Ralph's Musings: Spikes Classic

 

It is the irony of a track meet that its teams (and in this case, unattached participants) travel great distances to gather in one location, only to spend their entire time together running, hurdling, jumping, and throwing things to distance themselves from each other. In this meet, for example, the most accomplished included, among others, a sprinter from Ocala, Florida;  a running machine from Eldoret, Kenya—and his female counterpart from across the ocean; a coach (Gothenberg) and an athlete (Karlshamn) from Sweden; a baseball player from Matanzas; a wake boarder from Bolivar, Ohio; a hurdler from Cranfills Gap, Texas, and a now homeless toad. The list could go on, but it has been suggested that my read sometimes exceeds my audience’s grasp.

 

 

If there had been a high school “Golden Spike Award,” it would undoubtedly have gone to West Port (Ocala) senior speedster, Shedrick Washington. In brief, he won the 100 (11.21), the 200 (21.76), and the breathtaking 400 (49.93), a rather rare triple considering the last event. Shedrick was the lone representative of his school’s track team present at the meet.

“Just me,” he told me. “I’ve run down here a couple of times, and I decided to give it one more try, after winning the 60.” 

 

That win, in 7.21, came at the January 22nd Inside-Out Meet. He improved his time to 6.91 at the Last Chance Meet on February 18th, but came in fourth. He also ran 23.26, finishing seventh in the 200, at the latter.

 

“This time it wasn’t too bad, because the last time I ran against college competition. This time it was against high school competition. College…oh man; they really push me! I was trying to get used to running against them, so next year I’ll be ready.”

 

I asked Shedrick which colleges he was considering.

 

“I’ve already been accepted to Greenville College, in Illinois. I’m also looking at FSU and UF.”

 

The hardest of the three events?

 

“The 400. At the end, the lactic acid is tough to deal with. But I made it through.” 

 

Like Washington, you can’t help but get the impression that junior Evans Kirwa—who runs for Embry Riddle—has years of running success ahead of him. And what seems like an “easy win” is no doubt the result of being one of the hardest workers on his team, as Washington is on his.

 

Evans had a busy weekend, starting with a win Friday night, in the 5000 (14:37.37). Clicking off 70 second laps like, well, clockwork, he won by half a minute over Austin Warner (15:19.64) of Trinity Christian, on a track crowded with 23 runners.

 

“The people on the track didn’t prevent me from doing my best,” he explained. “The first mile was on target, but two seconds faster. I went out for a 4:40, but ran 4:38. The second mile was right on 9:20. It was exactly what I wanted to do. The third mile, I fell out of pace. I was running dry. I called for water. It was really hot. I was dehydrated by that time. The last two laps I was trying to fight back. My team was motivating me. My coach saying, ‘You’re almost getting an A,’ and I realized that it was achievable. I ran a 66 last lap.”

A great deal of preparation went into the race.

 

“I had two plans,” Evans continued. “I wanted to run under 15, because the ‘B Standard’ (for the NAIA Nationals) is 14:59. And I want to make progress, based upon my 14:23(.99) PR. So I want to beat that.”

Kirwa’s time, set at the 2010-2011 NAIA Indoor National Championships two weeks earlier, was just one one-hundreth of  a second slower than that of Shorter’s Oscar Ogwani, the National Champion (14:23.98).

 

When will Evans be back at that level?

 

“I suspect the UF Relays--in two weeks—is my best chance.”

 

After winning the 5000 (14:37.37) on Friday night, he returned to the ERAU track on Saturday to run the 800 (1:57.75), finishing fourth among the seven ERAU runners who ran 2-flat or under. (What are they feeding those boys?)  The race was won by Sam Vazquez in 1:52.06.  Still around at the very end of the meet, he was a last-minute replacement on one of the four ERAU 4 X 4 teams entered--as was evidenced by his choice of footwear—and ran a sub-60 400.

