Ever been spelling-challenged? Perhaps (a) you’re a first-generation text-messenger (messager?), (b) you haven’t been at the keyboard for awhile, (c) you’re suffering from sleep deprivation, (d) you’ve had waaay too much caffeine, or (e) you’ve had (c) but not enough (d)? My moment came the afternoon after this meet. Up at 4:30 am, on the road at five, four hours of crisscrossing the greens of UF’s Bostick Golf Course (what’s my handicap if I do 18 holes without golf clubs?), and chasing interviews instead of a ball with 333 dimples. Finally back home on the computer, my mind saw a single word on an otherwise blank screen: “Well?”
That’s when I had a homonym attack. With a story due, my head was suddenly filled too full of dos: do (past tense, done), double do (an extinct bird), ‘do (need a haircut?), double doo (makes your shoes smell), dew (still on the ground for the first race), Dew (anyone seen one?), doth (Shakespearean derivative), and due (as in deadline).
Women’s College Race
In Gator Country—and the XC team runs here often enough to have taken possession of the hills and dales of this Gainesville golf course—it’s all about teamwork. As coach Todd Morgan explained, “We’re in the middle of a big training block, so the goal was to keep as many people attached (for) as long as we could. Also to keep the younger guys (and gals) attached a little deeper into the race. Of course, the longer you stay towards the front, the more motivated you are.”
As early race photos would seem to indicate, that is exactly as it was working out. As per his instructions, a swarm of Gatorettes (is that the correct term?) sprinted to the front, leaving their fresh blue and orange footprints in the early morning dew. By the end of the first loop, however, their numbers had dwindled to five, but with eventual third place finisher Nicole Rozario (South Florida; 17:37.27) just ahead of # G-5, freshman Stephanie Strasser (ending up 17th overall in 18:28.37)
By the middle of the second, longer loop (1.5 miles), a knot of Gators (freshman Cory McGee, sixth in 17:47.37; senior Ali Crabb, seventh in 17:49; and sophomore Callie Cooper, ninth in 17:55.69) was followed by Rozario and SF teammate junior Yasmine Smith (14th in 18:15.82). In seventh place, and looking to all the world as if she was in the lead, was sophomore Joane (pronounced Jo-ann) Pierre of Jacksonville University.
“As the race started, I was not that close to the front,” she explained. “I was back about 30th place, and trying to pace myself. My goal was to catch as many people as I could.”
Slowly, steadily, she did just that.
“I got really close in the last 800. I think there was a UF (LaCaze), USF (Rozario), and UNF (eventual fourth place finisher, sophomore Shelby Kittrell, in 17:38.17) runner.”
As a member of the “final four,” she turned the third trip uphill, towards the clubhouse, into her own, personal “Mt. Do.”
“We had to go up a hill--the UF runner had a decent lead--then there was a turn to a straightaway. In the last 400, on the hill, I caught them. I held them off after that, but it was really close.”
3.11 seconds, to be exact. Her time, a sizzling PR of 17:33.5, was 42.5 seconds better than her previous best, an 18:13.0 at the November 22, 2008 FHSAA 2A Cross Country Championships. The effort that went into this climactic finish was even more Herculean than one can imagine.
“It took a lot of effort to run this race. Last year, during the cross country season, I was injured at the beginning. It was a knee injury. I’ve had a lot of training in between….It was really hard to get back. I am happy with the improvement, and very grateful for the effort of my teammates to help me--in practice we all run, and work, together--and also my coach as far as my training.
“He (coach Ron Grigg) is an awesome, awesome coach. He understands his athletes, and what they can do. He gives us the proper training to have us move up. If we follow what he says, exactly, then there’s no way we cannot succeed. His training is so ‘to the point.’ I really trust in his training and his judgment, and I’m proud to be one of his athletes.”
Coach Grigg was equally complimentary about his star athlete.
“Both Joane and I are still learning how good she can be. Coach Martinez nurtured her talent in high school, and now I am trying to help her maximize those abilities. She beat some quality athletes in her first race of the season, and I think the sky is the limit for her as she moves forward.”
