Break down of something to watch for in each Class for the upcoming Cross-Country Season
I'm sure it's no secret to those reading this that this weekend is the Kentucky State Track Meet (but seriously, if you didn't know that, click that back button and check out all the great coverage that's been posted!). For some of you, it may be a chance to capture a State Championship. Your dreams from January are finally coming to fruition and you are nervously anticipating the moment the gun goes off!
I woke up this morning and, like many others, made the drive down I-64 to Collins High School ready to watch the debut race of Gabby Karas’ season. Delaying the start of her season to peak during Nationals, it seemed an ideal time, given the fact that this was her home meet. Unfortunately, it was not to be, as Gabby was not able to finish the race and had to drop out just before the mile due to an ankle injury. It’s a tough break for a good kid and every fan of Cross Country in Kentucky should be rooting for this young lady to make a speedy recovery and be able to represent our state on a national level.
The weather this week had been perfect: clear skies, sunshine, and mid 70’s. However, it wouldn’t be October in Kentucky if Mother Nature didn’t have her way every once in a while and a cold front accompanied by rain came through overnight and made for a chilly, windy Saturday morning.
College race action hosted by UK
This weekend I had somewhat of a choice as to what meet I could go cover. Seeing the field for the 40th Annual Grant County Invitational and wanting to check out the action from our Northern KY team, I made the 50 mile drive up I-75 to Sherman Elementary to the Grant County Invitational. I was looking forward to seeing how Highland’s teams faired, how the St. Henry/Bishop Brossart Rivalry was shaking out, how Michaela Reinhart faired against her Regional foes from the North, and if Ethan Shuley was still the real-deal coming off a State Championship in track. I was not disappointed.
Henry Clay has hosted the kickoff meet for the Lexington area for several years now, but this year’s meet ran to a more somber tone. Last January, a member of the Henry Clay cross country team, Tanner Duke, tragically passed away. In honor of his memory, this year’s meet was named the Henry Clay/Tanner Duke Invitational. As cross country season begins I cannot imagine how difficult of a time this must be for the Duke family. So as you read this, take a moment to stop and give a moment of your thoughts and/or prayers to Tanner Duke and his family.
Several years in a row this meet has kicked-off coverage for me for the Cross-Country season. It’s trademarks are hot, humid weather, a difficult course, and some of Central Kentucky’s finest opening their seasons.
In the continuation of our Pre-Season coverage, we’ll be taking a look at the toughest regions in the state in each class. These regions were decided based upon their previous finishes at State and the current projections for who will be racing for each team this season. I’ve tried to use as much empirical data as possible and have compared all regions based on their CURRENT classifications.
It’s that time of the year again, Ladies and Gentlemen. The calendar has turned and August is upon us, which means XC season is just around the corner. As part of our Pre-Season coverage kickoff, we are bringing to you 5 stories to watch out for in the upcoming season.
The Meet of Champions at Masterson Station has always held a special place in my heart. As I made my way to the meet on a cold, cloudy October morning, the memories of my own Meet of Champions experiences came back. What I realized most on this day was that for many athletes, as is the case for myself, the way he or she remembers their state meet is not by the place they came in, but by the experiences they had before, during, and after the event. Yes, the race is run to determine who the fastest individual is within the different age groups and there is a single “Champion” in that regard. But this “Meet of Champions” is a gathering of the many young men and women who have spent many weeks of hard to reach whatever goals they had set before them. So here’s to all the “Champions” of this Middle School Cross-County season.
The Meet of Champions at Masterson Station has always held a special place in my heart. As I made my way to the meet on a cold, cloudy October morning, the memories of my own Meet of Champions experiences came back. What I realized most on this day was that for many athletes, as is the case for myself, the way he or she remembers their state meet is not by the place they came in, but by the experiences they had before, during, and after the event. Yes, the race is run to determine who the fastest individual is within the different age groups and there is a single “Champion” in that regard. But this “Meet of Champions” is a gathering of the many young men and women who have spent many weeks of hard to reach whatever goals they had set before them. So here’s to all the “Champions” of this Middle School Cross-County season.
