2024 Cross Country

IHSA Sectional 11.02.24

The conclusion of the season is always the toughest. Today was that day, and we went out with fight and fortitude on the field at Busse Woods. The morning was a little crisp and frosty initially, but warmed comfortably into the 50s by race time, and we traveled down with a packed bus to support Ryan and the women's team in their races. The sunrise was perfect, and I particularly enjoyed the low patchwork of fog as we drove down 173 and 94 southward. The energy was electric on the bus, and Ryan was in a great headspace.

The women's race was a hard-fought battle. With a last-minute adjustment of the scores after the video review, it turned out that Lauren missed State qualification by just one place. This was devestating news, but at the same time she ran an aggressive race against some of the best runners in the state--the rest of the Varsity squad pushed fantastically and finished in great form. In the midst of the nail-biting waiting game, Ryan dialed in, warmed up, and headed over to the line. I could not help but admire both his focus and mindset today. His approach this last week of celebrating achieving his goal of making it to this race, and his gratitude for the team that helped him, are overwhelmingly admirable. He was excited to run with the top athletes in the state and to have the opportunity to compete at this level. He joins a small, elite group of Sectional qualifiers from the history of the men's team. The last competitor was Eric, two years ago.

When the line was set, Ryan locked in and waited for the gun. He surged out really well when it went off, skillfully accelerating through the mass of competitors crushing in from the right. It was immediately clear that this was going to be a fast race. Ryan was about 3/4 way back in the pack at the mile mark, coming through around 5:06 and looking great. He had plenty of competitors around him to pull off of, and he hit the second mile well. I realized that we haven't done a lot of hill work in the latter half of the season, and perhaps this sapped his strength in mile two. This was a little slower, but Ryan's strength is finishing the third mile, so I was not too worried. I was amazing to see that the top eleven guys were all under 15 (Ben Crane of New Trier won at 14:14!), and the surging pack made for some fast times--the first 77 guys were all under 16! Ryan came in at 16:30, placing 112th out of 139 competitors. His final 400 was among the best I have ever seen him race. He caught at least six men in the line of sight I had with 200 to go, and he caught several others in the final steps leading into the chute. Great job, Ryan! Considering this is a true three mile course and his PR was on a shorter, flat course, timewise this was a very good race. He walked away with a smile and completely drained of energy. He walked away the epitome of a captain, a senior leader, and a team-oriented role model. He walked away leaving a legacy that will challenge others to reach these heights--and I believe they will!

I cannot express enough just how proud I am of Ryan, and of the ZBXC team that raced togther all season. They made this season about a team effort, pulling each other to fast times and truly embracing a pack racing mindset. Though we will be graduating many seniors, these leaders have invested heavily in making the juniors and underclassmen valued contributors. They will be leaving big shoes to fill, but they have shown the rest of the rising team exactly how to do it. I cannot wait to see what this team chooses to do in the future--in the off season, and in Track in the spring. Good job this season!

IHSA REgional 10.26.24

It was an absolutely gorgeous day for racing. We felt a tremendous sense of excitement as we boarded the bus and arrived twenty minutes later at the familiar course at Warren. I was particularly happy to see the venue not returning to Adler Park in Libertyville (a tough one), and it looks like the rotation from here will likely be alternating between Warren and Grant. We had a marvelous taper week of sharpening and striding, and the men's team looked fit and fast as we approached this Saturday morning.

I don't usually write about the projections or factor them into the week, but to say we had a long shot at making it to the Sectional as a team would be an understatement. We are simply in a very fast Region. The teams this year are powerhouses, and a number of these are going to be serious contenders at State. They take six teams and five individuals out, and our fastest guy, Ryan, was outside the bubble by the pre-meet calculations. Still, the team trained as champions and put everything into their preparation. My parting message was that the race had yet to be run, and that we can make stronger moves than we know. I couldn't wait to see these guys shine.

The course was in great shape. There was simply nothing serving as a detractor for the two races today. The sun was out and it was comfortable sweatshirt weather. While looking a little nervous, the guys were all business when we got there, surrounded by a solid group of athletes who came to cheer them on. Caleb was today's alternate from last week's Varsity squad, and came ready to race if he was needed. I really appreciated the focus these guys brought to the day.