TEAM RACE
Although individual runners from several schools tested the Gator leaders, no school was able to place enough finishers up front to seriously challenge their team score, thus keeping the Gator trophy in Gatorville. The totals: 1-UF 42 (2-6-7-9-17-19-26); 2-Jacksonville 111 (1-15-21-32-42-55-64); 3-South Florida 123 (14-27-36-43-69-72); 4-North Florida 129 (4-12-24-41-48-52-102); Tampa 131 (11-20-23-30-47-63-79). There were 22 teams and 208 finishers.
College Men
University of Florida coach Todd Morgan certainly spoke the truth when he said to me: “The team that stays attached doth win…” or was that from Hamlet?
“I think the guys are way ahead—as a group—than they were 365 days ago,” he added to an earlier comment.
Whether a double entendre, or Gatorese for “We’ve got a really exciting team,” it is validated by the cross country formula, (70-50) – (94-22) = -54 (or the scoring difference between UF and ERAU in 2010, subtracted from the scoring difference in 2009). Heady stuff.
Ten seconds ahead of the rest of the team (that was ahead of the rest of the teams), was junior Josh Izewski from Central Bucks East High School, in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. Finishing in 24:39.52, he was one of four sub-25s in the field. Teammates Derek Wehunt (24:49.86) and Mark Parrish (24:58.34) were second and fourth, respectively, and ERAU’s sophomore Evans Kirwa was third in 24:51.54. Josh almost the entire race.
“My plan was to go out and keep the pack as close together as possible, and go through all the miles in a 4:50 to 5:00 per mile pace. It was up to the upperclassmen to keep it together, and set that pace. We did a good job today; everyone stayed together.”
He feels that knowing the course was an important key to their success.
“We run on the course every day, so we know it well. The freshmen, especially, ran well. Mark Parrish broke 25, which was a great time for him. Matt (Mizereck, ninth in 25:25.82) ran just under 25:30; it’s a hard transition from a (high school) 5K. He, especially, has been training very hard and it really paid off. Tyler Davidson ran well (16th in 25:46.99); so did Erick Montoya (28:02.18) and Eric Ochoa (27:00.6).”
Aware that the competition gets increasingly more difficult as the season progresses, he mentioned some upcoming meets.
“We have the Badger Invitational, in Wisconsin, in two weeks (October 2nd). That’s a big meet. Then it’s the Pre-Nats (Pre-Nationals at Indiana State) two weeks after that (October 16th). I think we’ll keep training hard and see how we do, but it’s looking good now.”
TEAM RACE
Florida placed seven in the top ten (1-2-4-7-8-9-10) for 22 points, winning by 74 over Embry Riddle (3-12-20-28-33-46-67 for 96), and a hundred(s) more over the 17 other teams. Florida Southern was third with 125 (11-21-27-31-35-56-71); Florida TC, which had one of the two other top ten finshers (Matt Hensley in sixth with 25:09.04)—Shuaib Winters of Florida A & M was the other (5th in 25:06.89)—was fourth with 148 (6-18-22-50-52-53-76); Miami finished fifth with 157 (13-15-36-39-54-61-64). There were 19 teams and 201 finishers.
High School Girls Varsity
If anyone deserved a Dew, it was Estero 15 year old sophomore Kacy Smith. Not only did she win the race, and lead her team to victory over 35 other schools, but she did so in grand style. Her 17:59.03 is her fastest 5K time ever—with the exception of a recent road race—and she seemed hardly fazed, either by the HUGE field, a challenging course, or offering exceedingly enthusiastic ways of describing her experience.
Did you find the course challenging?
“It’s a very difficult course,” she offered. “Oh the hills, my God! But it’s an interesting course. Oh my goodness. There’s zig-zags…you’re turning left, turning right, going in circles, and repeating yourself. And bugs, everywhere. It was fun, though. It’s my favorite course.”
“Bugs?” I asked, returning to a previous comment.
“You’re in The Swamp, you know, so it’s good,” she explained, referring to it being the Gator Invitational.
Are you a Gator fan?
“Absolutely! I love the Gators. They’re awesome. That’s pretty much my room (décor).”
Was that you wearing the Gator-too on your cheek?
“Shelby Davidson (Cocoa Beach; second in 18:21.89). She’s awesome. She’s my friend. It would be awesome if we could both go here.”
Go to UF?
“Absolutely. No second choice for me.”
On second thought, maybe I need a Dew more than she does. (Judging from her energy level, I’d say she should be on a caffeine-free diet.)
