The Winter Park girls and Trinity Prep boys, two of the top distance programs in the state of Florida came together Friday night for a two-mile track workout as they prepare for the upcoming Nike Southeast Regional. Winter Park ran under the club name "Park XC Club" while Trinity Prep used "Avery Creek Running". Wildcats coach Kristin McWilliams said the idea came about at the FACA Cross Country Clinic earlier in the year.
"Coach Vinal and I both got an email about the postal contest (sponsored by Hoka One One) and discussed us both wanting to do one after state and before NXNSE. We talked more about it in July at Brevard Running Camp. We both knew our respective teams potential at that point."
The Winter Park girls capped off their season (in state) with their second consecutive 4A championship meanwhile the Trinity Prep boys ended 2015 undefeated and with a third straight 2A crown. When the two teams hit the track it was more fireworks as the Saints had three runners under ten minutes lead by 2A Cross Country champion Chas Cook who posted a time of 9:42.90.
Even more impressive was Winter Park sophomore Rafaella Gibbons. Gibbons, the reigning 4A cross country state champion, finished a disappointing fifth at the state meet last weekend and wasn't 100%. Unfortunately, for the upcoming competition she is back and rearing to go. The 2014 NXN Finalist who was 27th in Oregon, ran a blistering 10:27.00. That time would have been the fastest in the state last spring and in the top thirty nationally. Coach McWilliams had rave reviews for her super sophomore.
"I am very proud of Rafey as she is coming off a bad cold which impacted her state meet performance, but she ran with confidence and showed she is ready to compete again with the nation's best. Her time is less than four seconds off our school record set by All-American Shelby Hayes. I have thought for a few weeks that Rafey is in about 17:10 shape based on her workouts, and this effort solidifies my estimation."
The Hoka One One Postal contest looks to revive the those rivalries between schools in regional areas and throughout the country. Back in the day, teams would hosts time trials or local duals and mail their results to be posted in publications like Track & Field News who would compile the results. The contest which runs through the end of December will crown a National Champion.Winter Park is currently in first place.
Both the Wildcats and Trinity Prep continued their training for NXN Southeast Saturday at the ten mile clay loop in Clermont doing hill workouts. The Saints will compete in the D2 Small School Nationals this upcoming weekend before heading to Cary, North Carolina.