Kirwa’s female, and busier, counter-part, was WIU’s Juline Brice.  On Friday night she dominated the Women’s 5000 (17:35.15), winning by half a minute over Nicole Clarke of FIU (18:06.06). She came back on Saturday to win both the 1500 (4:41.78) and the 800 (2:15.16). Truly one of the most remarkable individual performances within recent memory.

“It’s the first meet of the outdoor season, so I hope to improve,” she said after the 5000. “I also run the 800, the 1500, and the 4 X 4 for speed.”

Of her domination of the Women’s distance races, she humbly replied, “It’s actually hard because there’s no one near you to work on and push. You can run a little better, but it’s hard.”

 

 

Back home in Sweden, Asst. F.I.T. Coach Sarah Trane (Gothenberg) and ERAU Sprinter Beatrice Enckell (Karlshamn) can always find an excuse not to make the (approximately) four hour, 200 mile trip down their country’s highways to say hello: gas prices, blizzards, runoff from accelerated glacial retreat, or too many slow-moving farm vehicles. Now, only an hour and a half (91.23 miles) apart, they can make the convenient trip down I-95 just about any weekend…or wait for these once-a-month track meets and shout to each other from across the ERAU track infield. How convenient.

 

 

 

 

Beatrice, however, was almost too busy to do much else. She started her weekend taking the first handoff of the meet’s first relay, the sprint medley, which also happened to be the first of many 10-point efforts for the ERAU Women’s team.

 

“We—me, Beatrice, and Taylor--are used to handing the baton off,” opened Breanna, who ran an approximately 26 second opening leg, “because we also run the 4 X 4. So we know each other. We only do this once a year, and the longer distance (meaning Holly’s half) is a challenge because you don’t know what pace she’d (Taylor) be coming in.”

 

“It was kind of an intro to tomorrow,” Beatrice took over, “getting the legs moving, and exchanging the baton.” (Beatrice contributed a 25 second effort.)

“This is our first (outdoor) meet,” added Taylor Russell, whose 61 second lap built a pretty strong lead, before handing off to Holly Sandon.

 

“It’s kind of a warm up for tomorrow,” finished Holly Sandon, with a 2:31 800 and a salute. 

 

And that it was.

 

Now Running, #1, Christopher Bailey…Bailey…Bailey.  (Imagine the echo in a big ballpark.)

Every once in awhile, a rookie comes along, who is immediately compared to some Hall of Famer, and goes on to rewrite the record books. But that’s baseball, and this is track. Or is it?

“I’m just a first year runner, sir,” he began. “When my baseball coach, Jeremy Kitson, got recruited to be the head coach at his old high school in Ohio, I decided to do what I love best, which is running. In baseball, after practice, I’d run every day, and also on weekends. So, when I got a new lease on life, I said to my Dad, ‘I want to do something different.’ It’s the best decision I’ve ever made.”

 

You won’t get an argument from either of Matanza’s coaches, James Wolfe (Head Coach, XC and Track) or Danny Weed (Asst. XC and Distance Track Coach).

 

“I started last May for cross country. I ran all summer long. Our team made it to States, and finished 11th (2A on November 20, 2010). My PR was 17:09, at the St. John’s River Conference Championships.

 

“I am running the 800, 4 X 8, and 1600. I’m improving with every race. Friday was my first sub-800 (1:59 in the 4 X 8), and then (Saturday) I ran 4:36 for the 1600. Both are school records.”

 

His opening leg in the 4 X 8 helped Matanzas--Austin Neu in 2:08, Jason Harvey in 2:08, and Vaughn Burnett in 2:11 followed--win in a school record 8:29.57, and no doubt his 1600 SR had more than his desired effect on the rest of the field. Still inexperienced, he “stirred the pot,” before finishing third. The winner, Tyler Bridges of Astronaut (4:34.80), and second place finisher, Mat Miller of Spruce Creek (4:35.75) must have left the track thinking, “This is one rookie that I’d better keep an eye on.”

