JT Invite @ Bulldog Athletic Complex (Grant)

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!