How the Top 5 Teams and Individuals did from last week's KYtrackXC.com State XC Rankings
The Tates Creek Invitational middle school races today served as a mini mid-late season State Meet preview, as it is run on the same course that State will be run on later this month in October. While other races may have provided better competition, there is no substitute for being able to run a race on the state course to see exactly where your time stands on the course every Middle School runner will be judged on.
For the second time in a month I found myself at Masterson Station for another meet hosted by Tates Creek. Although it was later in the year this time around, the weather was a bit warmer and the conditions not as optimal as it was for the Bluegrass Invitational. Coming into today, there were key match-ups on both the guys and girls side of racing. Here’s how they played out:
Interviews from the Franklin County Invitational
Even before my head hit the pillow on Friday night, I knew it was going to be a great morning of racing in the Bluegrass State. After a relatively hot week, the air finally had that early-fall crisp to it and a cool breeze blew freshly fallen leaves across the ground. THIS was the cross country weather I remembered from high school. Fortunately for runners and spectators alike, that same kind of weather carried over to the morning and we had a perfect day for racing.
Even before my head hit the pillow on Friday night, I knew it was going to be a great morning of racing in the Bluegrass State. After a relatively hot week, the air finally had that early-fall crisp to it and a cool breeze blew freshly fallen leaves across the ground. THIS was the cross country weather I remembered from high school. Fortunately for runners and spectators alike, that same kind of weather carried over to the morning and we had a perfect day for racing.
Each year in late August, the sleepy town of Wilmore, KY becomes the testing ground for early season XC racing as many teams from Central KY battle head to head to see who put their summer to the best use. It never fails that this race, always run in the afternoon, seems to bring out the last remnant of summer heat and take place in 90+ degree weather. Today was no exception. Coupled with the grueling course behind Asbury University’s athletic complex makes for one tough early season test a runner.
In recent history, the AA Region 3 race has produced some of the fiercest competition and many state champions.
It’s always a good insight on both sides to be able to see how the races play out and teams stack up in the pecking order when the small schools are separated from the large schools at the Lexington Catholic Invitational. It’s as close as we will get to a preview of the state meet and it makes for great races all day long.
From my experiences of racing in the last 5 years or so, it seems like the Horse Park and cold/windy/rainy weather usually goes hand in hand.
Video Coverage from Fayette County Championship last night.
The battle for AAA region 6 got a very telling preview on Tuesday evening with the running of the Fayette County Championships at Masterson Station Park. The cool autumn day with little wind made an ideal scenario for runners to drop fast times in what would be a good tune-up for regionals.
Interviews with Cole & Tanner Dowdy, Brianna Wolken, Keightley Dudgeon & Erin Wilson
In my opinion, the cross country season really isn’t in full swing until the ground crunches under your feet as you walk to your car on your way to the meet. For me, that day came today, as I left my house in Louisville to an outside temperature of about 38 degrees heading to the Hillbilly Run in Bardstown.
As a runner, the Archive’s Course is defined by two characteristics. The first is the scenic view of our state’s capitol. The hills overlooking downtown Frankfort provide a perfect backdrop for a cross-country meet. The other characteristic is slightly less pleasant. The course is one of the most difficult in the state and the dramatic hills on the course really show each runner what they are made of when they get to the end of their rope. Cap it all off with the infamous “Death Valley”, a dramatic downhill less than a quarter mile from the finish followed by an equally steep up hill that makes way to the final stretch before the finish. Add to the fun the fact that it rained for most of the day in Frankfort on Friday and the ground was not particularly conducive for hill running. It’s safe to say that it takes as much mental toughness as it does physical endurance to succeed in our state capitol’s most well known meet.