 

To beat Bailey, Bridges wasn’t far off his PR—4:30.23 at last year’s Bob Hayes Invitational—and the Astronaut’s 2:03.43 win in the open 800 might also have been given a “boost” had his (potential) future 2A rival entered the open race. (Bridges’ PR, which he ran at the 2A Region 3 Championships on April 21, 2010, is 2:00.52.)

“I picked him up right there (pointing to the far end of the track), on the last turn,” he told me of the 1600 finish. “Most races I like to stick with people, and start going the last 200. But I haven’t run in two weeks and wasn’t too sure of myself.”

 

Nonetheless, he boarded the Astronaut bus with two gold medals in his solid running effort.

 

 

For awhile, at least, Hannah Loder was willing to play a backup role in the two distance races, but that didn’t last long. 

 

“My coach, James Wolfe, told me to let the other girls do the work, and when they die out, pass them,” the sophomore told me. “The second to the last lap (of the 3200) was more of a battle, and I took off in the last lap.”

 

As they say, when you go, go with confidence.

 

“I knew I had more in me than last year. Last year I’d wait until the last 200 meters to give it everything. Now, I’m using that energy throughout the race. That is a (11:35.81) PR by 30 seconds, and a school record. It was 12:04 last year (12:04.75 at the St. John’s River Conference Meet on March 23, 2010).

 

“Next time, I expect to take the lead in the beginning, because Coach Wolfe says I would have a much better time.”

 

Next time came soon enough. In the 1600, she made her move on the second lap, and led the rest of the way. Her time, 5:19.39, was another (ten second) PR.  (She ran 5:29.48 at the UNF Spring Break Invitational on March 4th of this year.)

 

Also winning two for Matanzas--the Boys 3200 and the 2000 Steeplechase--was junior, David Drumm.

 

“That’s a PR by ten seconds,” he said of his 9:49.78 3200.

 

He too ran that previous best, 9:58.85, at East Coast Classic on February 25, 2011.

 

“It was great competition and great coaching. There were some guys from Creek--Mat Miller (2nd in 9:58.01), Andrew Carpenter (4th in 10:11.65), and Kyle Kathman (7th in 10:39.51)--plus my teammate Cameron Allen (5th in 10:22.47). All capable of fast times.

 

“I wanted to go through the first mile in five, or sub-five, if at all possible. After the mile (4:50), it felt slow. At 1200, I was going to make a move. I heard Mat (Miller) behind me the whole race and I tried to extend it from there.”

 

A third double winner for Matanzas was senior Akeda Marcano.  She ran 1:00.81 (a PR) in the 400 and long jumped 15’ 3-3/4”. She also helped her 4 X1 team to a second place finish in the 4 X 4 (4:27.65).

 

“I’m versatile,” she said proudly. “I love them all, but to me, the 4 X 4 is the most exciting. It’s an adrenaline rush. Part of that is the team work involved.”

 

Nattine Mortimer, a junior at Astronaut HS, won the 100 (12.50), the 200 (25.39), and was a member of Astronaut’s 4 X 4 (first in 3:32.40) and 4 X 1 (2nd in 53.40) teams. I asked her if she liked the ERAU formula of running (heats) for time, rather than preliminaries and finals.

 

“I like that better,” she confessed. “I don’t like running more than I have to. I haven’t done preliminaries this year. That’s good. It makes me nervous. Of all the races, I love the 4 X 1 the most. I think we have a good team. On the average, we have a good time, and everyone stands as one. We had a 49 in practice. But today, I’m not doing the 4 X 1; I’m doing the 4 X 4.”

 

 

 

 

When he left Bolivar, Ohio for Embry Riddle in the fall of 2008, there is little doubt that Adam Holdsworth left a void that will be tough to fill. Besides his Ohio Division II State Championship in the pole vault (14’8” at Jesse Owens Stadium, in Columbus, June 6-7, 2008), the small town of 854 shrunk appreciably. Not as much in numbers, as in a personality that trails color in its wake, so to speak. 

