Anyone who has ever experienced the sublime ecstasy of following the rise and fall of colorful orbs in an original Astro Lamp—lava lamp to the latecomers—will be heartened to know that Soap Lake, Washington has purchased the world’s largest version of this sixties icon. Originally called the “Target Lava Lamp” when it stood in New York City’s Time Square, it will someday be erected in the center of town, complete with a stairway to the top, thus acting as a “beacon” to the healing powers of Soap Lake’s meromictic namesake. Of course, residents of the sunshine state are comfortable in the fact that Florida has no need for such commercial exploitation of our own natural wonders: heat, humidity, mosquitoes and snakes. We have our entire state—which, when inverted, is shaped much the same as a lava lamp—to observe the effects of radiant energy on its thousands of cross country runners. And now that the summer’s heat is at long last finally behind us, we bear witness to our living “lava bubbles” (those still “in the run”) trying to maintain sufficient momentum to avoid settling to the bottom of running’s version of the lamp, thus avoiding elimination.
4A Girls
Orange Park’s Mary Ann Brown is herself a metaphor for momentum. On this occasion, where spectators had long, unobstructed views of her all-out racing style, she seemed to flow over the grassy meadows of Santa Fe College more like quicksilver, and less like the “secret ingredients” of lava lamps--wax submerged in a mixture of water and glycol (now you too can build this source of perpetual fascination). No sooner had the race begun, than its outcome seemed determined.
“I did basically what I always do,” Mary Ann explained. “I go out fast. I don’t like it when anyone is close; it psyches me out.”
Sometimes, however, you can have too much of a good thing.
“In the second mile, I realized that I went out way too fast (for the first mile). The hills started to get to me. I was able to pick it up again in the third mile. I took it up because I realized that I had slowed down in the second mile.”
Mary Ann, it would seem, is preoccupied with the number 17, but perhaps not unnecessarily so. In the race(s) to follow, she will need to maintain that opening mile pace to stay competitive in state and national level events.
“I wanted to try to get under 18, so I was concerned about beating my PR (18:06.82 at FLX). But when I started getting tired, I just wanted to beat my last time (18:28 at the District 1-4A meet on November 7th) and get first by a minute.”
That latter premise was, at this level of competition, a rather tall order. Melbourne’s Vanessa Valentine—who is a year of school ahead of Brown—was less than 200 meters back in 19:00.85.
A week hence, that will no doubt be a cushion she can’t count on.
4A Girls Team Race
An observation: the Melbourne girls cross country team looks, well, different than most girls’ high school teams. It can best be described as the mature look of a college women’s team. As such, they don’t seem to lose much in the way of speed or endurance.
“I just get them to the race and they excel,” commented Melbourne coach TJ Woodbury. “They are such a dedicated group of girls that they run for each other, as much as they do for themselves. We “play” during practice, but at meets we’re all business.”
Melbourne’s team averaged a few hundredths under 19:40 to win the team race with 49 points (2-5-9-14-19-25-49). Probably the best part for coach Woodbury is that their top three finishers—sophomores Vanessa Valentine (2nd in the aforementioned 19:00.85) and Rachel Greer (5th in 19:22.71), and junior Elle Baker (9th in 19:41.15)—will be back for at least one more season of cross country.
Back, too, were former Bulldog team members to lend support to their alma mater.
“I had five former students here today. They go to UF and stopped here to see how we’re doing. I teach AP psychology, and four of them are former students. I have a lot of kids who are like family and I still hear from them.
“Stephanie Trout,—she was a member of our ’06 state championship team,--and Alyse Atkinson, Brian’s sister,—who are at UF, and with Stephanie holds our 4X800 school record (9:42) were here to watch.”
Behind Melbourne were Vero Beach (7-8-18-33-45-58-77; 111), a peaking Flagler-Palm Coast (11-15-22-39-50-67-75; 137), Hagerty (26-27-30-32-42-53-65; 157) and Winter Springs (6-21-38-41-51-72-86; 157). The final ticket to the state meet was punched by Mandarin (12-31-37-43-48-55-60; 171).
One heartbreaking point behind Mandarin was Spruce Creek (23-34-35-36-44-64-68; 172). Their first runner, who had been sick that week, finished last for her team. Creek’s fifth girl, in 44th place, finished .75 second behind Mandarin’s fourth, in 43rd place. (Should I ask which foot their chips were laced onto, front or back, as they crossed the pad?) And that was that.
14 teams scored and 97 finishers crossed the finish line.
4A Boys
Running in his last “easy race,” Melbourne’s Brian Atkinson is on the threshold of greatness, and performed accordingly. Prior to the race, he had three main goals.