We watched the women race first. It was quickly apparent that Barrington was controlled the thing, easily holding down the 1-5 (and #s 9 and 13!). When the dust settled, we were ecstatic to see Lauren's #10 finish and marvel at the whole women's pack--they took 5th overall, earning a team berth to the Sectional for the fifth consecutive year! Congratulations, women! This is amazing!

Injected with a fresh burst of energy, the men warmed up and stretched at the line. I didn't have a whole lot to say in the circle--there wasn't anything else needed. They have invested everything necessary for a solid race, and were ready to push through a great competition. One more set of strides later, they were holding steady and waiting for the gun. Then they were off!

Ryan went out with a dense pack that represented all the schools, and worked well in traffic for the first mile; I caught them about 1k in. Tristan D. put fifteen yards on Joan and Tony, who were working well side-by-side, and Jay was just a couple yards on their six, battling a McHenry competitor. Tristan J. and Noah M. were next, in a deep pack of runners as well. It was a close fight among the teams.

I caught them again as they were closing the second mile and headed toward the stadium. Things had spread out a bit, and Ryan was now racing by himself. Not far behind, Tristan D., Tony, and Joan were racing with nobody between them, and moving very well together. Jay had five guys between him and Joan and was holding well; TJ had two guys drafting off of him at this point, and he had put nearly forty meters on Noah, who also was racing well. We fought well in the final lap, and I stuck by the 400m mark to encourage the men as they punched into the stadium. There was a strong momentum now, and every Zee Bee was pushing with all of their might to gain places. The field was moving! Ryan battled past a Mundelein runner and was just trailing a pair of Vernon Hills athletes headed into the stadium, racing in to take 38th place at 16:16. Tony and Joan made a strong move on Tristan and the three surged in well. Tony logged 17:03, Joan 17:07, and Tristan 17:13. Jay kicked well to finish at 17:30, followed by TJ at 17:48, and Noah M. at 18:12. The Bees placed 10th out of 11 full teams. Our 1-5 split was a close 73 seconds!

By this point I was constantly refreshing the live results and running the numbers against the top six teams and the potential individual qualifiers. In the end, RYAN MADE THE SECTIONAL! He was the fourth of the five individual qualifiers who are not on one of the qualifying teams, and the cutoff was just two seconds and one place behind him! I am so proud! He joins the elite list of athletes who have qualified from ZBTHS, and the first in two years. Every athlete on the squad ran faster today than they did last time we were here at the Dawson Invitational, though there were no PRs earned on the official times. One factor to consider is that last week's course measured a little short (a cause of friction among some coaches), and today's was a true 3.0 (confirmed by both wheel and watch). Last week's fell in regulation range for 3.0, however, and their times stand as legal 3-mile races. I firmly believe that, if that were a full 3.0 last week, we would have bested it today. Still, we ran very well today and pushed with great fortitude.

And while the journey is over for most of the team, Ryan has earned another week! I cannot wait to see what he does with a little additional taper and this fantastic team around him, pushing him to his best each day. This achievement was not earned alone. It takes the team--the pack--to make this happen. I am proud of their work, and proud of Ryan. On to Sectionals!

Conference 10.19.24

Some days things just click. Today was one of those days. The weather was a perfect sub-60 morning with a light dew that heated up just slightly throughout the races. The course was lined well and in amazing condition. And, most importantly, our team showed up eager and hungry for the Conference meet. This ended up being the best team race of our season. It was nothing short of historic for these young men.

We journeyed out to Lake Forest West with a little extra rest and a light taper rest in our bodies. We have worked hard to hone our kicks and finish fast in every practice, and the guys looked fit and eager as they shelved the nerves and approached the race day. It was game-on as soon as we got the course--a short walk-through, and the Varsity was off warming up. Noah C. saved the day by having a spare Varsity uniform with him, and he gave the shorts to another runner who had forgotten his and was about to commit a gross uniform violation. As we finished the dynamic routine, Tony got stung by a big wasp right on his eyebrow! He quickly finished the last minute of his routine far from the aggressors, and then calmly took the line. With the gun, our eight men were off and racing.

