a tough time (she later revealed that she had rolled her ankle in the woods and her stomach was rebelling), but I am so proud of the way she shook it off and fought in the last loop. Norah was having an incredible race, pulling on Liv. And Liv? She was racing second-half strong, popping up the hill and working on sleepy runners. April pulled up with a pack of Libertyville girls and did such a great job of pushing past them. And Nani? She was working on a Mundelein runner, pressing past her once up the hill. I was so proud of the way everyone was racing! Coming out of the woods for the last time, Liv was leading our pack and making moves. She caught so many people after the bridge in that final 400! She edged out a Warren racer in the final moments, finishing only two seconds off her LPR from last week at Warren's far easier course. Norah was our next finisher with a race that matched her prep this week. She was in such a sunny place all week--owning her fitness and looking like her competitive self from last year. What a stark difference today compared to her first Regional race as a freshie--nearly 4 minutes faster than that day! More importantly, her goofy demeanor and positive mindset helped keep the mood right all day. She nearly matched her SPR, too! I want to point out that this was a conscious choice. We talked early in the week about her showing her true self, and she responded to that talk SO WELL. So proud of you, Norah! Rachel ran a gritty race despite Lady Luck cruelly turning her back on her. As a senior and captain, Rachel has been our beacon all season. Early in the summer, she stepped up to help shape our pack. At Oshkosh, she was a new woman--enjoying the work and leading with confidence. She helped set paces, taught the newbees the wheres and hows of the week, and led by example. And once the season started, she was our race leader, providing strength and a positive mindset as our pack started to find its way. Last year, I didn't know if Rachel would keep racing; she was struggling with finding meaning in competition, and she couldn't get out of a negative spiral. But to her credit, she kept putting one foot in front of the other, and ended last season on a positive with a great Sectional race. Today, she was a bit rattled by the pressure of the day, and Woman King's absence did not help. I know how much she loves this team and wanted to help us continue our Sectional streak. I also know that if last year's Rachel had to face today's obstacles, she would have struggled. Today's Rachel, however, shook off her nerves, fixed her face, and boldly raced. Even though she rolled her ankle and was dealing with a rude stomach, she kept pushing so hard, getting out hard for our pack, working with Liv and Norah in the middle, and finishing strong at the end. I'm proud of you, Rachel! It's easy to race when it's an "A" Day; true character shows when the day is rude and you step up anyway. April was our #4 today with an equally gritty race. Two weeks in a row, she has had to manage a weird pain under her ribs. She also had not fully kicked the respiratory bug she picked up at the end of last week, so I wouldn't be surprised if her labored breathing was the source of the cramp. Like Rachel, she has come so far in a year. As a freshie, she was part of our varsity alternate group that raced at Sterling. This year, she has managed the pressure of Varsity with a quiet grit. She has been locked in all season, working hard at improving as a runner. Despite not feeling 100%, she ran over a minute faster than JT on the same course, and SO much faster than last year! She fought so hard for her team today, and I could not be more proud! Kyranni was our #5 today. She has been so impressive as a freshie on Varsity. On this very course, she stepped up for her first Varsity race back in September. Today, she was so locked in! When she whipped her glasses off, I knew that it was going to be a good day for her. Not only did she run a new LPR (a seven-second drop from last week at Warren), she also ran nearly THREE minutes faster than at JT! What a day! More importantly, she kept a positive mindset, all day, offering smiles on the starting line and shout outs on the bus. Proud of you, freshie! I'm so proud of this group. You could have made excuses or given up. Instead, you took Arwen's advice from afar: you stuck with the plan, racing as an ensemble, That kind of race erases "What ifs" for me. I know that we did everything in our power given the events of the day, and I could not be more proud. Speaking of proud, CONGRATS to Alivia for qualifying for Sectionals for a third year in a row! I could see when she switched to track last spring that she was starting to become a different kind of racer. Track is so good for helping to hone racing skills, and Alivia was a diligent student. This summer, something shifted for her, though. She really became a joyful runner, leaning into racing opportunities and applying her 800 speed to workouts and races. And this fall? She ran fearlessly, letting herself become the racer she wanted to bee! Today, that consistent work and growth came together for a great race. I'd say it was the draw of getting to race in a pink uniform next week, but I know it is all her. :) Alivia gives us a chance to practice together one more week and continue our streak of competing at the Sectional. I know she would rather be with the ensemble on the starting line, but as Cici, Eva, Candy, Dani, and Baby J so eloquently explained before the race in their Thought of the Day, we will all bee there with her, all over the course. Speaking of Eva, Cici, Candy, Dani, and Baby J: special shout out to them for their kind words and support at the Regional. I can't express how grateful I am for their giving spirit, funny sign, and loud cheers in the woods. You could have been in bed or anywhere else on Saturday, but you chose your team. You showed your linked spirit, and I am grateful! Shout out to all the boys who brought food, yelled like crazy, and helped support our ensemble, too. Let's have another great week, bees! :) The Conference Meet should be about US: it's the last time we race as a full team before the State Series for Varsity, and it's a culmination of all of our hard work.
What I loved about today was the vibe. It started with everyone on time (despite the EARLY bus time to beat the weather) and lots of fun and love: treats from Yaritza and Kailey, fun stickers and ribbons from Cici & Eva, glitter from Norah, and sweet pictures in the cafeteria. After watching our Varsity guys roll out to a great start, it was our turn to get ready to race. The Varsity women were up first, looking powerful in pink. At the start, we got out well with a great position on the starting line. After the first 800, I was a little concerned. Yes, Liv was doing what I asked her--to take a risk and go out with Rachel! And these two looked good together. And Norah and Arwen were just steps behind, looking locked in, and April was only steps behind them. Kyranni was looking good, too. The problem was that we were a little too far back for my liking. They responded well when I said we needed to move up. By the time I saw everyone at the mile, our pack was still pretty tight, and we were moving up a bit, grabbing onto some Stevenson runners. April had fallen off a bit of Norah, but I would later learn that she had a painful stitch on her right side that was affecting her race. Kyranni did a great job of pushing out of the stadium to compete with the pack ahead of her. Emerging from the woods for the second time, Rachel was being Rachel: acting as a beacon for our pack by pressing head, keeping that second mile honest. Liv and Woman King were working in tandem to pull on their captain, pressing down the hill. Norah did a great job of pressing down that hill, too! And April, despite how she was feeling, responded well at this spot. Kyranni did a great job of competing at this point, too, pulling away from a Stevenson runner and working on some Mundelein girls. By the time our girls came to the woods again, Liv and Woman King were now giving Rachel a break by doing the leading work together. They looked so strong together--pulling hard for the team! Norah did a great job of pressing hard out of the woods here, and April put in ten hard steps to compete with a Stevenson racer. I missed Kyranni as I raced across the field to watch finishes. By the time I made it to the stadium, Liv was in full 800 mode, kicking like crazy in the stadium to edge out a Mundelein girl and place 19th--All-Conference Honorable Mention--AND running a new LPR of 19:50, a four second drop over her impressive race at Sterling last week. Arwen was our #2 with a great finish, ending on empty. She was close to Liv, eyeing her pink jersey only 10 seconds back. Rachel had an incredible finish today. All season, she has claimed that she is not a competitor, but she showed the grit that we will need next week in the final 50 meters. She kicked hard in the final steps to finish ahead of Stevenson and Libertyville. Although she was disappointed with her place in the meet, all I can see is that deep dig at the end, giving all she could for her team. I need everyone to have that mindset next week! Norah held off a rushing Libertyville runner in the final steps as our 4th finisher. Great job defending your spot, Norah! Even thought April didn't feel like an "A" today, she fought hard for her team through the discomfort. As our 5th runner, she was gritty, helping us have a 1:15 split--not far off what we accomplished at Sterling. Kyranni rounded out our group for the day, running a gutsy race that resulted in a new LPR for her; she dropped an impressive 19 seconds over her already awesome race at