Foot Locker South: West Coast Bus Experience Robert Brown Nov 28, 2012

11/22/12 - 10:30 p.m.: The bus pulls out from the Fort Myers High School parking lot and noses north up US 41 towards I-75. On board are athletes, coaches and chaperones from Naples, Palmetto Ridge, Labelle, Fort Myers, Cypress Lake, Golden Gate and North Fort Myers high schools. Noted participants are Alex Pedraza, Tyler Bennett, Ace Brown, Bobby Ormsby and Buddy Gates.

Edwards Dominates, Miranda Bounces Back At Tough 3A Region 3 Meet Robert Brown Nov 10, 2012

Take a beautiful, cool SW Florida morning and mix in a flat, short grass field, a nine meter tall man-made hill, a soccer field, a sugar sand / gravel jeep trail, some woods, a three net sand volleyball pit, three 180º switchbacks and run it twice, hard, and you have the 3A Region 3 meet at Estero Community Park.

On Halloween, Gulf Coast Sharks Take A Bite Out Of Scary Good Green Wave Robert Brown Nov 01, 2012

The 3A District 12 course is the same modified triple looper around the soccer and baseball fields of North Collier Regional Park that was the site of the inaugural Barron Collier Invite earlier this season. With its deep Bermuda grass, slightly long measure, and redundant trek it has proven to be a tough-to-PR course. That said, the weather conditions on this day were excellent to buck that notion and see some fast times.

Edwards, Bennett Lead The Green Wave Tsunami At Lee County Championship Robert Brown Oct 25, 2012

A new course, windy / warm conditions and late afternoon race start times did nothing to level the playing field at the LCAC meet nor did it bode well for anyone looking to PR. Hosted by Mariner HS in Cape Coral, FL. At 3:00pm a fast moving shower cooled the day’s high temperature from 88º to around 84º, and with the sun lowering in the sky an offshore wind picked up, gusting up to 15 knots.

Lely Invite: Arroyo Over Miranda In Surprise Matchup, Candiano Pulls Away For Repeat Robert Brown Oct 20, 2012

Not known for fast times the Lely HS home course is a twisting, turning, multiple surface affair, which slowly wears down harriers as it loops around the campus. This year, as in other years, most of the teams are going into championship season and rest some if not all varsity at this race but this year it got some special guests.

Manasota Invitational: Muddy Victories for Edwards, Bennett Robert Brown Oct 14, 2012

The rainwater that stood shin deep on parts of the Macintosh Middle School trail on Monday was banished by course workers by Friday evening, but mud was left in its place on long stretches when the starters gun sounded the first time Saturday morning. A challenging course was now downright difficult as shoes would be lost in and legs would be sapped by the miring muck.

Manasota Track Club Invite Preview Robert Brown Oct 12, 2012

The 2011 Manasota Track Club Invitational hosted by Sarasota Riverview HS saw Rachel Petrik and Canaan Meester-Kitterman take home varsity individual gold with the Seminole boys and home team Sarasota Riverview girls winning the varsity team trophies.

Edwards and Bennett lower the BOOM at North Port Invite Robert Brown Sep 22, 2012

With its flat mixed surface course the North Port Invite can splash out some really good times. Add good weather conditions and you get great times, but this edition saw some times that will cause ripples throughout the state all the way to Tallahassee.

North Port Invite Preview Robert Brown Sep 20, 2012

The 2011 North Port Invitational was besieged by a Virginia storm named Lake Braddock that sucked up all the big hardware and left in it’s wake a bunch of shell-shocked Florida teams. The forecast for this year doesn’t include any such foreign weather system but not to worry there should be plenty of running thunder & lightning quickness on the course nonetheless.

Miranda, Smith Back On Top At 34th Optimist Robert Brown Sep 16, 2012

Mix one of the states oldest continuously held CC meets, an outstanding venue with a tough as nails course and 32 raring to go teams and you get the 34^th Optimist Invitational hosted by Fort Myers HS.

Ft. Myers Optimist Invitational Preview Robert Brown Sep 13, 2012

The 2011 Ft. Myers Optimist Invitational saw Olivia Ortiz and Carlos Miranda put on a preview of how the season would play out. Ortiz went on to claim the state championship in 3A and Miranda placed 3rd in state behind UF recruit Elliot Clemente and FSU bound Max del Monte. Carlos SAT out of the season opening Barron Collier Invite and Olivia is out for the season still recovering. Who on the girls side who will step up from the deep field to take the crown? Will Miranda return to reclaim the top spot after missing most of track season with a foot injury? Robert Brown breaks down all the action.

Barron Collier Invitational Recap Robert Brown Sep 09, 2012

It’s High School Cross Country kick-off weekend and as usual another scorcher just above the 26th parallel here in Naples, FL. The Barron Collier Invite was the season opener for 23 teams from around SWFL and they were greeted by a glorious late summer morning befitting of the sub-tropics.

FGCU Invitational Summary Robert Brown Sep 01, 2012

The start of the 2012 collegiate cross country season is kicks off this weekend and the schedule abounds with knock the rust off / eye opener / early bird meets. In that tradition Florida Gulf Coast University opened the season in southwest Florida by hosting 3^rd annual FGCU invite on their home course. In attendance were the D1 Sun Belt Conference Florida Atlantic Owls and Florida International Panthers, the D1 Atlantic Conference FGCU Eagles, Lipscomb Bisons and Stetson Hatters, the D2 Sunshine State Conference Nova Southeastern Sharks.

Miranda, Candiano Fastest At Fast Cat 5K Robert Brown Aug 18, 2012

The hot humid morning in Estero, FL didn’t feel like foot racing weather for anyone outside of SW Florida, but to the local cross country teams (and some other local crazies) this is the hand that is dealt down here and they were itching to knock off the rust and do some racing. For most of these athletes the Summer has been full of preparation, soaking up the mile after mile that will pay off when the state series rolls around, but the chance to ‘test out’ the legs in a pre-season head to head match up, despite the weather, was too much to resist.

On the Road with Foot Locker West Coast Bus Robert Brown Nov 28, 2011

The offseason is here. For some training will not be thought of again until the start of training for Spring Track season. For others the journey continues into the post-season with the opportunity to test their skills and fitness against those outside the borders of the Sunshine State.

North Port Invite Preview Robert Brown Sep 23, 2011

Last year's North Port Invitational saw the Fluehr twins dominate the girls race with Kathryn setting a blistering 17:18 course record for the win while Andrew Mendoz edged Alex Lewis in the boys. The Fluehrs, Mendoz and Lewis were seniors leaving their crowns for new challengers to wear this year. For the girls Abby Hagan & Sarah Miller, Sarasota Riverview are the top returners from last year’s tilt. Abigail is fresh off of her first victory of the year at the Venice Invite, but does she have any challengers? On the boys side David Hines is the top returner, having finished 3^rd last year. What are his chances to move up to royalty or are there new usurpers sneaking about? Here is the breakdown.

 

2011 Ft. Myers Optimist Preview Robert Brown Sep 14, 2011

Last year's Ft. Myers Optimist Invitational saw Kacy Smith and Tyler Cardillo steal the show. Smith picked up where she left off in 2010 and has been posting great times to start the season, while Cardillo has since moved on to the University of Florida. Can Smith repeat against tough competition from Lakewood Ranch and Fort Myers? Who will step up and be crowned champion in the boys race? Robert Brown breaks down all the action.