I caught them as they rounded out the first mile and surged past the bridge. Ryan had a nice pocket of space and was running well as our first man. Tony and Joan were racing together in a large pack of competitors, and Tristan D. was just a few steps and one Waukegan runner behind them. Jay was holding nicely as our fifth man, followed a moment later by Tristan J. and Noah M. racing just a stride away from each other. Caleb rounded out the pack, making a move that caught two Lake Forest runners at the turn by the bridge. I caught them again on the loop that finished the second mile. Ryan had moved on a pack of three Warren athletes and was holding nicely right with them. Tristan D. moved up and was racing right alongside Tony and Joan, with Jay just three spots back and racing closer than in mile 1 to his teammates. TJ was just two strides ahead of Noah, and they were racing fast! In the latter half of the third mile I caught them again as they rounded behind the finish line for the big paperclip finish. Tristan D. had put twenty yards on Tony and Joan, and Jay was just twenty back from his teammates and closing fast! Noah moved up to TJ and they were racing together.

Ryan threw down a mighty kick ("nobody can beat a 4- and 200m runner" he said later) that rolled up a Lake Forest and Stevenson competitor, and landed him across the finish line at 15:59--his first sub-16 race! This also puts him in the elite company of our team's "15 Club" and marks an amazing achievement and a 27s lifetime PR! He placed 25th overall. Tristan lengthened his lead and surged in as our second man at 40th place, racing a huge PR 16:36! He had just raced 17:12 last week at Lakes, and this sub-17 race was a huge one! Looking just beyond him, I could see Tony, Joan, and Jay striding hard on the final stretch. Jay already had a monster breakthrough today--he has been chasing his PR from Peoria his sophomore year. Today he put an amazing effort on the line and pushed with incredible form in the second half--he steamed past Tony and Joan in the final stretch and finished as our third runner at a lifetime PR 16:46! Congratulations, Jay! Tony and Joan were next in quick succession, racing 16:46 and 16:51 respecively. These were their first sub-17 races, and absolutely remarkable achievements! It's been a while since I've had a top five under the seventeen minute mark. TJ pushed hard and finished as our sixth, racing 17:39. This huge PR was come off of an 18:43 previous PR and a severe concussion that sidelined him for several weeks--what a breakthrough! Noah stuck well with him the whole way, and his kick followed TJ into the chute at 17:47! This, too, was a huge lifetime PR and his fifth consecutive one--he broke 18 for the first time today! Caleb followed quickly at 18:20, a 50s lifetime PR and his first time breaking 19! This was our closest 1-5 split of the season (and in my recent memory), with just 52s separating them. Our Varsity placed 6th out of 7 full teams, beating Lake Forest and Waukegan. Every racer earned a lifetime PR!

Our next race was the F-S. Amir was not feeling up to the run, leaving Xander to race solo. This was not his first rodeo, and he took care of the warmup and dynamic himself. He exuded nothing but confidence as he took the line, and I could tell he was poised to do something great with his pack of one. Oddly, when the gun went off, the entire field shifted hard to the right instead of taking a straightforward trajectory, but they got on track when they got to the turn. At the mile, Xander was racing very well, bracketed between a LF and LZ runner. In the second mile, he had put both of them in his rearview and overtaken a Libertyville athlete, moving up a couple positions. He held well and with a little breathing space into the final straightaways, finishing with a mighty kick that realized a huge goal of his: breaking 20! He finished with a lifetime PR 19:56, breaking his previous best from Lake County by 24s. Congratulations, Xander!

The final race of the day was the JV race. We had a huge pack ready to go, and I loved the pre-race energy. With nine lifetime PRs already in the books, propsects looked bright and the men were hungry. We had a couple extra minutes for strides, and Steven C. led each one with relentless enthusiasm. I direct them to a straight trajectory from the line, and within a couple of minutes, the team was off and racing with the gunshot. Noah C., still recovering from pneumonia, surged ahead and was our first man by the mile mark. His breathing was extremely labored and limited, yet he persevered with fortitude. Deonta was just behind him and racing very well, balancing a Stevenson runner on his elbow. Airimus and Robert were closely packed as well, with a Warren runner betwixt. Right at the turn onto the bridge, Robert hit a loose patch of gravel and took a full dive and a competitor's foot to the face! Bouncing back up with a quickly-swelling and badly skinned knee, he recovered his glasses and surged forward to catch back up to Airimus. Steven C. was next at the mile, followed four places later by Corey and Steven G. Just fifteen seconds later, a great pack consisting of Keegan, Jimmy, and Alex thudered by, with six other competitors in the mix. Braden and Sebastian were next and looking good--Braden made his return today from a long and tricky medical journey, and it was so nice to see him racing again. Jose and Deeletre were our next runners through, both enjoying great starts to their race.