Sterling! Way to go, freshie! Here's what I know: If we would have run the same 3-mile times that we ran at Sterling, we would have beaten Libertyville and would have been in striking distance of Lake Forest and Mundelein. It's hard to perform that well two weeks in a row, I also believe that we have more to give. The plan for this week is to clean up a few things: 1. At Sterling, we kept it fun and light. That's the goal this week! 2. At Sterling, we all fueled really well at night and in the morning. That has to be a priority this week. Idk what you all ate Friday night, but let's try to replicate Sterling's meal by getting some pasta on Friday! More importantly, you all got some good fuel in you Saturday morning. I suspect that with the early bus time, you were all not as intentional about breakfast. That's an easy fix that will make you all feel strong in the final mile. 3. At Sterling, you finished joyfully. That happiness came from knowing that you popped a great TEAM race and being proud of that fact! We can and will do that again at Grant by remember what produced that race: smiling and loving each other and taking a risk TOGETHER. That being said, I am proud of how you all raced today. We know what we need to do to keep this goodness going. Let's gooooooo this week! :) Due to the threat of nasty weather, Warren combined the F/S and JV races. Honestly, I loved this decision. Our crew got to race together to help each other. The power of our pack on the starting line was palpable! This group had such a great connection at Lakes in the Bronze race, so it felt fitting that they got the chance to start together again in the final race of the season. At the gun, our crew looked so good, taking a perfect line to the first turn. Coming out of the woods for the first time, Sofie was our leader, looking fiesty! Just behind her in a powerful pack, Candy, Celene, and Fernanda were absolutely slaying! I missed Eva this time through--I think she was near these three, though! Only seconds later, I saw Nathaly and Yaritza working together, pulling on the pack ahead! Dani wasn't far behind, looking so strong despite having to back off this week with a crabby hamstring. Cynthia and Cici were pushing each other with Carla only steps behind, pulling on their power. Divonalynn got out hard, pulling on Carla's lead! And Jocell looked sooo good, looking up to Divonalynn only steps away. Finally, Jasmine had a great start, working with a Stevenson runner. Overall, this first section of the race looked impressive. Everyone looked gutsy and strong! In the woods, the second time, the front of our pack changed up, with Candy and Fernanda taking the lead. These two looked so dang strong! Sofie had fallen back, but I encouraged her to run without regrets. She got out of her head and started zooming through the woods! Celene was pulling on Sofie, using the little downhill to her advantage. Eva was next looking so strong! She has come such a long way this season, just looking powerful with aggressive arms and open stride. Nathaly was zooming at this point, flying through the woods to pull on Eva. Yaritza's summer strength was showing at this point as she pressed hard through the woods. Dani was executing such an even race--she was within shouting distance of Yaritza and looking so good! Cici had pulled away from the twins, giving them a beacon to look at as she worked the woods HARD. She did such a great job of catching a Stevenson runner here! Cynthia and Carla were only steps apart in this section, working hard to get to Cici. Divonalynn looked so open in this part of the course, really using the path to press hard! Jocell, despite having fallen on the mats near the stadium, was gritting out her race, working to stay open and aggressive. And Jasmine did a great job of working the woods to keep with a Stevenson runner. Coming out of the stadium for the last loop, my message was the same to everyone: work this last loop without regret! Fernanda was pushing hard at this point, leading our ZB pack. She did such a great job of taking 10 hard steps to press up to a new pack to compete with! Candy was doing the same not far behind, staying locked in. Sofie was making a great come back, nearing Candy and passing sleepy runners. Nathaly was now our #4, looking so confident in the last mile! Celene and Eva looked so powerful at this point, locked in on Nathaly's inspiration. Eva did a great job of packing back up with Celene before heading into the woods. Yaritza looked so good in this section! She was zooming along the trees to get a good position for the woods. I could barely whip my head around before Dani showed up, looking so intense for this last loop! Coming out of the stadium, Carla had taken the lead over her sis, offering strong inspiration for the last loop! She looked so assertive! Cynthia did a great job of taking 10 hard steps once she cleared that tricky turn. Divonalynn looked good emerging from the stadium, working hard with a Warren runner. Jocell, despite her hips hurting, pressed on for her final loop with grit and pride! And Jasmine looked so locked in for her final loop, working to keep up with a Stevenson runner. The finishes were outstanding today. Fernanda was our first finisher with a gritty stadium finish. She dropped 12 seconds to earn a new LPR today! She did it by locking in for the final mile, catching people along the way. Great job, freshie! Sofie was our second finisher with a strong last mile. She looked so open with her kick, despite not having anyone to hunt down. Great job, senior! Nathaly was our third finisher today, looking so gritty despite struggling in the final kick. She dropped a whopping 33 seconds from her great race last week at Lakes. way to earn a big SPR in this final meet, senior! :) I love that grit! Last week, Eva had a huge race at Lakes. Today, in the softer conditions, she beat her previous LPR by a decimal, but I love that! She ran such a gritty race--way to go, Captain! Yaritza was our next finisher. As Kailey said on the bus, she looked so dang good this season. She has improved so much since last year, and it happened through commitment over the summer and hard work! She dropped a whopping 32 seconds from her sensational Lakes performance last week. Proud of your effort, Yaritza! Candy was only seconds behind Yaritza with an outstanding performance, too. Although she was mad about her last mile, she should be proud of her first two! I know that she is ready for great things next season, and I hope she will consider track this coming season to help her get to those big goals of hers! Proud of you, Candy! Celene was right behind Candy with an equally gutsy race. After her hip flared up two weeks ago, we have been trying to get Celene feeling good enough to race. She did an outstanding job of working through the pain today, coming within one second of her LRP. She has improved so much from track season--I know that she is going to continue to develop as a runner! So proud of your effort and impressive kick, Celene! You really embraced this new sport! Like Celene, Dani has been managing an injury the past two weeks. She did a great job of keeping a tough mindset, though, and it paid off with a big PR. Her set her LPR at Dawson a month ago, and came back with vengeance today. She dropped an impressive 1:16 despite not being able to run much all week. Great work, Dani--your summer miles have certainly paid off! Cici was our next finisher with a great race. She was so locked in for the middle mile--it was her fastest of the day! Her kick was outstanding, too; she was only a few seconds off her spectacular PR from Lakes last week. Great race, Cici! Proud of you! Fellow senior Carla was our next bee into the chute. She has been SO consistent this season, running close to her PR again today! So glad that you took a chance on XC this season, Carla! Your mid-race moves are impressive! Her fellow Alonso and twin was right behind her. Cynthia looked so good in her comeback race. After dealing with a rude knee, Cynthia stayed locked in and ran a great race today, running within a tenth of a second of her LPR--so impressive, Cynthia! I'm proud of your dedication and mindset this season! Divonalynn pulled on the twins for the first half of the race, keeping them in sight as inspiration. She did a great job of opening up in her kick, securing a sweet 13 second drop for a new LPR after her spectacular race at Lakes last week! SO impressive, Divonalynn! Jocell was so close to Divonalynn for the first loop before a slippery mat took her out for a moment. I firmly believe that Jocell would have PRed again if she had made it through that section unscathed. She was so locked in today, working hard despite her hips aching. She was only 16 seconds off of her sweet LPR from last week's awesome race. Proud of your grit, Jocell. What to literally and figuratively get back up! Finally, Jasmine had a great race today. After some setbacks from JT, Jasmine got back on her focus and ran a sweet LPR today, dropping nearly 3 minutes! Way to lock in, Jasmine! Overall, this crew raced HARD. Yes, the course was not sloppy like two years ago, but it wasn't fast like it was at Dawson. While the LPRs were impressive, I have to echo Coach Hamilton's message from our bus ride home: your race helped your teammate's race, and that's what our team is all about. I really feel like this team grew TOGETHER this year, and you did it by helping one another in workouts, on long runs, in races, and all the in-betweens. You looked out for one another and cared deeply for each other. That kind of care is magical in my eyes, and it signals a season of success! I want to take a moment to talk about the Sportsmanship Award. For years, the NSC has recognized