2013 CIF XC State Finals

At the outset of the season, I didn’t think I was going to make it this far. Making states was a pleasant surprise for me.

However, qualifying for the race was only half of the story. Since CCS is normally the first section to hold their races, we had two weeks to train before the big race. Our workouts were a mix between speed and distance to help us get geared for states. It was tough for me to get through practice the first few days since I had just run the Big Sur Half.

We drove to Fresno Friday afternoon. The weather was quite pleasant, increasing my confidence about the race. We met Justin, Grace, and Jake at a nearby parking lot before our course jog. After a prolonged season lasting more than five months, it was just the three of us. We had made it this far, and it felt much different for me. I felt… alone. There wasn’t the jovial atmosphere of practice anymore, having reduced to one that of solitude and sincerity. At this point it was all business for us. After our warmup, we hung around the finishing gauntlet while we waited in line for our free t-shirts. I guess making states had its perks.

My mind was uneasy however, similar to the situation the night preceeding CCS. It was the same feeling – I had to go out and perform. On the other hand, I was excited to finally have the opportunity to run in a such a big and prestigious meet.

Our race was early in the day, like Clovis Invite a month ago. This time, we were running three hours later. Justin and I did a few rounds around the perimeter of the park for a warmup, and after a bit, we were ready.

Since the start line boxes were arranged by seeding, Justin and I would be starting in different places. By virtue of his top individual performance at CCS, Justin would start in the center, while I would be starting on the far right, since I was the last individual to qualify from CCS.

I thought that if I went out a bit more aggressively at the start, I would be able to compensate for my slightly subpar starting position. However, this was easier said than done. The start was very aggressive, with everyone in the race pushing the pace hard. I found myself in the middle logjam within the first 800m of the race.

I kept my pace through the first mile, and because of the hard start, I found myself tired somewhat. Although I came through at 4:53 for the first mile, the same split as my Clovis race, I was much more exhausted at this point.

I tried to hang on as much as I could. The race became a struggle to simply maintain a steady pace.

My legs started to ache harder and harder. I pushed the last 1200m, knowing that this would probably be the last race of my high school cross country career. I was gaining ground and position, and sure enough, I was able to reel in a few more runners by kicking through the last 150m. I finished in the top 50% of the field with a 16:28, or a 5:19 pace per mile over 5K.

I was hoping that I could have ended my season on a much higher note. I initially felt that I had let my supporters down, after all that they had invested in me. However, I was more than happy that I had the chance to run in such a race and make it to states. My final cross country season was a success – I had improved my 5K time by more than a whole minute, and I had also definitively broken the elusive 10 minute barrier in the 2 mile, something I was unable to achieve last year in track.

Though my season ended on a somewhat bitter feeling, I am excited for what track holds in store. There will be many opportunities for big PRs in both the mile and two mile, and I am eager to see what I am capable of achieving on the red rubber this year. With big meets like Arcadia, Stanford, and CCS Top 8, who knows what will happen? Only time (and some careful, disciplined training) will tell.

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