“#1 was qualifying (for the State Meet) and helping out the team by scoring as few points as possible. #2 was to run a solid time to build (my own) confidence for the State Meet next week. And #3 was to simulate the beginning of the (State) race, as far as how it would be run. “
Coming in to the Regional race with a personal best of 15:07 (at the 2008 Bale’n’Trail) and a District 2-4A time of 15:21.76 (November 7th), Brian had been “encouraged” to break the course record. (Although the CR was listed at 15:40, a course such as this undergoes minor “alterations” from season to season, and nothing short of an emphatic difference in time would be convincing.) Nonetheless, a constant reminder by the PA announcer and more than a few spectators, probably “urged” Atkinson along.
“The course record was in the back of my mind. My coach, DJ Woodbury, told me that the record was 15:40, by Jeremy Criscione (a 2005 graduate of Interlachen HS). He’s a really respectable runner over at UF. Running as fast as him is a good sign.
“I might have gone out too fast. The first mile, I think, was 4:42. I think the second mile was 9:40…right around there. I slowed down a lot, maybe 20 seconds. I’m hoping that, at State, those guys will help me hold it. I’m sure, with all the great guys in 4A, that it will be a great race.”
Brian’s race, as well as his assault on the course record, was yet another strong performance by a consistent runner. Winning by 41 seconds—second was claimed by Bulldog teammate Erik Fagan (15:56.36), who outkicked Eduardo Garcia of Mandarin (15:57.56)—his 15:15.77 leaves little doubt that he will be in select company at the State Meet.
At the end of this academic year, Brian will be trading his green and white Melbourne uniform for the blue and black of Duke. Why Duke?
“When I was researching colleges, the main variables were how good the academics are, and the class size. Obviously, the team was a big factor, but fitting in with the school’s academic program is the most important. After visiting Duke and William and Mary, I just felt that I’d be more comfortable…felt that I fit in better at Duke with Coach Ogilvie. You’re not going to run well if you don’t like the school.”
4A Boys Team Race
Although Lyman (4-14-15-21-29-38-48; 83) did not have the strength of two front runners, they came to the meet with the kind of mid-team depth that kept the team race close. In the final scoring, however, Melbourne’s one-two finish of Atkinson and Fagan proved too much to overcome, and Melbourne (1-2-16-20-39-58-66; 78) won by five.
Melbourne’s coach, TJ Woodbury, who is in his sixth year at the school, has found that “Every year, and every team, is a little different. I have two kids—Brian and Erik—who are D-1 runners. They’re both seniors. Brian committed to Duke on Tuesday night, and Erik is getting some serious looks from USF and Gonzaga.
“They—Brian and Erik—have been special. Brian knew in seventh grade that he wanted to be a good runner and did what it took. It showed in his senior year, 5 ½ years later. Eric came to us as a sophomore from Washington State and bought into the program; running the mileage, doing long runs on Sundays, eating well. Hard work is the best indicator of success. I tell them that, and that (laughing) intelligence is #6.”
Woodbury added, “We have a group of kids that have taught the kids coming up. They work hard during the summer, and also during the track and cross country seasons, and we’ve gotten a couple of state championships out of it.”
In addition to Melbourne and Lyman, Lake Brantley (6-11-13-47-50-61-65; 127), Mandarin (3-25-32-34-54-82-88; 148), a rapidly improving Flagler (17-18-31-46-57-70-71; 169) and Spruce Creek (7-27-43-44-49-55-56; 170) also qualified for the State Meet. 101 runners finished, and 14 teams scored.
1A Girls
“I probably shouldn’t say this,” Jana Stolting announced to hundreds of people while being interviewed over the public address system, “but we (Maclay) practice voodoo. Thanks to the dark arts that we will do the night before, I’m sure something crazy will happen,” she said, probably in reference to the State Meet. (She told me later, “We didn’t waste our voodoo here. We only do it for select meets.”)
(Disclaimer: My father once told me, “Believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear.”)
Perhaps it was oxygen debt, or maybe, as she added later, it was because “I don’t like boring interviews, so I was trying to brainstorm (for the interview) while I was running,” but whatever the reason, Jana Stelting is a hoot. She’s also a vast reservoir of running talent.
According to her flrunners.com Athlete Profile, her personal best this season was a 17:51.12 at the “Pre-State Meet,” where she took first on October 12th. But then she ran 20:25.67 at the 1A District 1 Championship, finishing a “close second” to teammate and co-senior Shelby Salimone ) 20:24.78. Upon intense interrogation, she candidly admitted to a 17:46 at a race on a November 7th that may or may not have actually occurred (officially, at least). So who (and how fast) is the real Jana Stolting?
“Basically, my coach, Gary Droze, told me to win (today) with the least amount of effort. He told me to go out with the leaders, take the lead at the mile (which she passed in the mid-5:40s), monitor where I was, and keep that position.”