 

“I talked to Coach Hopfe, just a little bit after high school because I knew I was coming here,” he confided in me. “But I originally wasn’t going to run track, because of wake boarding. I wanted to be a pro wake boarder. In (May 29th) 2009, I went on to Pro Juniors (18 and under), in Fort Worth, Texas. (Where he finished third, with 66.75 points, in heat one.)

 

“The guys I wake boarded with were on the track team, and they convinced me to try a couple of open meets. That was in 2010, and it kind of took over wake boarding. My coach then was Garrett Penton, and he whipped my butt. I dropped 20, 25 pounds, total, and I’m definitely glad that I joined. It got me in shape. Plus, I travel around with the guys on the track team. It was cool…plus I hang around Kody. He’s the one who got me into track, and he’s got the boat. It’s a prime wake boarding boat.”

 

And, of course, there’s pole vaulting on the side.

 

“15 feet was my kryptonic height. I never felt that I won the State Meet because I never cleared 15’.  Today I got up to 15’7” (4.75m). That ties my PR from Indoor season (ERAU Last Chance on February 18th). I was hoping to go 16, or higher, but I made the B Standard for Outdoor Nationals.”

 

I asked what kind of workouts you have to do to be able to vault over houses.

 

“It’s whatever my coaches tell me to do. Last year, Garrett had me do a lot of sprints. This year, Doug has a more relaxed training schedule.”

 

“That’s hurtful,” came a voice from a nearby chair, both owned, I assumed, by his current coach.

 

“No, that’s good,” Holdsworth said, trying to regain control of the situation. “Two days of jumps, two days of lifting, one day of hurdle mobility (regular hurdles set at the second, 30” hole).”

 

Doug: “You forgot to say that you didn’t do half the workouts last year.”

 

Adam: “I had classes.” (Or, as Satchel Paige would say, “Avoid running at all times.”)

 

Doug: “I guess I have to run you more.” 

 

Adam: “The ‘skinny guys,’ and the ‘fat guy’ (which I assume were affectionate terms for Chris, Monte, Craig, and Hartcourt , fellow vaulters) do the same workouts.”

 

And this year, he vaulted over a Cape Cod.

 

“Definitely, last year I never got 15. I would screw up the small things at meets. This year it’s coming together. This winter, January, I was at a meet at Clemson. They started at 15, a height I had never cleared. Doug wasn’t there; we only took a few guys. But I cleared it and that was my ‘wall.’ So now I’m going at it all the time. Staying consistent and starting at 15.”

 

“Don’t look back, something may be gaining on you.”  (Satchel Paige)

 

Not that they should worry yet, but if there is one young lady who may someday be vaulting with guys her own age, it is Celebration junior, Jessica Harter. Her current PR is 11’7”, which she accomplished at last year’s 3A District 6 Meet (April 21, 2010). And then came the State Meet, where she “lost more than a foot.”

 

“We had practiced at Winter Park a few days before, and we locked our poles with the WP poles in the equipment shed. When we got there for the State meet, they were gone,” she explained. “They just kind of ‘reappeared’ this year. They had been used—they were re-taped in black tape--but the serial numbers were the same. The WP coach said he found them in a retention pond.”

 

But that was then.

 

“I think I’m back there. I’ve got my pole back, but I’m making a transition to a bigger pole, one that is 13’5”, 125 pounds (carrying weight), and carbon fiber.”

 

I asked what she thinks about when she vaults.

 

“I always think about performing at least better than in my last meet. Or, if I have already jumped my PR, to get a new record.”

 

A vaulter’s biggest problem?

 

“Mentally, of being there. Having the confidence and knowing what you’re capable of.”