TEAM RACE
With Kacy pacing Estero, their 73 points (1-12-15-19-26-39-41) was eleven better than second place finisher Lakewood Ranch’s 84 (7-10-16-18-33-95). Everyone else was at least a hundred off. Fort Myers (close enough to Estero to cross paths during training runs) was third with 177 (4-8-13-71-81-85), Cocoa Beach fourth with 197 (2-11-51-56-77-88-107) and Titusville fifth (226; 14-22-34-73-83-91-105). 267 runners and 36 teams tested the turf.
High School Varsity Boys
Sporting a ‘do that was coiffed by extreme acceleration, senior Armando Del Valle of Christopher Columbus (of Miami) High School dominated a field that boasted six other sub-sixteen—and a sixteen flat—finishes. Included among this elite group was (of course) Armando (15:18.69), Elliot Clemente of Belen Jesuit Prep (15:30.28), Phil Duncan of Boone (15:41.30), Eduardo Garcia of Mandarin (15:46.99), Tyler Cardillo of Charlotte (15:50.48), Chris Godwin of Buchholz (15:55.76), and Mark Gulesian of Miami Columbus (15:59.15). The 16:00.77 was run by a third Miami Columbus finisher, Jose Estevez. Knocking on “door number 15,” just two seconds out, was sophomore sensation Andrew Arroyo of Colonial (16:02.48).
As previously alluded to, Armando made “fast work” of a course that had more than its share of clock-shock casualties. I asked how he mentally prepared for the challenge?
“It’s one of the bigger races. It wasn’t a time trial, it was a race.”
And of course, he managed to defeat a Who’s Who of Florida running stars.
“Phil Duncan, Nick Posada (Winter Park: 11th in 16:15.72), Elliott Clemente, Eduardo Garcia….”
And his “race strategy?”
“Last week, at FACA (September 10th, in Tampa, where he ran a 5:02.2 pace for a 15:38.66 first place finish), I took it out fast, and it worked. This week, I took it out a little slower, because of the hills. I ran the first mile in 4:50….”
(Pause for a moment as Mom—from the other side of the finish line barrier--interrupts a huge grin to pantomime a “kiss-kiss-kiss” in his direction. Armando, no doubt thinking, “Not now, Mom, while I’m being interviewe?” acts nonplused. )
“It was an adjustment. I don’t like this course at all. I don’t get any rhythm. I like a flatter course.”
Still, 15:18.
TEAM RESULTS
As mentioned, after DelValle there was Gulesian, Estevez, Pedro Ortega (sophomore, in 16:48.61), Geoffrey Zelek (senior, in 16:57.27), Manny Garcia (junior, in 17:04.83), and Moises Perez (senior, in 17:39.92): 1-7-8-23-27-34-64 for 66 points. In second was Belen Jesuit Prep (2-12-19-36-46-52-57 for 115 points), third went to Colonial (9-15-24-33-58-99-168 for 139 points), fourth to Charlotte (5-13-16-44-63-73-131 for 141 points), and fifth to Dr. Phillips (14-17-25-42-45-61-62 for 143 points). 317 runners survived and 45 schools scored.
Footnotes: Lots of runners, interesting spectators and controversial scenes led to the photos in my “In the Rough” gallery. We have the ever-present “Mom in a cowboy hat” (don’t we always?) who, unfortunately wouldn’t keep it on; the “tattoo guy”; the “bored little kid shot”; the “ice guy” and “ice girl”; “users of clipboards,” “finish line people doing the ‘Gator Chomp’ with non-latex gloves” (something you don’t see every day, even in Gainesville); and that guy in the Gator Gator (won’t somebody catch him; I hate that he always wins the race!) My favorite is the “Great Spirit Stick of Boone.” More often heard than seen, I finally got an interview with the latest in a long line of tooters, or so they say. According to Chris Slason, “it—the bamboo thing—has been ‘passed down from many past seniors to motivate us to run better. We’re the Braves’.” Personally, I doubt it. First of all, since when did Native Americans have bamboo? And secondly, I think I saw a Pier 1 label on the non-blowing end….Would this addendum go the way of the dodo if I were to suggest that, after three recall shots (signaling three runners having fallen), this particular high school race might have gotten a tad too crowded?.... (That leaves one one last do-word, the double d, and so it is a good time to say “a-do”.)