Near the two mile, I caught the pack again. Noah was leading the charge and clearly in distress, but he gamely fought onward into the third mile. Deonta was next and Airimus had made a huge move to race just one pace behind him. Steven C. had also made a move to go upward, exploiting a gap and taking a few hard steps past me. Robert was next, racing hard through the obvious pain of his fall. Just a few paces back, Steven G. and Corey were packed well together, followed quickly by Keegan, Jimmy, and Alex with about 10m between each. Sebastian fought well around the tennis court turn to pass a Libertyville runner, with Braden just two ranks behind; Jose and DJ were just behind and looking great as they entered the third mile.

I was able to see some fantastic finishes from this team. Noah was racing the best he could muster, and it was an admirable effort that landed him at a sub-20 finish with only a small percentage of his lungs in operation--he kicked home for 19:17! Airimus was next, kicking with great power to finish at 19:37 and earn his first sub-20 PR! Steven C. was just behind him, racing 19:46 and finishing with a great kick as well. Deonta ran the race of his season as well today, breaking 20 with a huge 19:56 Season Best! This was followed closely by Steven G., racing 20:20 and just seconds away from his PR from last week. Robert powered through next--it was not the race he wanted to end on, but it was a remarkable display of resilience. His knee was in poor shape, yet he raced aggressively in the second and third miles, pulling through the line at 20:32, which is just seconds away from his PR. Corey and Keegan were next, in quick succession. Corey earned a 2s lifetime PR, racing 20:38! Keegan dropped 21s from his previous best, breaking 21 and racing to a 20:44 finish!

The successes kept coming. Jimmy powered in next to complete his second race back from injury. He ran a Season Best 21:04, a great achievement considering the pain was not completely gone. He was followed closely by Alex at 21:30, a 14s lifetime PR that bested last week's effort at Lakes! Sebastian was next at 22:06, earning a huge lifetime PR and breaking his previous best at Home a couple weeks back. Braden finished at 22:08 right behind him, a remarkable achievement after being out recovering for several weeks! Jose had a great kick to finish at 22:15 as our next runner, just seconds off of his best, and he was followed a moment later by Deeletre. DJ dropped over a minute to earn this amazing PR, and he threw down a great kick in the final 150. Nice job!

We earned fifteen lifetime PR times and two Season Bests. The efforts were on point today, and the teamwork outstanding. We raced together, and we found ways to move up during these races instead of staying at fixed points. We competed! The growth displayed on this day has seen no parallel this season, and as a coach there is no greater sense of pride I have felt than in coaching this team today. Our training has certainly been working, but at the end of the day it is the choice we make to bee great. Every man made that choice today, in every race. We fought and trusted our fitness to give us strength to make the moves we wanted. I am so incredibly proud, and we have ended the regular season on a pinnacle note!

This next week we approach the State Series. With Regionals moved to Warren (woo!), we are in for a fast time against a field of fast teams. Nothing is guaranteed, and we will need to fight for every position on the field, together. We have a team that is capable of great things, and I think they are just starting to realize their potential. We will sharpen and taper and put everything on the line on Saturday, making the day a celebration of ZBXC. Congratulations to every man who laced up at the Conference meet and took a risk on the course. This was truly an historic day, and one that we will carry in our hearts for years to come. Nice job!

Lakes Sunset 10.11.24

It might have been a chaotic day with three coaches away and just me and Mrs. Coach graciously volunteering to step in and coach, but tonight was an absolutely wonderful night of efficiency, teamwork, and FAST RACING! With the Varsity women at Sterling and Coach T out sick, Coach McNeal stepping in and took the bus with the men and I rode with the women. Though the week was comfortably in the 60s the entire time, today spiked to a humid 83 degrees as we depart ZBTHS and drove out to Lakes. This meet is the last of our regular season races, and one that we have always run really well at. We had a full week of excellent sharpening work, and the team came out hungry and ready for success. As soon as we got there, the women efficiently set up camp and headed out on their warmup. Before we knew it, it was race time!