athletes with great sportsmanship. I'm not going to lie: so many coaches tell me that they are impressed by our whole team's energy. They love how hard you cheer for each other and other teams. They love your energy and positivity. I am proud that our team is known for that! The coaches and I selected Nathaly to represent that spirit this season. All season, she has dazzled with her cute outfits and visor. More importantly, she brings a joy and positivity to every practice and meet. I love her work ethic in practice, her fight during races, and her good juju with her teammates and competitors. Thank you for your optimism, Nathaly! You make our team stronger! Veterans--bee patient with me as I fill in the newbees about us and stars: In 2019, our varsity crew qualified for the Sectional as a team after a long drought. It was a magical season of hard work, love, and care. The week of the Sectional, we drove to the course for practice. On the way home, I asked the chicas to share their big dream goal for the coming race. Kaila Luell, class of 2020, said she wanted to race so hard and finish so empty that she would see stars. That Saturday, Kaila ran so hard that she nearly didn't make it to the finish line. In the last mile, I could see she was in trouble, and I implored her to slow down her breathing and relax her shoulders. But Kaila only knew go, so she kept pressing hard. About 100 meters from the finish, her legs gave out. She got up and fell several times, completely exhausted. She did not give up, though: she dragged herself across the finish line for her team. While I never want any of you to get the point where you are hyperventilating in a race, I share this story because Kaila gave it all. All season, she led the team with grit and grace, modeling what she expected of her teammates. After initially being hesitant to become a runner as a younger athlete, by senior year, she wanted to give nothing but her best every race. She was such an important role model to her little sister Audrey as well as the rest of the team. While I'm sure she wished that she could have had a PR to match the grit of her race, the symbol of a star was born. When her sis qualified for State two years later, breaking a multi-decade drought, we covered her State shirt in pink stars. And the following year, our varsity uniforms donned a pink star between the shoulders, signaling strength and connection to the past and future teams. Ok--back to this blog! After weeks of incredible practices and gritty races in the heat, I knew you were all ready to see stars thanks to some good weather. Yes, I could see you were ready, but I didn't expect the extent of your stardom! After driving several hours, our Sterling crew piled out of the spirit bus to warm up while Coach Hamilton and I checked athletic.net to see how our other half was doing at Lakes. The splits started popping up, and we yelled to the lunging Varsity girls that the race was off to a GREAT start. By the time it was all over, we knew that the Bronze racers had seized the day: not only did they embrace the fun course, but they also capitalized upon the outstanding temperatures (Finally, Mother Nature!). My eyes were surely bulging out cartoon-style as I looked at all of the HUGE PRs. Later, I had the chance to look at all of the stats to see just how monumental the day was! Charisma was our first finisher of the day. She kept her streak alive by setting a sweet new PR. Her previous best of 27:11 at the tricky Mundelein course was an achievement to be sure, but her fresh PR of 25:06 reflects her hard work in recent workouts! Not only did she drop nearly 2 minutes, but she also ran a gutsy race, going out in 8:21, holding on in 8:24, and emptying the tank in a final mile of 8:11! What a day, Charisma! Congrats on a huge race! Sofie was our second finisher with a solid day. Her hip has been bugging her, and it seems as though it was an issue in this race. Courageously, though, she worked on her third mile to make it her fastest of the day! Nice late race focus, Sofie! Candy was our third bee to cross the line today with a huge race! She set her LPR this season at Deerfield, running a sweet 27:06. At Lakes, she skipped right over the 26s to post 25:32! She ran a super-even race, pulling with Charisma and showing off her earned fitness from this summer and season. So proud of your gutsy race, Candy! Like Candy, Eva ran such a great race at Deerfield, setting a new LPR of 26:53. She battled some sickness as well as some small injuries, but stuck around or better than her PR from last year. Today was a huge breakthrough, dropping 31 seconds and running strong with Charisma and Candy for the first mile. Sweet race, Eva! Proud of you! Nathaly rounded out our scoring five today, with a big SPR. She ran her race a lot like Charisma--even for the first two miles (packing with Lili and Yaritza), and then a big push for the last mile. Her third mile shows that she is ready for an even bigger race at Conference, and I can't wait to see it! In the meantime, congrats on dropping 53 seconds for this SPR! Huge! Lili was our sixth bee for the day, and man did she have a day! Like many in this race, her LPR was established at Deerfield. Today, she dropped 21 seconds to earn a new one! She did a great job of getting out well with her pack, sticking the second mile, and taking a risk in the third. What a great last loop! Congrats on the new LPR, Lili! Yaritza had a fantastic day, too. She got out well with her pack, and she stuck the next two miles. Her hard work this summer is paying off with a super-consistent race. Her grit resulted in a nearly TWO minute LPR drop! Holy cow! She skipped right over the 28s to land at 27:09. Whew! Proud of you, Yari! Cici was right behind Yaritza. She has been patiently waiting for her times to drop after a great summer of hard work. Today was her day! Not only did she beat her Conference time from last year by six seconds (which was an epic race for her!), but she also dropped nearly a minute from her time at Dawson this year. How impressive! Her fastest mile was her second, but honestly, this was a really even race. Like Yaritza, she was locked in the whole way! Proud of you, senior! Carla got out hard with Cici for the first mile, taking a big risk! After several races of being "stuck" around the same time, Carla was only two seconds off her LPR today! Awesome work, Carla--proud of you! Divonalynn was our next bee to earn a big LPR! She got out well, leading Jocell through the mile. She did a great job of sticking between her 2nd and 3rd mile in order to drop nearly a minute off her previous best from her great race at our home course. Proud of you, Divonalynn! Speaking of Jocell, she has been battling a rude hip, but she didn't let it bother her today. She got out well with Lynn, then really pushed herself in the second half of her race. She locked in to drop a whopping 3:17 from her great race at Dawson! What an improvement! So proud of your growth, Jocell. Don't forget how far you have come since that first week--you represent what patience and hardwork can create! Our final racer today was Jasmine. This was her first complete race of the season after her knee bugged out at JT. She did a great job of getting out strong, locking in, and finishing strong! Her last mile was her best--awesome focus, Jasmine! Now she has a starting point from which to grow. Keep working hard, Jasmine! It was so fun to watch my phone blow up from Cici, Eva, Tolliver, and Anderson. And then when Cici sent the group photo, I knew that the vibe was right. I was so happy to see the genuine joy on everyone's faces!   After hearing about all these incredible races, our Varsity crew started their light workout on the Sterling course. The temperatures felt good, and the vibe was perfect. Our six seemed to be perfectly in sync as they took off out of our box and headed to the woods. When Coach Hamilton and I found them again at the bridge, they were smiling as they shared about seeing a pack of deer. We took our traditional team photos on the bridge, and then they took off to finish the loop. While practicing their starts and finishes, Coach Hamilton and I kept smiling at their goofiness and energy--smiles that would continue through stretching, dinner, the pool, and bonding. The same goodness permeated breakfast as well as the bus ride to the course. And when these six took off, I knew that they had the confidence of all the success of their team from the night before, and I knew they had the love for each other needed to do big things. Just like everyone at Lakes, they stepped into that opportunity in a big way! Our "A" race set up was simple: take a risk in the first mile, stick the second mile for the team, and eat in the third mile (goal to catch at least three). Coming out of the woods for the first time, Rachel was sitting around 10th with two Sterling runners hot on her heels. About 10 spots back was the rest of our scoring pack: first Liv, then Arwen with Norah and April in tow. Then came lil' Nani with the next pack, looking powerful in black. I asked this crew to take a risk in the first mile. Much of it is downhill, and I knew that they were ready to run fast. These women took that goal to heart: they came through so speedy! Rachel was 7th in 6:13; Liv, Arwen, April, and Norah were so tight that I didn't bother to write down individual times--they all came through around 6:34; and Kyranni? She risked herself to a 6:55 first mile! I was over the moon, texting Hamilton as I darted back across the field to see them come out of the woods for the second time. We were both going crazy about how tight the pack was! Rachel was in a weird spot coming out of the woods, as 1-6 in the race had separated from the