 

Most of us think as vaulting as a seasonal sport, but not an athlete of Jessica’s caliber.

 

“We have pre-season. I took off August and September. I go from October until July, so I am working on it for ten months. There’s a lot of preparation for the bigger meets. At the end of the season, everything comes together and you peak.

 

“It all depends on how you’re jumping that day. For example, I was jumping 8’6”, I tweaked it, and all of a sudden I jumped 10’6”.”

 

To help her along is big brother Chris Harter, who is currently vaulting for ERAU, and has a 16’ 4 -3/4” best (FSU Twilight Meet on May 7, 2010).

 

“Last year I didn’t have a coach, until I met Mr. Cashman late in the season. My big brother helped me to tweak my technique. He’s been jumping since 8th grade in Indiana. He came here (to Florida) for college.”

Which is pretty much where Jessica is right now.  Her 10’ 6 -3/4” vault would have won the College Women’s vault, and her pre-theft height would have put her in the thick of NAIA competition. 

 

 

 

 

Trevor Dunlop, a freshman at Embry Riddle, by way of Lyman High School, found himself in a familiar position. With the meet rapidly coming to a conclusion, there he was: the last man standing in the College Men’s high jump. Is this the toughest time to jump?

 

“Probably,” he answered after some thought. “You have to stay focused, and not change things. You have to jump the same way at 6’7” as you did at 5’8”.”

 

Home versus away?

 

“I think the toughest thing is going to other meets and not being used to the facilities. You have two minutes to get yourself together, regardless of the conditions. For example, it could be raining. But I love jumping at home because my family gets to come and watch. That’s a bonus.” 

 

Trevor, however, is an old hand at this.

 

“I’ve been jumping since sixth grade. I jumped for my middle school; The Christ School.”

His first height?

 

“Probably four feet, or maybe less than that. I remember it was a big deal when I made 5’4”. It was winning middle school meets, probably because no one else could get that.”

And today?

 

“I think we started at 6’. I jumped 6’2” by myself. After that, we went to the B Standard; 2.01 meters, which is about 6’7”.”

 

To finish, I teased Trevor with a three part question that you might expect from a college admissions officer: Name what you hope will be your three greatest contributions to ERAU.

 

“Wow. That’s a tough one. Okay. I definitely want to do something for the track team, such as go to Nationals, be an all American, or be a National Champion. Mostly, to do something that will be remembered.

 

“#2.  Something academic, where my major (mechanical engineering) will benefit me and the M.E. program.  Maybe  work as a student assistant, maybe help other students.”

 

A long pause. (Which put 6’7” into perspective.)

 

#3. “Discover something for the engineering department, because they have a fantastic engineering school. Perhaps for the entire aviation engineering community.”

 

 

It would be tough to come up with a better name for a hurdler—or a better hurdler—than Embry Riddle’s Chance Finstad. Winning by nearly a second in the highs (15.56) and three in the lows (54.70), he was almost off the track before the next best finished (Central State’s David Sawyer in 16.12 and 57.76, respectively).

 

Chance?

 

Greeting me with a grin that was as big as his home state of Texas, his breathing seemed to vastly understate the effort that was required of him to have just completed the 400 hurdles. 

 

“It was pretty much between me and the clock, although I would have been happy to have someone to chase.”

 

I asked him if he ran the open 400, and tried to guess his time.

 

“Nope, not very often. Sometimes the 4 X 4. I run about a 54. My PR in the open is about 52. (He ran a 52.44 at the--guess where--February 18th Last Chance Meet at ERAU.)

 

Finstad’s best hurtle races were 15.17 (the 2009 Spikes Classic), and 54.86 (also in 2009, at the April 11th Miami Elite Invitational).

 

“I took off a semester from school, so I wasn’t competing in 2010.” 

 

Chance makes no bones about the fact that classes at ERAU are a lot tougher than track. 