The Bronze coed race rolled out promptly at 4:30 and in great shape. This massive field presented so many opportunities for competition and I was proud to see the whole Zee Bee pack going out hard. I had challeged the team to race the first two miles consistently and try for a negative split on the third. Though they kept this in mind, the field actually went out harder than usual and worked to hold it instead of pacing--I admire the effort! Steven G. led our pack out in the first mile, with Deonta racing as our second in great form. Keegan was racing well as our third, followed closely by a great start by Jose; Ziyier was off to an aggressive start, with Sebastian just a few meters behind him. Deeletre was next for the men's team and off to the fastest start I've ever seen him throw down. At the second mile, our positions were unchanged, and they quickly melted into the back forty. I moved to the finishing stretch and was astounded by the kicks we conjured today.

Steven G. held a monster lead on our entire pack and raced his lifetime PR today--finishing at 20:13, and dropping 37 seconds from his previous best at home! Deonta finished with a powerful kick as our second, racing a solid 20:49 Season Best! Keegan had a great kick as well, racing a PR 21:05, breaking his previous from Deefield! He was follwed quickly by Ziyier, who had by far the largest drop in time for the entire night. Z fropped 2:16 and raced 21:20, bypassing the 22's completely and breaking his previous best from Home! Jimmy was right on his shoulder, also racing 21:20, a Season Best that beat his previous SB from Rebel early in the season! Alex kicked hard as our next man at 21:44, a 45s PR over his time at Home! Jose was next at 21:56, dropping 18s from Home for a lifetime PR, too! Sebastian kicked in well at 23:23, followed by DJ at 25:09. This PR for Deeletre was 1:46 faster than his previous at Dawson! Well done, men! This pack finished 10th out of 13 whole teams.

The Silver wave was next, and we had five men racing this event. Noah M. went out with a commanding lead on our pack in the first mile, followed by Caleb and Steven C. Airimus and Corey had great starts as well. Their second miles looked pretty good as well, and it was clear we were clawing for positions as we went into the final mile loop. Noah was first to finish for the Zee Bee pack, racing 18:32 and dropping an 11s from his time at Peoria last weekend! Caleb was next at 19:10, dropping and 8s PR and--again--finishing with a big wood chip in his spike! Steven was next at 19:25, finishing with a strong kick and dropping 14 seconds from Lake County on this same course for a lifetime PR! Airimus was next at 20:20, just a few seconds off of his PR, followed by Corey at 20:40--for Corey, this was a PR by a second over his previous best at Home. Nice job to the Silver pack!

The Gold wave was next, with our final five racers. The temp has cooled under 80 by this point and we were poised to run well in the golden sunset. With the gun, the pack was off and the race as on! Ryan ran out aggressively, running a 5:14 opening mile and leading our pack. As usual, Tony and Tristan packed very well together in the first mile, and 40m behind them I spotted Joan. Jay was another 40m behind him coming into the second mile. It was a good start. In the second mile, Joan closed on Tristan, while Tony remained in our second position; Jay had also moved up with Joan's momentum. When they got to the finish, I was impressed to see great kicks that gained several ranks. Ryan finished as our first man solidly at 16:28, just two seconds over his PR. Joan made an EPIC third mile move and passed both Tristan and Tony, blazing through to finish as our second man at 17:03--this was a 53s drop for a lifetime PR! WOW! Tristan was just behind him at 17:12, a 9s PR! Tony finished as our fouth at 17:14, a 1s PR as well. Jay surged in to round out the pack at 17:29--a Season Best that beat his time at Home by 19s! We finished 12th out of 15 teams, but the best part was that we closed our 1-5 split to just 61 seconds! This was a major achievement!

It was a fantastic night of racing. The men charted two Season Best times and 13 lifetime PRs! We raced aggressively, cohesively, and with confidence. This is the sort of progress a coach always wants to see, and tonight we came together in the best possible way. We really made some historic moves, and together had a wonderful evening. Way to go, Bees! We closed out the regular season in a very positive way, and as we taper and temper this upcoming week, we are headed to Lake Forest for the Conference meet. This is a flat, fast course--and I cannot wait to see what we accomplish there. What a night!

