Preseason cross country meets like this one are the lifeblood of the sport. In the right context they can serve as the supreme motivator for runners in need of an antidote for Florida summer.
"I went to the Nike-Roy Benson Running Camp (in North Carolina) with my friend Jason Demeter. It was my whole purpose to show up at this race and show that the Rams were ready for the season," said Lake Mary runner Diego Blanton.
"We ran two times a day. At 9 AM we did a six to nine mile mountain run in a place called the Arboretum. In the afternoon we did pacing practice, from 400s to miles. At the end of the week we had a pacing championship. Whoever got closest to the scheduled time won."
Evidently it worked, as Diego (17:53.6) finished fourth out of 321 runners in the high school boys race.
The champion, Jeffrey Surran of Osceola, ran in tandem with Lake Howell's Phillip Diamond for most of the challenging two loop course through Greenwood Lakes Park. Their splits were 5:28 and 11:05.
"I ran with the lead pack to the two mile point and then me and the kid from Lake Howell (Diamond) broke", explained Surran. "When we came down the (far) straight-away (on the Lake Mary track), I stayed behind him. I knew I could out kick him--he was breathing hard--so I did."
Surran's devastating kick, which came directly in front of the stadium's spectators, brought them to their feet, and the roar that followed him into the chutes could be heard everywhere on the course. The five second difference in their times (17:17 to 17:22) belies his true margin of victory.
The High School Girls race couldn't have been any more different. By the time the 247 runners had completed the figure 8 on the track and entered the park, the first three places were decided. Alyssa Burkert (Ocoee), Allie Prendergast (Lake Highland) and Ruth Ashley (Lyman) had each settled into a comfortable rhythm that they carried all the way to the finish. Burkert (19:37) wasn't to be denied a relatively easy margin of victory and Prendergast finished almost exactly 20 seconds behind. However, upon reentering the track for the last 300 yards, she couldn't help but steal a look back over her shoulder.
"That was something I've done forever. Coaches hate it, but I was a little tired," she admitted from behind a sheepish grin.
Alyssa, who won the Track Shack 3 Miler on August 19th, found this race a lot more challenging.
"When I walked the course beforehand, it seemed that it went on forever. It was challenging... tough. There were a lot of turns, some sand, some hills…."
Coach Luther Davis also had an open 5K on the day's schedule. Among the field of 100 runners were coaches, parents of runners and more than a few siblings and future stars.
The overall winners were 21 year old Daniel Gollins (18:00) and 23 year old Sarah Robertson (20:23). Just a tad behind was 64 year old Gerald Fahey, who won his 1919th age group prize in 27:24. According to his press agent, it was Gerald's 1328th race.