Was it that easy a race?
“Yes. I didn’t run with any time in mind. I guess, if I had wanted to go out for time, I would have gone out quicker and then reined it in. The fastest first mile I’ve ever run was 5:23. It did not go well. That was last year. I crashed and burned…in 18:43.”
Crashed? In 18:43? Fast; well, I guess that depends on her mood. But boring? Never.
This time around Jana finished first in 18:20.50. In second was her teammate, ninth grader Stephanie Kurgatt (who finished a “close third” in the aforementioned 1A District 1 race.)
According to Stolting’s coach, Gary Droze, the best is yet to come.
“She has a history of running her fastest time at the State Meet. She’s a senior, so that is more of a motivation.”
And let’s not forget that other thing.
1A Girls Team Race
A scan of the team results shows, by virtue of points scored, a close “five team race,” with Maclay coming out on top (1-2-8-9-26-36-41; 46). Next, in order of the tight team finish, was Oak Hall (5-10-13-16-24-40-45; 68), P.K. Young (3-6-17-20-27-33; 73), Providence (4-11-18-21-31-32-52; 85), St. John’s Country Day School (7-12-19-23-25-35-49; 86), and Mandarin Christian (15-22-34-39-42-44-66; 152).
Coach Gary Droze has taught anatomy, physiology, and some sports specific courses in his six years at Maclay, a private school (without a religious affiliation) that has a lot of AP courses, and a focus on college placement. He has a hopeful, but realistic view of the next 1A championship race.
“We haven’t had too many surprises this year. If you look at the rankings, we’ve had a comfortable spot all year; between CSN and Holy Trinity. Both have a #5 runner close to 20 minutes. Our # 5, Lindsey Sanders, is close to 21. We have to find a minute between now and next week.”
1A Boys
“I’ve got a target on the back of my head,” speculates Patrick Swain. “Last year I beat the (three time) FHSAA 800 meter champion, Whitney Strickland, in the State Meet. It was a strange year. I was sick all year.”
At the 2008 FHSAA 1A Region 1 meet, Strickland was first (16:16.54), Swain second (16:36.50). A week later, at the State Meet, Swain somehow shed 45 seconds and won in a dazzling 15:51; (Strickland, although he bettered his Regional time, was a distant sixth, in 16:15.)
“‘Unfortunately’ I was the favorite coming in to this race. Last year I was ranked eighth. I was hoping to come in second. Now, as a result of that, I was seeded first, although there were guys who posted better times this year.”
Swain, however, was less concerned about individual honors.
“Today, it was all about the team. The team is improving well, and this was the last test before State. I wasn’t the main focus; it was the two through seven guys.
“We’re a band of brothers. They’re my boys. As far as team training, we have two groups; the top two, and then the rest. In group runs, we stay together. For intense workouts, we separate. In either case, it would be impossible to train alone.”
That attitude is fine with Droze.
“I want them to feel that it’s their team.”
“The motivation is divided up between the coaches and us,” added Swain. Anything Coach Droze says inspires us, simply because it comes from him. The assistant coach, Steven Cox, writes us a speech—in letter form—and gives it to us. My job is on the starting line.”
And for the next five kilometers, he took that responsibility quite seriously.
“My first mile was in 4:52, which was way too fast. Statistically, it was not a good race. People wouldn’t look at it and say, ‘I’d want to do that!’”
They would, no doubt, be satisfied with the end result. Swain’s 16:20.65 put him in first place, and he scored the minimum number of points, as was his plan.
1A Boys Team Race
Of the first twelve places, four (1-5-9-10-17-18-49) were claimed by Maclay, seven by P.K. Young (2-3-4-6-7-11-12) . That gave P.K.Y. 22 points, and the win. Maclay’s 42 placed them second. Providence (14-15-28-30-31-44-47; 118) was third, Jay (13-16-23-35-46-53-55; 133) fourth, Bishop Snyder (24-26-29-32-40-50-60; 151) fifth, and Trinity Christian (25-33-36-37-52-70-79; 183) sixth.
Freeport, had there been such a category, would have been “first basketball team.”
Caleb Prasecki explained why he and the rest of the team were wearing reversible basketball jerseys for the meet.
“Coach (David Burke) didn’t think that there would be people not on the basketball team that would not run cross country.”
Their top finisher was junior Michael Graziani, in eighth place (17:23.89).
84 runners and 12 teams are now “in the books.”
Footnotes: A hardy thank you to Buchholz coach Ron Norris (4A), and Oak Hall coach Edwin McTureous (1A), for the time and energy they devoted to a meet that means so much to the participants, their parents and their coaches. I would like to add a personal note of appreciation to Scott Peters and Dusty Smith of Half Mile Timing for their kind indulgence in supplying me with results as fast as they were tabulated.