rest of the racers; she wasn't with that pack, but she also wasn't with the one behind her. She did an outstanding job--sick and all--of locking in the black and orange jersey ahead of her, working hard for her team. Arwen and Liv emerged next, stride for stride out of the trees, looking SO LOCKED IN that I got chills. They were in t-shirt earning territory in the mid teens! Before I could even yell at them, Norah was charging out of the woods, looking so dang strong and pulling on her girls. April was not far behind, pulling on the power of Norah's pink sleeves. Our 1-5 split was the closest it had been all season at this point in the race, and I nearly lost my mind. When Kyranni popped out of the woods, I was so joyful watching her battle with two girls in orange. I was too nuts to try to get two-mile times, so I just headed to the stretch before the woods to see if we were meeting the second mile goal. As our pack headed into the woods for the final loop, Rachel was still sitting in 7th, but two girls had started to close the gap, as had Arwen and Liv, who were doing SUCH a good job of pushing each other. Norah was still pulling on these two, using her long stride to make up time on the downhill. April came around the corner looking so strong, opening her stride to try to catch Norah. Kyranni looked so competitive as she headed in for the final loop! When Rachel emerged for the last time, I knew that she was giving her all: her head was up, she was driving her arms, and she was trying with all her might to defend her spot. Liv was coming HARD, driving to catch Rachel and the two girls who were challenging her. Arwen looked so powerful, arms driving, as she headed up the hill in Liv's wake. Before I could finish yelling at her, Norah was on me, driving home. And then I whipped around to see April flying up the hill, arms pumping! I frantically wrote three-mile times (yes, Sterling is sticking with this 5K thing...), and I was astounded! We had three under 20, and Norah was only ticks away. April was mid-20s, and then Kyranni came flying up the hill to a new PR, too. Then it was my turn to sprint up the hill to find our pack. I knew we had run a great team race, but would our pack understand what they had done? All I had to do was see Arwen acting like Kendrick at the Superbowl: "Wop! Wop! Wop" taking out the competition! She was SO feeling herself, and then the others started to pile together with the biggest smiles I have seen all season. They kept talking over each other, knowing that they raced so hard for each other. It was beautiful and brought tears to my eyes! Everyone had run big PRs, but more importantly, they had fun doing it. Hamilton and I started to wonder about the team points, and we frantically tried to do math while listening to the crew recount different parts of the race and mock us for our inability to figure out the scores for sure. For a brief moment, the results popped up and then went away, but we had seen what we wanted to see: 1st place for the bees! Our crew erupted again with joy, hugging one another and smiling ear to ear. When the results were finally posted as official, we saw that tiny number of 55 next to our name. This happened by this team racing as one from gun to tape. Honestly, other than the Regional last year, I can't remember a more complete team race from the bees. Liv kicked hard to be our first finisher (8th place) with a new PR of 19:54. Her 5K time is nearly two minutes faster than last year and a minute and a half faster than her great race at Parkside. More importantly, she worked so well with Woman King throughout the race, pushing her and being pulled by her. It was beautiful! Rachel was our second finisher in 10th with a new LPR. The longer you race, the harder it is to make an LPR happen. Rachel earned this one with a new mindset, incredible work ethic, and gritty finish. Despite being sick, she went beyond her comfort zone to run 4 seconds faster than her sophomore year in the 3-mile and nearly two and half minutes faster than last year at Sterling. OMG! What I loved most was that she embraced the team mission and fought hard to the end, COMPETING for her girls the whole way! Woman King was our #3 today in 12th. She had such a big break through today. She has been sitting at the same time in so many races, frustrated with the 21 at the start of her times. Today, she RACED for her girls, and the numbers show it. Not only did she say goodbye to 21, but she skipped right over 20 to land at 19:53! Her 5K time shows har hard she kicked at the end: 20:29. So proud of you, Arwen! Speaking of proud, Norah moved up so much in the last mile, with only one Sterling runner separating her and Woman King. She ran a blazing 20:04, a huge SPR, knocking 52 seconds from her outstanding performance at Dawson. Like Arwen, she didn't quit at the 3-mile; she finished so fast that her 5K time beat her Dawson time, too! So impressive, Norah, "Don't Call it a Comeback!" April had a big breakthrough today, too. In 24th, she nabbed the fifth medal for our squad. More importantly, she ran a huge PR--20:35. She dropped 61 seconds from her incredible effort at our home course. Like Norah, her 5K beat her previous 3-mile LPR. So impressive! Finally, our lil' freshie came through huge today. After joining us late, Kyranni had a great race at home, and then seemed to be "stuck." She was fighting hard, but her times were not reflecting her hard work. When she ran the 1000s workout last week, I knew she was ready to shine, and shine she did--like a diamond! She dropped over a minute from her previous best at Dawson. She did it by staying locked in, competing hard and staying positive. Her 5K time beat her previous 3-mile PR, too! Winning this invite is a ZB first. I have been coaching the bees for 29 years. We have brought home trophies at Niles, JT, and Sterling, but never any bling for 1st place. While it feels great to take pictures with a plaque, there is nothing that will replace the joy I saw on these six faces before they knew they had one. They FELT like winners first, and I will never forget that moment! It's important to note that our 1-5 split was a mere 51 seconds. Over the summer, Hamilton and I said over and over again that our super power this season was going to be the pack. I have some experience (although from slightly afar) with the power of the pack. When I was a sophomore, I had the privilege to race with some of the grittiest women on earth. There was no front runner on our team--our #1 runner changed all of the time. That was because our top five were so closely matched that it would simply depend on the day to see who would be first. As our #7 runner, I would see these five pack it up all the time, and my fellow pusher #6 Jen and I would do our best to make a secondary pack of support in every race. We qualified for State after winning our Sectional with what we felt was not an A-effort. We were ready to race hard at Detweiller. Luck was not on our side, though: We were put in box #1, on the far left side (if you are facing the course). If you have been to Detweiller, you know that it's better to be on the outside because the first turn is a left. At State, all of the talent is concentrated, so the race does not spread out like at an invite. All of the outside boxes are collapsing into that turn, pinching the inside team. So my coach drew us pictures of the course and talked about this conundrum. The solution? Jen and I were going to start on the right side of our team, acting as body guards, and going out WAY faster than we normally did in order to deliver our pack to the first turn unscathed by the 200+ girls pressing from our right. Jen and I did our job, and our pack was able to run together up the first hill. By the finish of the race, they were so close that (as a reporter noted), you "could have put a blanket over them at the finish." The split? Five seconds. I didn't get to see it live at the finish, but I saw the pictures in the articles about us earning a second place team trophy. If our pack had been only 10 seconds faster, we would have won it all! As a coach, I have dreamed of a team that could replicate this kind of team race. You beautifuls are the closest I have ever come, and we still have time left in the season to make it even better! Challenge assigned! The cool down, photo shoot, lunch, and ride home were filled with joy (except for the missing Bezerker tree...what the hecky, Sterling???). When we got back and cleaned the bus, no one was rushing to leave that magic. I reminded the crew (and now all of you reading) this very important truth: Yes, big PRs and plaques are so much fun to experience, but I need you to know that you are enough and you are loved no matter the outcome of any race. Always. You are loved because you have committed to something bigger than just yourself. You have faced the difficulty that is running with grit and grace. And you have learned each other's names and quirks, strengths and weaknesses. So many kids just walk through high school like zombies, heads in their phones, afraid to try something that can expose their fears and show their weaknesses. But you brave souls have stepped up week after week, loving each other, lifting each other, proving your character, and I love you all for it. I cannot wait for another week together. Let's celebrate this special weekend and hold it in our hearts as we move forward! SO INCREDIBLY PROUD TO BEE YOUR COACH! :)    After two weeks of heat, I was concerned coming into this meet. At practice on Monday, I heard you all as you talked about soreness, heaviness, and dings. Last year, we struggled at Mundelein because the course is tough and we were a bit beat up then, too. I feared we would have a repeat.
