Runners Outperform at Jamboree!
The annual Fall Sports Jamboree took place on an overcast, cool evening with the runners donning their Lawrence Cross Country attire along with some added garb. Party hats, mustaches, masks, war paint, and a fun attitude showcased just what kind of group we have this year. Oh! And I can't forget the eyelashes that added to the comedic display!
Everyone arrived early. The roar of the crowd could be heard from the stadium as the last bit of paint was applied to people's faces and legs. Pictures were taken, and the last stride-outs brought the runners back into the feeling of racing. With the fear of the crowd leaving the stadium, everyone knew that they needed to put on a show. And that they did. The boys got off to a hot start rolling though the first 400m in a blistering 66 seconds (which is 4:24 pace). They cooled their jets and hit the halfway marker at 2:26 (4:52 pace), but the third lap did them in and made it difficult to crack that 5:00 barrier. Cole Shupert rolled through the finish line in 5:07 with Ruben Littlehead right behind in 5:09. Jack showed poise for a freshman and came in at 5:17 with Nicholi not too far behind in 5:21. And rounding out the top-5 was Aaron coming home in 5:34. It was great to see where the guys are in terms of speed without having done any speed work.
Our ladies strutted their stuff in fine fashion as well. Essentially, the first three ladies jogged a fast 6:30-6:38; laughing and smiling the entire way through. That's amazing! And the other two brought it home in just under 7:00. I say they jogged because that is what they did. The first couple of laps were at a leisurely pace and then they started to pick it up a little on the third lap. But it wasn't until the last 200m where they showcased their raw speed. The ladies' team is looking superb as they too have yet to do any speed work.
Overall, the girls and boys teams are way ahead of where they were a year ago and the coaches are tickled to death to see what these kids can do come October. We have a long way to go, and the runners are off to a great start!