Peoria Invite 10.5.24

This is always one of the most fun meets of the year. I drove the spirit bus with eight competitors and Coach Tolliver down to the course at Detweiller with a very upbeat feeling. While we have been very fortunate to have had a temperate to train in this week, it was still quite warm and humid downstate. Thankfully we left an hour earlier this year and did not have to finish our course orientation shakeout in the pitch black darkness like last year! We got down there to find that there was minimal signs of the thunderstorms from earlier in the day, and the course was in fantastic shape. We ended up taking the shakeout into a cut-down run, did a couple strides, and established "go zones" at the top and bottom of the course that we would capitalize on the following day. After a quick stop at the hotel, a Target excursion, and a nice Avanti's dinner, we sat down and set some lofty goals for the next day. One important topic was the focus on positive and achieveable outcomes, and not to beat ourselves up like the pack did last year when they felt the bite of the heat.

The next morning showed off a goregeous sunrise and mid-60s temperatures, but these were quick to rise. When we got to the course we were graced by Jarek's support--he had left Zion at 4am to get down and cheer on the guys. Thank you, Jarek! A short warm-up later, we were suited up in the Varsity uniforms and ready to go. Noah C. sat this one out as the alternate, still not quite 100% feeling better from the week of on- and off-again sickness. With temperatures right around 80, the gun went off and our pack surged forward in the most important race of their season so far.

Ryan took an aggressive trajectory and locked in with a large pack. With a half mile down, Tristan and Tony were racing at each other's shoulders and looked great. Jay and Joan took an outside line on the first uphill and were within meters of each other, followed soon by Noah M. and Caleb. Ryan passed the mile at 5:03, the fastest so far this season, with Tony and Tristan 5:20 and 5:22. Jay followed at 5:33 and Joan 5:34; Noah was on PR pace at 5:52 and Caleb at 6:13. As they headed into the back section, they were racing very well. I saw them again when they got out of the "triangle" and back onto the main course; past the midpoint, it was clear the heat was rising and getting to the pack. Not only that, the thick dust churned up by the race was choking the spectators, and I could only imagine what it was like for those racing! Still, we soldiered on. Ryan split 5:38 at the two, Tristan 6:02, Tony 6:05, Jay 6:08, Joan 6:14, Noah 6:29, and Caleb 7:15. Caleb had a noticable limp, which I learned later was due to a large woodchip stuck on one of his spikes, and he could not dislodge it!

We came in a closed as best as we could. Ryan led our pack through the finish line, closing a 5:57 final mile for a total time of 16:39 and 89th place overall finish. Tristan took second for our pack, a 5:58 mile bringing a PR finish 17:23, breaking his Dawson time by a second. Tony was third, a 6:14 final mile finishing with 17:40 in a gritty finish that passed a half dozen runners in the final stretch. Jay held nicely with a final mile of 6:09 that matched his second, finishing at 17:50 and just two seconds off of his Season Best. Joan finished as our fifth man, also evenly running the second and third miles (6:13 and 6:14) for a finishing time 18:01. Noah was next, racing a huge PR today--his third mile negative split 6:21 brought him an 18:43 PR--his first sub-19 race! Caleb also raced a big negative split in his third mile (6:40) to finish at 20:09 and still with the wood chip hobbling his stride. The Bees placed 27th out of 40 full teams today.

When we regrouped at camp, they were clearly a little bummed that the day didn't yield a little more movement on their times. Still, we celebrated the very aggressive first mile and how we came back in the third and made some positive moves. Two PRs is a very nice achievement, too. They cooled down and we were the last to leave the course. It was 88 degrees by then. On the hot drive home we had some snacks and cycled through a lot of different songs in the last hour, and kept a nice atmosphere of camaraderie. I am proud of the efforts and hope that we can capitalize on these in one week's time as we head to the final invite at Lakes. Nice job, Varsity!

JT Invite 9.28.24

It was a tough week. We raced three times this week--full racing, not just workouts--between Dawson, Home, and this Saturday's effort. At the same time, we had a wave of sickness hit the team that sidelined a number of athletes. Combined with a number of other weekend obligtations, we were able to muster just over half of our roster for this Saturday's trip out to Bulldog for the JT Invite. Grant always puts on a great meet on a good course. We have run this one many times in the past few years, and its standout steep hill presents both an obstacle and an opportunity for the runners. It is a tough one to conquer, but a fantastic object that we work our hardest on. The weather cooled nicely into the mid 60s to make this a beautiful morning for racing.