Boy was I wrong! I asked you all to treat the meet as a workout--packing for the first mile; turning up the second mile; and racing the third mile. Standing at "The Hill," I was so happy to see packs rolling toward me, looking strong. I was thrilled to watch you all attack the hill with energy that I had not seen the day prior. Rachel, WC, Alivia, Juju, & Norah were in a tight pack, followed by Fernanda & Kyranni looking strong with Sofie working to them. Charisma, Eva, & Lili looked so great powering up the hill, feeding off each other's power. Next came Carla, Nathaly & Yaritza in a tight pack with Cici, Dani, & Temi close behind. Divonalynn pulled so hard on this trio, looking powerful up the hill. Jocell rounded out our group, pressing up the hill with great form! In the second loop, I could see how you all stepped it up! Rachel led our varsity crew with a strong second mile, really opening up. She gave Alivia & Arwen a great target, who in turn pulled Juju & Norah. Fernanda had a huge race today, and her middle mile showed it all: she moved closer to varsity and acted as a beacon for Sofie & Kyranni. Charisma and Eva did such a great job of pushing one another--they worked the hill together for a second time and pulled Lili! Nathaly & Yaritza did the same--they drove up the hill, inspiring Cici to press just as hard. Carla kept pulling on Cici, and Temi & Dani were working so hard together, too! In the final loop, I was so excited to see everyone PUSHING. You all really understood the assignment. I didn't get to see kicks, but if our bus ride home is any indication, your kicks were cookin'! Speaking of the bus ride, the vibe was so positive, and that started during the cool down. It felt like Deerfield all over again--lots of love being shared! It felt great to see you take goofy pictures post-race. And I appreciated your honest shout outs and genuine love for each other on the bus ride home. We are really becoming a team--you are leaning on each other in races and lifting each other up like the true queens that you are. I'm here for it! This will help propel us into the end of the season. Special shout outs to the following bees who hit some nice times despite the "workout" nature of this race: Juju had a great race, earning a season PR of 22:23--impressive effort, Juju! On this tricky course, Yaritza had a great day. Not only did she drop a whopping 53 seconds for a new LPR, but she chose to bounce back after she was disappointed at JT. Proud of your effort, Yaritza! Like Yaritza, Fernanda ran out of her mind today, too. She bid the 25s goodbye by hitting mile two hard and embracing the last mile. She dropped a big 30 seconds despite the hill. So proud of your hard work in the second half, Fernanda! And finally, Charisma kept her streak going despite the challenges of the course. She shed another seven seconds, and is close to bidding the 27s goodbye. I think Lakes is a great place to make that happen! While it is fun to celebrate these PR milestones, it's important to note that you all raced with focus and grit. When I took away the pressure of racing by calling it a workout, you all stepped up! Most of you have two weeks and two races left: Lakes (Friday) and Conference at Warren the following week on Saturday. We are going to sharpen up our fitness so that you are ready to race fast at these two great courses. I cannot wait to see you all shine! This course feels like home away from home--we have raced really well here over the years because it has become a tradition to embrace the hill. Today was no different. If I had to make one statement about the day, it was that we did not let the hill become a real obstacle. Several times, I overheard coaches and parents comment, "Wow! They know how to run a hill!" You KNOW I was smiling.
F/S Women: This race was crazy small, and I'm not sure why. Last year, there were nearly 60 finishers in this race, yet this year we only saw 32. Despite the small numbers, our young crew did a great job of racing hard! Fernanda was our leader and did a great job of pushing herself in the go-zones. She also raced to the wire to edge out an LFA runner. Her mindset earned her a new LPR by dropping 4 seconds! I assume she took some inspiration from having her brother's (ZBXC Alum Alex) cheers along the course! Temi also earned a new LPR, dropping 10 seconds with an impressive kick, also sneaking in before an opponent! Proud of you, Tem! Yaritza was our third finisher with what SHE saw as a frustrating race. I know Yaritza didn't feel great, but she fought hard for her team. That's an important lesson to remember--anyone can run fast when they feel great; gritty runners find a way to perform when conditions are not ideal, and that is what Yaritza did today! She was a good role model for Kailey and Jocell who also felt less than ideal. They both fought hard, though and had sweet kicks! Because all five of these bees finished hard, we took home our first big piece of hardware for the season: a third place trophy! If any bee had backed down or not finished, we would bee without a trophy. So proud of this crew! Congrats on the trophy! Varsity Women: Like last week, the weather became a factor in this race. It already felt stuffy during the F/S race, but it was HOT by the time these six hit the line. There were some great performances from this crew, though! Rachel did a great job leading our crew as she has all season. I loved watching her pop off the top of the hill and use turns to create a slingshot. Post-race, she reported feeling drained in the last mile, but she kept pressing, giving Liv a target. Even more impressive was her mindset. Last year at this time in the season, Rachel would have crumbled when pressed by anyone, let alone a teammate. But today, Rachel took Liv's press as a chance to push on! Rachel was the first to shoot up a hand for shout outs on the bus, and I knew it was going to be fore Alivia. Proud of your growth, Rachel! Speaking of Ms. Sheets, Liv looked phenomenal throughout her race today, but he last mile was killer. She built in the woods and took the last 400 seriously, pushing up to Rachel and popping past her in the final turns and earning a new SPR! We named MayMay Athlete of the week before this race because she has been SO consistent this season. This race more than proved our thesis, though: not only was she consistent, but she was also aggressive when it counted most. That kind of memory is important to establish so that she can feel confident when we return for the Regional! Proud of you, Liv! Arwen was our next finisher with a solid race. She looked so good in the first two miles, pulling on Alivia and pressing on the hill. I'm going to post a challenge to our Woman King: I know that she has more in the tank. She has been stuck at 21:15 for several races, no matter the temperature or terrain. I KNOW she is ready for a breakthrough, but it is going to take a mindset shift for the last mile. Woman King, I need you to keep picturing how you want that last mile to go, especially the last stretch from the bridge to the finish. Remember your sprinter roots and summer lessons. Let's go! Norah was our next finisher, and after such a great breakthrough at Warren, felt a bit heavy. This feeling did not surprise me as she has been pressing so hard to come back from her injury and increase her mileage. It is normal to hit a plateau after a big performance like she had last week. The good news is that she got a great stimulus from this race because she kept pressing despite being uncomfortable. Proud of you for working through it, Norah! April was our next bee. Despite racing with a heavy heart, she was all business from warm up to race to cool down. I was amazed by her focus and feisty racing attitude. April's hills looked super strong, as did her kick. I am confident that if she faces that Carmel girl again, she will edge her out in a rematch! Proud of your dedication and focus today, April! Finally, Kyranni made her varsity debut in her third race as a bee! Rachel reported that during warm up, Kyranni was asking great questions and was optimistic about the course. Once the gun sounded, she did a great job of using the people around her, driving up the hill, and responding to the cheers of her team. What great experience to run on the Regional course while under pressure. Way to go, Kyranni! Overall, we raced well as a team. We narrowly missed a trophy by two points, but I am confident that we will race even better when we return in late October. :) Open Women: If it was toasty at Warren, it was downright rude at JT for this race. Yes, the breeze picked up for this co-ed race, but so did the sun! Thankfully, our crew approached the line with the right mindset, feeling ready to beat some boys and own the course. I was so proud to watch this crew attack the hill and use the course and numbers to their advantage. As our first finisher, Charisma continued her streak today despite the heat. Looking like a boss up the hill AND on her kick, she dropped 24 seconds for a new LPR. Talk about embracing the right mindset of distance running! Although she is new to the sport, her athlete brain has adapted so well to XC racing. Proud of you, Charisma! Nathaly and Carla were our next finishers, only seconds apart. They both worked so well together at different points in the race. After the race, Nathaly explained how hard the experience was, and I could not help but smile at her gritty fight! Carla, after seeing her sister exit the race, fought so hard to keep pressing. Carla has been so consistent this season, and this race was a great example of her strong mindset. Nice finish, Carla! Candy was our next finisher. She has been working through a lower leg injury, but her mindset was outstanding today. She did not let her calves, the heat, or the hill deter her. She did a great job of pressing at the top of the hill as well as working through the woods. Proud of you, Candy! She gave Cici and Dani a visual to pull upon in the open fields. Cici looked powerful up the hill with her big stride and great arms. She was a great leader for Dani who needed that visual in the last mile. Dani did a great job of opening up in the last 300, driving her arms for a great kick. Proud of you, Dani! Overall, I'm proud of this crew for not letting the weather get in the way of a chance to prove their strength. Kudos to Charisma and Nathaly for earning ribbons for their performances. This crew took second in the team race, easing past Vernon Hills, a strong team! Great work, women! I love this invite. I love that it is close by so a lot of fans are able to come cheer. I love that the course is flat, fast, and easy to "coach" because I can see you a bunch. I love that it is a mix of calm woods and music-filled stadium. And I love that it is named after my good friend and former coach of the Warren men's team, Bill Dawson. (If you bought a shirt--his cartoon face is on the front). Coach Dawson dedicated his life to coaching young runners. He loved cross-country because he enjoyed helping teams develop, and he knew what we all know: that xc makes you better at life!
