(Photo by Jason Klug)
To say today is a busy day for Merritt Island senior Steven Cross would be an understatement. Cross, the top class of 2015 distance runner in the state of Florida started the morning with the Cape Coast Conference Championships. After running in the 15:20's the last three meets, he says he wasn't satisfied despite his placement in those races.
"I just went out there knowing that I wanted to break 15. So I went out at my pace and looked at who would stick with me. Mason (Jones) stuck with me for just under two miles, which I really appreciated because it kept me honest. Then after he fell off, I knew I needed to keep pushing and pick it up even if I wanted to hit it. So that's what I did, I started pushing harder and harder, and was really moving with a half mile to go."
The crowd at Wickham Park in Melbourne began to get involved screaming out times, in hopes that he would break fifteen minutes. He says he knew he could do it if he dropped the hammer in the final meters.
"I just kept giving more and more until I came around the last turn and got a look at the clock to see that I had done it."
Not only did Cross finish the line first for his second straight Cape Coast Conference title, but he crossed in 14:56.00, the fastest time in the state, 11th fastest in the nation this season, and 9th fastest ALL-TIME in the state of Florida. He says ideal running conditions made it all possible.
"The conditions for today were also very nice for that course, even though the course has never been particularly fast. It was dry, and a little cooler than it has been."
Finishing second in the Race of Champions at the flrunners.com Invitational nearly a month ago was also a necessary spark needed to propel him to where he needed and wanted to be.
"I think so. It was kind of a wake up call that I wasn't giving my best efforts, and that I needed to change that quick. I didn't really do much different this week, I think it was more of the mind set of needing to cut the slack. We were off on Monday, speed on Tuesday, recovery Wednesday, tempo Thursday, and light jog and stretching on Friday.
The great start to the Saturday was just the beginning. A week after a recruiting visit to FSU, Cross is on a flight to the Big Apple, and a visit to Columbia to see what the Ivy League program has to offer. He says following this week he will take one more visit, possibly two, before narrowing down his recruitment. and focusing on the meet that really matters on November 7th.
"I really want to do early decision if I can. In the upcoming weeks, with some slower courses I'll be planning on taking it a little easier up until state where I'll bring my 'A' game for sure."
Steven was runner-up at the 3A Cross Country Finals and was 8th at the Foot Locker South Regional where he earned a trip to Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego where he was 29th. A feat Cross hopes to duplicate and improve on this season.
