KY Running Blogs: Raegan Davis, Assumption HS

 

 

If you're a high school runner in the Louisville area, what was the only thing on your mind today? Well, if the answer wasn't practice, then it was Tiger Run. For those of you who have never run this race before, it is an invitational that marks the beginning of the season for many area teams. It takes place annually at the River Road Country Club and is hosted by St. Xavier. Assumption's runners participated in the varsity and the JV 5K meets, as there was no meet specifically for ninth grade girls.

    For us, the festivities started yesterday at our beginning-season chapel meeting. Never before this had I heard of a chapel meeting and had no idea what to expect. We met in the theater and sat around the stage where our 20 seniors sat (about a sixth of the team). The coach briefly explained the story of our chapel meeting's meager origins and continued on to pass out roses to each of the seniors- something that is typically done at the end of the season. Then again, with a team as large and as unique in style as ours, we figure it's okay to be a bit atypical. Then each of the seniors stood and said their piece. Some told stories about how they ended up on the team. Others handed out advice to freshmen like myself. Many praised the coach and the team.

    "These girls are like my sisters," said one girl.

    "He [the coach] is kind of like my dad . . If you need him, he'll be there for you," explained another.

    Simply by listening to their speeches, one could get a feeling of togetherness that was, quite obviously, family-like. I decided for myself right then and there: I will be on this team for the next four years, regardless of whatever else may come along. Each of the girls was so pleased to be there and so happy for one another. What struck me the most, however, was the amount of respect that these girls were given. All of them, regardless of their split times or places within the team, were looked up to, simply because of their loyalty. Where other girls may have given up after the first year or two, our seniors stuck it out through all four years (in most cases) and that was what made them special.

    Another thing that surprised me was how much they loved what they do. So often at my previous school, one would go to practice and hear complaints of how much everyone hates to run. Even the best runners would be frustrated and angry about having to run. But the one thing that I've found is so different about Assumption's team is the love for the sport that you see here. Yes, there are bad days sometimes, but not always. Generally speaking, you see girls happy and excited just to be a part of the team.

    "I do it for that feeling when you cross that finish line," a senior explained to the rest of us. "No one can really describe it."

    Our meeting was closed by the coach, who presented us with the quote of the year ("Be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told"), some ending announcements and a few words of wisdom for the upcoming season.

    "Set a goal," he bade us. "It doesn't matter what it is. That's your goal. No one has the right to tell you that you can't achieve it."

    Afterwards, most of us flocked to a nearby frozen yogurt bar. In retrospect, that probably wasn't a very good idea. . . Then proceeded back to the school for even more food- the spaghetti dinner. Because, let's face it, what's the use of a race if you don't get to eat an extremely large amount of pasta the night before, right? Simply being able to see each other outside of school and talk for a while made it fun for both the runners and their families.

    The next morning, everyone was up bright and early for the meet. I made a point of bringing "war paint," as we called it. The team used the maroon lipstick to write and/or draw all over the coaches and each other. By the end of the day, it was all over our assistant coach's clipboard and all over our manager's face. It was, in essence, a blast! As I am not cleared to run again until Tuesday due to a leg injury, I spent the first hour before the meet pacing back and forth, trying unsuccessfully to convince our head coach that I should be allowed to run in the JV meet on Wednesday of the upcoming week. It's probably for the best that I am not running, but seeing Tiger Run today makes me want to start my season as quickly as possible. Please, little leg, get better soon!

    The atmosphere was so different from what I'm used to. Typically, my previous team's meets were tense. Tiger Run reminded me almost of a festival like the ones that I used to go to as a kid. There were people and tents and dogs everywhere. No one seemed nervous and if they were, it was masked by excitement. Everywhere one looked, there were smiles. All in all, there were hundreds, maybe even thousands of people there. The race course doubled over itself multiple times, making it easy to get a good view of what was happening while the girls were running. Our tent was near the back, though it wasn't difficult to find. Dozens of girls encircled it and if that wasn't enough of an indicator, we also had a giant sign and our signature spirit stick (nicknamed John Luke).

    The first race that Assumption ran was the Varsity girls' race. I remember walking deeper into the course so that I could get a good spot to watch and seeing the teams, lined up like a rainbow across the starting line. One boy had to climb up into a tree because so many people were over by the starting line. And, when some of these girls have come from as far as Dayton, of course there were people who wanted to be close to them. The assistant coach, who kindly allowed me to follow him around like a duckling all throughout the races, found a vantage point from the top of a small hill that the girls ran up after the beginning stretch.

    Zipping out of the pack came what looked to me like a John Deere golf cart, carrying two passengers. It was so small and strange to my eyes that I found it almost comical. I had never seen anything like it, especially not at a race. Its function was most likely to show the runners where they were meant to go. Once I came to this, I realized how helpful it probably was to the frontrunners. Were I running, I probably would have wanted to know where I was going, as well, though I can't help but wonder what happened if a girl were to pass it.

    When the gunshot went off, the girls darted out. When they passed us, a girl from Manuel was jockeying for first with a girl from North Oldham High. After all of the girls passed us, we ran across the course to see them from a place near the one-mile point, sprinted over to the two-mile point, and finally finished about a quarter mile before the finish, something that our assistant coaches referred to as the "here-there-and-everywhere sprint." At the first mile, the lead was held by a girl from Creek, though after that, we didn't catch the frontrunners after that. By the time that we reached the end of the race, there was cheering everywhere. The girls kept jockeying until the very end. Overall, our got 21st, with the top five averaging in at 24:05.19. (Thanks to Barry Haworth for all of the numbers I'm using here now.)

    I noticed that the coaches all had different ways of motivating their girls. Some were loud, some were gentler. Some baited the girls with cries of "you're almost done," while some told their runners to pass the others. It's like making a sandwich- everyone has their own way, I suppose. I think that, when it comes to cheering, our team had a little of everything. That way everyone hears something that motivates them. I remember that all throughout the sixth grade, I hated the spectators. They were always demanding more while I was giving my all and saying that I did well, even when I knew that I didn't. I was kind of a pessimist in the sixth grade.

    As the JV girls meet did not start until 11:45, we decided to watch the JV boys meet. On the way there, we got a look at the varsity boys' times for Atherton High School. Congratulations to their fastest runner of the day, who got a time of 18:06! That is, in my opinion, an insanely incredible time! We got to the start just in time to see the boys begin their race. Immediately, a boy from Oldham County sprinted to the front and gained a large lead over the others. However, the last I saw the runners, the top three boys were all from St. Xavier.

    Unlike with the other races, the JV girls did a shag out. It was nice to watch- something familiar. At my old school, a shag out was how we always used to start our races. By the time that the race started, the John Deere cart had gathered about five or six extra runners (Sacred Heart girls, I believe), all adding to the happiness of the event itself. The girl in the front was a Manuel runner. As soon as everyone passed us, we again ran to the one mile point. I had no idea how much running cross country spectators did until now. After today, I have even more respect for the parents and coaches of cross country runners. Without you all, we wouldn't be anywhere near where we are today.

    By the time that we got to the first mile, one of our girls was neck-and-neck with a girl from Sacred Heart. A good number of our girls were near the front by that point as well. This placement was held for the most part. Our frontrunners placed 4th, 5th and 6th, with seven qualifying for a varsity letter. In this race, we took first place. Again, congratulations to all of the elementary and high school runners who ran today and to everyone who beat their best times and places. Good luck to all runners in the JV race on Wednesday!