I met him when I first started coaching, and I immediately was drawn to his practical optimism and enthusiasm. He was open, too: while many coaches kept their "secret sauce" to themselves, he asked questions about how we were training, what we did to build connections, and how I felt about the women racing 2.5 miles rather than 3. Yes, quick side note: When I ran back in the day, the xc distance for girls was 2 miles, and for guys it was always 3 miles. The first state meet for women was in 1979...five years AFTER I was born! In contrast, the men first had a state meet in 1946! Why the disparity, you ask? Well, women were not allowed participate in high school sports for a long time due to outdated thinking. There was a foolish belief that a woman's uterus would fall out of her body if she strained herself too much. I know that sound illogical, but oppression is not built on logic. When women were finally allowed to participate in high school sports equally, thanks a 1972 federal civil rights law that forbade "discrimination based on sex in any federally funded educational program or activity," the IHSA did not think that high school girls could handle what the guys could handle. Accordingly, they were only allowed to compete at 2 miles for DECADES. That unfair tradition lasted until 1998, when the IHSA realized that the different distances needed to change. Their solution? Shift the distance to 2.5 to "gradually" build the girls up to the guys' distance. That lasted way too long (2.5 is a silly racing distance), until we finally reached true equity in the 2002 season, finally racing 3-miles like ! Sorry, not sorry for the side rant. ;) Ok--back to my point: Bill Dawson was a great friend, an advocate for equity in women's sport, and a brilliant coach. In 2019, he was diagnosed with throat cancer, and during the fall of 2020, it finally got the best of him. The timing was so unfair; although he had coached numerous state qualifiers, his biggest goal was for his team to qualify for state in XC. In 2019, the team narrowly missed a team berth, taking 6th place (only top five teams qualified back then), even after dominating the regional the week before. In 2020, his team was even better, but there was no state meet that year due to Covid. In 2021, his team made it to state while wearing "Do it for Dawson" t-shirts. If only he could have seen them shine at state! I am grateful to have known him, and I am even more grateful that the meet is a time when I can honor his memory. After some great racing at home, I was so stoked to see you all race at Warren. Had Mother Nature cooperated at all, I'm confident there would have been some big time drops. At this point in the season, though, I do not care about time as much as competing. And compete you all did! :) F/S Women: Click here to check out the cool timing website. It shows your mile splits as well as our placement for each mile. We had eight bees in this race, and they were all gritty! April was our first finisher with an impressive race. She got out harder than usual (6:50!) and did a great job of responding to our cheers to work on the people around her. I was impressed by her finish, but more importantly, I like that she challenged herself to go after a medal spot. Although a medal was not in the cards for her today, I like the mindset of going big! That gutsy start is now "in" her system as a stimulus and will pay off later in the season when the weather is cooler and her fitness is even stronger! :) Kyranni was our second bee with an outstanding race of her own. She looked locked in the whole way. In particular, she did a great job of slingshotting off the turn from the stadium, and working up to packs that could challenge her. She ran a big PR, jumping past the 24s and running 23:44. Way to go, Kyranni! Fernanda was our third bee for the day with a great race! She was only seconds away from her new PR from home this week. She also had a great kick, inching out a girl from Mundelein by tenths of a second! Proud of you, Fernanda! Celene was #4 today with a fantastic race. After running almost identical times at Lake Forest and home, Celene dropped some serious time today, bidding the 27s goodbye. Not only did she drop over 15 seconds, but she also had a beautiful kick. Way to go, Celene! Temi rounded out our scoring for the day as our 5th finisher (remember--top five places are added up for our team score). She managed to shave a second off her time from our course (a new PR is a new PR!!!) by working well with her teammates. She worked with Kailey in the first mile, then moved up to work on catching Celene. She was zooming in the stadium for the final kick, too! Proud of you, Temi! Yaritza was our #6 today, and she had A DAY! Not only did she get out faster than usual (9:08!!!), she also ran a huge PR because she stayed locked in the whole time! She was so responsive to our cheers, and it earned her a new LPR that said goodbye to the 30s: 29:55! Yaritza has improved SO MUCH over last year. At Conference last fall, she ran 31:30 for a huge PR. Now...in SEPTEMBER, she is already in the 29s. Her hard work this summer is definitely paying off. Proud of you, Yari! :) Kailey was our #7 today with a strong race. Not only did she run a 40 second PR (!!!!!!!!), she also raced hard. Like Yaritza, she listened to advice about pushing on the turns and working the go-zones. She had a pretty sweet kick too! Excellent growth, Kailey! Finally, Jocell was our #8. Like Kailey, she got out really well and raced hard in the middle mile! She was able to knock off over a minute from her previous best at Lake Forest. More impressively, she was two seconds faster than her 2.5 mile time from Parkside! What?! Jocell's improvement is a testament to patience and persistence. She gave her body a chance to adapt, and now the time is dropping off! Way to go, Jocell! Overall, this group set a great tone for the day: ignore the heat and just RACE! Way to go, freshies! Varsity Women: By this point in the morning, the heat was disrespectfully making its presence known. While we were blessed with easy temperatures for the first few weeks of the season and racing, the heat rebound now is tricky because we lost our conditioning to it (although by this writing, you all are probably used to it again!). Fun fact: Your ability to stay cool or to cool off is a deciding factor on pace. Your body has to waste a lot of energy to keep from overheating, so the more efficient it becomes at keeping you cool, the faster you can go. #science ;) Here's what I absolutely loved about this race: the pack work. After the gun, I went to the 800 mark to watch our pack emerge from the woods, and what a pack it was! Rachel was a few seconds ahead of our crew, but Liv, Woman King, Juju, and Norah were all tucked together, looking so powerful. I encouraged them to start working up together. Sofie was in a decent spot, and I implored her to start moving up like the pack ahead of her! After the mile, the pack started to spread out slightly, as Liv pressed. Norah was pulling on her, and then Juju and Arwen were focused on catching their girls. Sofie had a good push out of the stadium, and I moved to the go-zone down the mini-hill to see how we worked the woods during mile two. I was so happy to see our crew was still within eyesight of each other. Yes, it was hot, but everyone was racing SO WELL. There were some really nice kicks today, too: Rachel nearly caught one girl and held off the Grayslake runner; Alivia caught FOUR runners in the final mile, and nearly ran down a girl from Conant in the final push; Norah ran super even in her last two miles and pressed in the final 300; Woman King caught a runner in the final mile and held off a charging runner from Carmel; Juju ran so strong in the face of her stomach rebelling in the final mile; Sofie was in "No Man's Land" in the final push, but she did a great job of picking it up coming off the final turn. Quick shout out to Norah for being SO CLOSE to her time from Dawson last year. What a breakthrough for a big SPR! It was fun to see you so joyful post-race! Overall, today's race was about the pack. At the mile, we had a 24 second split from 1-5! Our goal needs to be that we KEEP that spread by mile three. I know that we are capable of keeping it under 45 seconds based on workouts and this summer's work. I challenge you to think about something Woman King and I talked about a few weeks back: "the pull of the pack." She told me that Oshkosh shifted her mindset because she didn't want to let Xander down at Garbage Hill, and that transitioned into fighting for her Minions in the DMR and her girls in the long run. The reason we do those workouts at Osh is to instill that sense of responsibility to one another. I want you to feel that link...that pull. That feeling is what helped us at the Regional last year in the final mile, and it is what can help us moving forward. Let's go! Open Women: Hot. By the time these chicas raced, the temperatures had climbed to over 76. While that is a nice temperature for a walk at the lake, racing three miles is uncomfortable. Remember--your body has to do more work to cool itself as the temperatures rise, and that takes extra energy that you would rather put into catching sleepy runners from other teams. Despite the conditions, our bees raced so tough! Eva, Candy, and then Charisma got out hard to lead our team at the first 800. Dani and Nathaly weren't far behind, working up to our leaders. Then Carla, Cici, and Cynthia were within earshot of each other, pushing hard coming out of the woods. By the mile, I could see that today was going to be Nathaly's day; she moved up SO MUCH heading into mile two, and by the end of that loop, she had nabbed TEN sleepy runners. Eva caught one and Cici caught two while Dani caught SIX! What great focus during the hardest mile of the race! We did more passing in the final mile, too: Candy caught one; Carla and Charisma each caught three; and Nathaly and Cici tied for seven each! This kind of alertness at the hottest part of the race is so impressive. What made me even more joyful was hearing the comments after the race. Over and over, these women reported feeling challenged yet deciding to make their mindsets right. Despite the heat, Charisma kept her string of PRs rolling, dropping 20 seconds and saying goodbye to the 28s! Way to go, Charisma! Dani dropped 38 seconds on the season 26 seconds from her lifetime to earn a new LPR, earning her way into the 28s for the first time. So proud of you, Dani! Way to stay locked in! And finally, Nathaly ran a big SPR today, catching a total of 17 runners during her race and dropping 53 seconds for the season! It was a gritty race, and it was so fun to watch! Overall, it was a great day from this crew--I could not be prouder! Way to keep your minds in the right spot and seizing the opportunity to race hard! It is my hope that when we return for Conference, the weather will be helpful, and we can compete against this day to see all our hard work manifest into a more great racing! Tuesday @ Shiloh Woods
