(Journal entry for September 25, 2010)
Time: Just before dawn.
Location: A large field, a mile or so inland from Daytona Beach.
Observations: Although this should be the place where my editor, Jason Byrne, would have expected me to report from, judging from all appearances, things seem eerily out of place for a cross country race. For starters, the terrain has a sort of “bombed-out” look. (Just what sort of planes are these aeronautic students learning to fly?) Further, everyone passing by in the darkness is sporting a mustache and/or beard, even the women. Is “The Flock” a code name for some kind of secret society? Perhaps the soon-to-rise sun will shed some light on these mysteries.
College/Open Men’s Race
Granted, when Evans Kirwa left his native Eldoret, Kenya, and came to America (cue for Neal Diamond’s song of the same name), it was ostensibly to learn how to fly. However, the 21 year old sophomore seems to be doing quite well without mechanical support. In the past eight days alone, he came in third overall at the prestigious UF/Mt. Dew Invitationa, in the sixth fastest time in the ERAU cross country program’s history (leading his team to second place behind D-1 powerhouse, UF), won a Sun Conference Athlete of the Week award, and then claimed first place--leading his team to a like finish--in a meet record time (25:41.67) at the ASICS Classic. In summary, he has come tantalizingly close to liftoff on leg power alone.
“I went to Kapsabet High School, where I began at 15,” related Kirwa. “I was interested in aviation. My physics teacher, Mr. Tum, told me that there was an aviation school in America. I googled it, and from the website found Mr. Rosolino’s (head track and cross country coach) name. He gave me Mr. Hopfe’s (distance coach) name. He told me how to get a visa and do the other things (to apply) and come here.
“Mr. Hopfe helped me to learn how to improve my talent. My times have been going down and I’ve been getting faster and faster. I find him to be very experienced. I believe in him.”
Asked about his motivation for “flying low,” he explained the importance of being at his best, especially here, on his home course.
“It’s our home meet, and we had to show it was our home. If I’m going to lose, it would be somewhere else. I had to win here.”
Coming from a place where just walking—or in his case, running—is done at a minimum of 3000 meters, one would think that the last vestiges of Florida’s nearly seven month summer might present quite a challenge.
“I felt comfortable. The atmosphere was comfortable, and having Sammy (Vazquez) next to me made it feel like just another practice day.”
Although Vazquez, who finished second in 26:06, tried to stay with Kirwa, he found the softer spots on the course to be his undoing.
“I tried to ‘compose’ myself and be patient on the sand and in the hills which came at the beginning, then run faster at the end of each lap, but it was tough.”
Necessitated by a huge construction project that deposited mountains of sand on what used to be parts of the old course, a (hopefully) temporary route had to be designed. The result was a course that featured three, identical 2600 meter loops that went from grass, to sand, to asphalt, and back again to grass. The finish was, fortunately, on grass. Even so, it was virtually impossible to establish any kind of pace.*
“We stayed together for close to 1 ½ miles,” explained Kirwa. “I think the sand was not good for him. He broke off his pace in the sand. I didn’t pull out, I just kept my pace.”
“I like having someone (like Kirwa) to run (practices) with, and at races to strategize with,” added the 26 year old senior business major. “Plus it’s healthy to have someone on your team with which to have a healthy competition.”
A good philosophy to carry him over into the coaching career he hopes to someday enjoy.
MENS TEAM RACE: With a 1-2-3-5-8-9-10 order of finish (totaling only 19 points), could there be any doubt of Embry Riddle’s dominance? They are, after all, ranked fifth (NAIA) in the nation. The main competition was a Florida Tech (6-12-13-15-24-25-26; 70) - Seton Hall (11-14-16-17-20-21-22; 78) battle for second, and a “Team Mustache” (4-23-29-31-35-36-40; 122) – “Team Hat” (18-19-28-30-33-39-41) duel for fourth. 79 men and 8 teams competed.
*Which explains the “bombed-out” décor, but not the mustache mania.
College/Open Women’s Race
In the women’s race, it was “Trane vs. Plane,” with the former showing that, on the ground at least, the tight maneuverings necessary on this course favored the former. Sara Trane—easy to spot in the crowd because she was either above it or ahead of it—made “short” work of an early attempt by a squadron of Embry women to box her in.
“I felt good, right from the beginning,” she said. “I knew that if I could stay with the leaders from the beginning, I’d have a chance (to win). That’s what it’s all about…having that thought all the way, and by the finish just give what you have left.”
Sara is from Frolunda Gymnasiet, Sweden, where running has a “very short season; just summer,” according to her. She began her American athletic career at Washington State University as a steeplechaser (5th at the NCAA D-1 Western Regionals [May 30, 2008] with a 10:14.29), and an 800 meter/mile runner.
“I began running cross country in my second year at Washington State. I graduated, with a degree in psychology, in 2009.”
From there she went to F.I.T. for graduate work in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. With a year of eligibility left, she competed for them in cross country in the autumn of 2009, but that used up her time on the clock. She is in her second year of graduate work at F.I.T.
“I am always practicing with the team. I am here to cheer them on anyway, so I decided to run.”
On the results sheet, in between Sara Trane and her 19:17.29 is the word “unattached.” And that is quite fortunate for the ERAU women’s team. Had she run with her former F.I.T team, ERAU’s winning score might well have been grounded.
WOMEN’S TEAM SCORE: Five out of the six teams entered had a top ten finisher. However, with a 1-2-10-11-14-19-27 scoring, ERAU (with 38) won by nearly 20 over F.I.T. (3-4-13-15-22-24-28; 57). Seton Hall had 62 (6-7-12-17-20-26-35) and the Lady Mustache—which is plural, I guess—92 (5-9-16-30-32-40-41). 55 finished this race.