 

“Embry Riddle is a hard school. You have to devote as much time to school work as you can. I had to submit a paper at 11:55 last night, which is not what you want to do the night before a meet.”

 

But then there’s track.

 

“Track has always been my relief. But when I have a lot of homework to do, and I’m at track, it’s stressful.”

 

In spite of those concerns, Chance will surely clear ERAU’s academic hurdles too. After all, he was already a pilot when he attended high school in Meridian.

 

 

On the hottest day so far this year, it appears that the smartest one on this particular college campus was an oak toad (Bufo quericus). In pulling back the covering for the steeplechase water pit, it was discovered that Mr. Toad (or Ms. Toad; we didn’t turn it over) was quite comfortable in its private pond. That changed rather quickly when the HS Girls 2000 meter Steeplechase got underway, and Mike the Meany evicted Toady. (Is that why it’s called a ‘chase?) For the next twenty or so minutes, the pond’s occupants were high school boys and girls who, to me, didn’t seem to be trying overly hard to avoid the cool, wet “obstacle” placed in their path.

 

 

 

 

For those not yet baptized, this is a stands-emptying event, as a rapid migration to the artificial reef is a must for those jaded enough to think that track is too predictable.  

 

Surprisingly, there were only two female entrants in the event, both from Matanzas; Alise Meyer and Danica Leili. 

 

“It’s definitely my favorite,” said Matanzas senior Alise Meyer. “Most definitely jumping into the water…and the big splashes! A lot of good pictures.”

 

Alise prevailed, leaving her team mate, Danica, in her wake (by a waterlogged .90 seconds), 9:32.66 to 9:33.56. 

 

“I was way off today because I am coming off an injury; patella tendonitis.”

 

Alise first ran the event two years ago, as a sophomore, but missed it—both figuratively and literally—in 2010. 

 

Nonetheless, it  certainly appeared to be quite refreshing, all toads “aside.”

 

The Matanzas Boys also had two entrants, with David Drumm (6:41.10) and Austin Neu (7:13.67) taking first and third, respectively. Spruce Creek’s five were led by senior Mat Miller, in 6:55.67. In an event where technique is everything and hydrophobics might as well stay home, it appeared that Drumm had the more experience. In the March 21, 2009 Spikes Classic he got his water wings with an 8:14.16 finish. A second time through the shoe-wash produced a minute and a half improvement. What a learning curve!

 

 

HIGH SCHOOL BOYS - If this meet established anything, it is that the 2A Matanzas track team is ready to run with the big dogs, 4A included. There they were, Creek and Matanzas, slugging it out for two days. The final score was Spruce Creek 194, Matanzas 185, and Astronaut 98. In fifth place, with 30 points, was the one and only Shedrick Washington.

 

HIGH SCHOOL GIRLS – With scores very close to that of the Boys, Spruce Creek (196), Matanzas (153), and Astronaut (111) were the top three scorers.

 

COLLEGE MEN – Embry Riddle took full advantage of a big team and a home meet in scoring a gargantuan 335 total points. Webber International (84) and Edward Waters (68) rounded out the top 3.

 

COLLEGE WOMEN – Like the men, the ERAU women won (209); however Edward Waters (157) and Trinity Christian (100) garnered a greater share of the points. EWU had the best uniforms, though, especially at sunset.

 

 

I would like to close with a quote from the Mid-20th century pitching legend, Satchel Paige, who had advice for just about any occasion. (Ol’ Satch was like Socrates in a sport known for its philosophers.) He said, “If your stomach disputes you, lie down and pacify it with cool thoughts.” In Friday night’s College 5000, a young man was involved in an event that could best be described as “Lasagna-gate,” an episode I am sure he wishes never happened. But in that grand drama we call life, seconds at the dinner table can, and sometimes will take precedence over seconds in a race. The former should never be allowed to control the latter. And, as you proved with your PR, modest though it was, what has molded your character will define whom you eventually grow to become.