We have been running at Shiloh Woods since the 2011 season. I love our course because it allows us many advantages: We practice in the woods to eliminate the "Twilight Effect" that many feel during the middle of the race--falling asleep where there are no fans; we know how to attack the hill in the "Sectional Loop"; and we e know how to shift in the last 400, including down the hill. I was excited to have us near full strength. For weeks, we have had bees who were out of town, sick, or injured. This was the biggest group who was going to be on the starting line, and I couldn't wait to see how we would react with each other. Once the gun sounded, I headed to the 800 mark at the Sectional Loop to see how we were fairing. Rachel had a great start, looking confident. Only a few seconds behind came Woman King, Liv, Juju, Norah, & April. These five were within steps of each other, and I was over the moon! Kyranni (in her racing debut) was just around the corner after a gutsy start. Sofie came around the bend looking strong, shortly followed by Fernanda, Eva, and Celene, who were working well together to push hard. Nathaly had her eyes locked on this group, pulling hard up the hill. She acted as a guide for the trio of Lili, Charisma, and Carla. Side by side, these three looked so good! Courageously, Temi pulled on this triumvirate, using their guide to pull her along. Around the bend, Divonalynn, Cynthia, Dani, Cici, Yaritza, and Kailey looked like a Darwin line, pulling on the strength of the bee ahead of them. Jocell and Ingrid rounded out our racers for the day, looking strong coming down the other side of the loop! I darted to the pool, watching our bees work along the duck pond. I am proud that coming into the woods, EVERYONE pushed around that turn, pressing to catch the people around them. Although our packs were not as tight at this point, we were still pulling on one another, grittily working for one another. I wanted to see finishes, so I didn't get to see everyone cross the road to the 2-mile, but Candy was there after her doctor's appointment, encouraging our bees along. I am so stoked about the finishes today. Not only did we do a great job of accelerating at the 400 and 300 marks, it was fun to watch you all catch another gear down the hill. Overall, the racing was superb with everyone taking risks and embracing the race techniques. I was frustrated that Mother Nature didn't help us out with better turf conditions so that your times could accurately represent your effort. The rain over the weekend did not soak in as quickly as I had hoped. The duck pond as well as the stretch along the pines and into the finish were spongy. While that cushiony ground feels nicer on your feet and joints, we need the ground to give energy back when you hit it in order to be efficient. Spongy earth just soaks up your energy, making it harder to race fast. The proof was in the times: on a more firm ground, I think you each would have been at least 10 seconds faster. Keeping that "conversion" in mind, the times you all ran were impressive! Rachel narrowly missed the Top Ten Board by a second. Liv, Arwen, Juju and Cici all ran season bests! Even more impressively, April, Fernanda, and Divonalynn all ran LPRs! Wowza! Ingrid and Kyranni ran their first races of the season, looking great in their debuts! After racing, we headed to the band shell to honor our seniors: Rachel, Woman King, Juju, Sofie, Eva, Nathaly, Cici, Carla, & Cynthia. I am grateful to the team for making great posters and showing the love for our seniors--thank you all! And I am grateful for the wisdom of our senior crew--many of whom have dedicated four years of their lives to the team. Let's keep that energy heading into the second half of the season! FYI, both Warren and Lake Zurich took us to task. They are at a different place than us right now, and they outscored us for the day. While that fact is humbling, I know that we have tremendous upside: we have many team members who are rapidly learning how to race more effectively while building their aerobic engines. I can't wait to see what we can do as the season progresses! Quick note: I don't have time to do a full entry on our workout from Thursday, but I do want to note how proud I am of our team. You embraced the purpose of going "negative" by getting progressively faster, and you used your teammates to make it happen. That workout showed what you are capable of! And you will start to see the benefits as we head into the JT invite next week. Don't forget that key workout! I took a few days to write this because I was trying soak in the day. Here's what I know:
1. We have raced frequently and on tough courses. Sure, Deerfield was easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, but then we added on Waukegan's sneaky and not-so-sneaky hills as well as Parkside's monster plus supplemental hills. I am SUPER happy that we have all of this "load" accumulated in us. This early season strength work will pay off next week and later in the season for sure! Conversely, I knew we would not be fresh after all of that climbing, but I was hoping the speediness of Lake Forest's course would help us overcome the fatigue. 2. While you were all walking the course before the race, Lake Forest's coach informed Anderson and me that the starting line was further back. He claimed that it made up for a shorter first loop, but the times say otherwise. This course is probably a full 3-miles now because the overall times were slower (for this course) across the board. 3. There was a weird vibe before the race. I still can't name it, but something felt...off. I know that we are still recovering from many being sick. But I guess I was expecting our team connection to be more firm by this point, and I want us to progress! More on this later. 4. There were A LOT of bright spots on Tuesday:
So you might be thinking to yourself: "Di Grazia, this is a pretty amazing list! What's your deal with your 'intro' about the vibe being off?" Well, here it goes: After Deerfield, I was so excited to hear you all being so positive on the bus ride home. It made me hopeful that despite there being so many new peeps on the team, our values of lifting up one another, seeking growth, and deepening our linkedness (yes, I made up a word...you can't stop me!) would persevere this season. And don't get me wrong--I have seen a lot of steps in that direction so far. :) But I guess Friday night made me think a lot about what I felt was missing on Tuesday. See, on Friday night, we had a lot of FUN. There was cheering and joy and smiles and fellowship. It was great! But too many of you did not witness that glee. Too many of you did not prioritize so that you could bee part of that evening. And too many of you were really hard on yourselves on Tuesday. All of that makes me wonder what I need to do differently. I've thought a lot about it, and here is my promise: 1. First, I need you to know that practice and meets bring me unbridled JOY. I love my job, and you should know WHY. This sport is TOUGH. Running creates discomfort, and discomfort makes your brain question everything. Watching your navigate that doubt...watching you persevere...watching you LIFT one another is simply priceless! More importantly, I see how much you have changed already. It's early in the season, but I can see each of you growing into your power, and I LOVE IT. 2. Second, I want you to know to bee ready to work on beeing more linked this week. I want to push us out of our comfort zones to really connect beyond the people at our pace. There is power in the team, and now that our roster is officially set, I want to make sure that we are more connected. 3. Bee ready to work on our mental game! I think that CONFIDENCE was the vibe that I was missing on Tuesday. Confidence speaks when the day isn't an A before the race or workout or presentation or test. Confidence speaks when doubt tries to sneak in. Confidence is built through discipline and honesty and team and acknowledging that the little wins add up to big ones. So how are we going to work on it? Welp, I'm asking you to pick ONE of the techniques below to try out at practice and the meets this week. Bee ready to share which one you will use:
This week, I ask that you stay open to beeing linked, that you measure your success by what you are doing right, and that you embrace the racing opportunities we have at home and Warren! Let's celebrate our seniors and feel the JOY this week! At the risk of sounding like a broken record, can you believe the weather we have enjoyed? For you newbees, you have no idea how good you have it: we are usually roasting in the summer sun for the first few meets of the season!
We arrived at Parkside a bit early to find dew on the grass and a bunch of deer at the base of the hill. During our course walk, I could tell that the first hill made quite an impression. It was perfect that we had the women's captains deliver thought of the day at the base of the hill. Arwen's words, "Pain is just a French word for bread," were perfect! Nothing like a dad pun to lighten the mood and put the hill in perspective. :) Our Open Women combined into one race again, but this time only tackling 2.5 (our last "short" race of the season). I was excited to see how this group would handle this tough course. Like Waukegan, the hills and terrain are a challenge as well as lack of fans. The quiet of the woods can allow runners to take a nap, but I was proud to see our crew manage the challenges of the day. I was excited to watch mile times pop up on the results page. You can look at your splits here (bee sure to click on your race--they divided the freshies out from JV). The mile times showed that we were out well and didn't let the hill hold us back! Norah was in the lead for us, positioning herself in the front pack of the race in her '25 debut. She looked great coming down the hill and heading into the finish! So glad to have her back in uniform! Our second finisher was freshie Fernanda with a strong race. Her finish was spectacular! She pulled up on a runner from Case and fought her for nearly 50 meters, inching her out by .5 of a second at the finish! This kind of fight is what I am looking for this season! Candy was our next finisher with a crazy-good race. After battling the crud that has been going around school and our team all week, she stepped UP with an impressive race with a fire finish. Nice work, Candy! Celene was only seconds behind Candy with an equally gritty race; she caught TWO girls in the final kick. Keep your eyes on this sophomore; she is figuring out how to race and her summer miles are paying off! Proud of you, Celene! Eva was our next bee with a powerful performance. Also battling "the crud," Eva just looked GRITTY today. Her finish was strong and it led to a significant PR on the course (by nearly 5 minutes from sophomore year!!!). Way to go, senior! Charisma continues her streak of negative splits. For those of you new to this term, it means getting faster for each mile of the race. Her first mile was 9:26, but her mile average was 9:18. And that KICK! She showed off her true athlete self with that fight to the finish! Way to go! Cynthia and Dani were our next finishers, only a second apart. Cynthia looked so good coming down the hill and around to the finish, and Dani was ZOOMING to the finish with beautiful turn over. Whew! Dani didn't race at Parkside last year, so she really did a number on her previous PR, dropping nearly TWELVE minutes from her previous best. What?! The fact that Cynthia was right there with her is impressive as this is Cynthia's first season racing XC! She has come SO FAR since track season, and I'm loving it. Like her sis(es), the summer miles are paying off for her! Speaking of sis, Carla was not far behind this duo with a sweet finish of her own. She did a great job hunting down the runner from Northside Prep and letting Cici push her to a great finish! Cici, like all of her teammates before her, had an impressive kick today. Her stride looked so powerful! She dropped over FIVE MINUTES from her previous best on the course. So proud of you, senior! Yaritza was our next finisher with a great day, too. She has never raced at this course, but she ran it like a veteran. She looked great coming down the hill and into her kick, too. Our next two bees were Divonalynn and Kailey. After helping each other at Lake County, they were a duo at the finish today, too, kicking like mad to press to the finish. Great work you two! Finally, Jocell finished her first XC race! She has been working on her endurance for two weeks now, and she set aside her nerves to make the race happen on this tough course. Way to go, Jocell! Overall, I am stoked about the performances from this group. Without many fans, you stayed awake, used the course to your advantage, and finished with PRIDE. What impressed me even more was the fact that I saw you EVERYWHERE for your teammates after your timely cooldown. You poured into the guys and Varsity girls, and I am so proud of that fact! Let's keep that positive energy! Our Varsity group was small but mighty today. Our group of four got out hard with Rachel literally leading the field up the hill and Liv, April, and Sofie following her gutsy lead. Coach Hamilton was near the mile mark and reported that all four of our bees were cruising down the hill and looking fantastic! When I saw them emerge from the woods at the halfway mark, I was so happy to see the strong body language! Rachel looked great, working to catch some speedy racers from West. Liv was working through a pack as she zipped around the bend. April looked her grittiest of the season, aggressively passing a pack around the turn. Sophie was a bit detached from the pack a this point in the race, but she used the crowd to wake up and pull closer to the next runner. I caught our crew again at the steep downhill before the 3-mile mark. All four of our bees let gravity help them get into the turn over for their final kick. I was impressed as they zoomed by! Thanks to Yaritza, we have their 3-mile times: Rachel--20:45; Alivia--21:11; April--21:52; and Sofie--26:24. ALL of them were faster than their times at Lake County only days before, and April set a LIFETIME PR on this course! Amazing! I'm really proud of how this group raced. Like their teammates in the open race, they finished with strong kicks and looked joyful about their performances. Way to go! Looking ahead: We now have two hilly courses in our blood. That's a great thing! This week of work will pay off in two weeks when we race at the flat Warren Invite as well as at Mundelein's rolling course. The hills will make us faster for the end of the season, too. Remember--every step you take makes you stronger, both physically and mentally. Keep tabs of all your little victories--whether it is positive self-talk at a difficult moment in a race or workout, or a victory over a hill or catching a competitor or staying with a teammate. All of those wins matter. We are heading into a lighter week race-wise. We will have an easier practice on Monday after pictures. We will be at the flat and fast Lake Forest course on Tuesday; we will also face strong Stevenson and Warren squads. Let's go into this race with pride and power! We are counting on you to take care of your mileage on Wednesday after testing and then join us for fun on Friday at the Jamboree! If you are able to help with the potluck, look out for the sign up form on Monday! Finally, we will head out to Van Patten on Saturday for some interval work by the lake. Let's get/stay healthy so that we can race in full force on Tuesday and the following week! |