The F-S raced first. Again, Xander was our only competitor at this level. His enthusiasm is admirable--despite being a pack of one, he has a strong approach to racing. He had a very storng start, and particularly strong kick on the hill headed to the mile mark, completely dusting a pair of Vernon Hills opponents. In the second mile, he made a mid-race move on the Wheeling opponent and cut right to the flag headed into the trails, which gained him a nice position. He closed the third mile well, and had a great kick in the final 100m to finish at 21:16--a whole minute faster than at the home course this week!

The Varsity ran next. With several of the usual Varsity men out today, I was able to ask Airimus and Caleb to step up and race at this level--and they were happy to rise to the challenge! Ryan went out flying with the top group and sitting in the 10th position as he approached the hill for the second time. Tony and Tristan were racing within meters of each other, and just behind them, Jay and Joan were absolutely solid. Airimus and Caleb were packed at their shoulders as well, and the first major test was over quickly as they moved into mile 2. Tony put a little distance on Tristan here, and Jay extended a two position lead on Joan; Caleb surged three spots ahead of Airimus. It was a good start, and the moves were starting to be made at the midpoint. On the third lap, Ryan still held a commanding lead on our pack and was still in tenth place with Tony in 25th. Ryan surged in with a nice kick for 12th place overall and 17:10, earning a medal! Tony finished with passing two people for 17:44, with a solid report from Jay at 18:07 and Joan rounding out the top five at 18:44. Caleb kicked home at 20:03 and Airimus at 20:54. It was a solid race but a slightly slow one for the whole field today, with the Bees placing 5th out of 10 teams.

Our final race of the day was the coed Open race--and this one unfolded well from the starting gun. Corey and Deonta went out as our one and two with an aggressive first mile. Steven C. was about twenty five meters behind them headed up the hill for the second time, followed closely by Keegan. They had a good reset headed into the trails, with Steven C. making a second-half move that overtook both Corey and Deonta, and Corey made a move that passed Deonta. Keegan closed a little distance on Deonta in the final mile. Steven led our pack to the finish with a time of 20:31, earning a 16th place overall ribbon! Corey had a great kick to finish as our second man at 21:07, followed by Deonta at 21:40 and Keegan at 23:01. After over a week of illness, it was especially nice to see Keegan back on his feet and racing.

While we did not chart any PRs today, the field was overall slower. We competed very well, and had really nice kicks to take home the final stretch. We celebrated some gutsy races on the bus, and discussed how races such as this are very important building blocks that we will construct future successes upon. The mood was positive and upbeat, and with that we closed out a very busy week of three meets. Now that our quad meets are done, we have a little time to hone in on the final big invites.

Home 9.24.24

We broke a three-week dry spell with a lot of rain on Sunday, and then more showed up on race day. We showed up to the course to find standing water in many places, as well as on-and-off rain showers that added to the interesting dynamic of Cross Country weather in the fall. Despite conditions that many feel were not quite ideal, we live by the mantra "all weather is Zee Bee weather" and dutifully set up for the race and for our exciting Senior Night. We welcomed Warren, Lake Forest, and Libertyville to the quad. Libertyville was even later than anticipated, and we ended up deciding to run one large coed race instead of two. This actually made for a wonderful opportunity for our men and women to compete together on the home course!

The Senior Night was really special. We celebrated our seniors in the band shell to the applause of friends and families. Congratulations to our seniors this year: Jose, Jalen, Ryan, Deonta, Joan, Tony, Alex, Sebastian, and Robert. These young men have given many years of service to the team and to each other, and have grown so much over the years I have had the pleasure to coach them. I hope that this season yields incredible outcomes for you all!

We finally took the line at 5:50--a full hour after we were supposed to. In the breakdown, I encouraged pack racing and hard finishes, and was very excited to see the entire team surge out with the gun with gusto. We knew that other teams might be doing workouts, but I wanted the Bees to go out and truly compete. Ryan took an early lead, putting at least 50m of distance on the large Libertyville pack in the first 800. Tony, Tristan D., Joah, Jay packed in close proximity, with Noah M. and Lauren racing well together. Caleb, Deonta, Noah C., Robert, Airmus, and Corey made a huge pack that enveloped a sole Libertyville athlete as they passed the building the first time, followed closely by Steven C. Steven G. and Braden packed together amid a group of Libertyville women, followed by Xander and Alex, then Jose with several other Zee Bee women.

I caught them again at the midpoint. Ryan still had a substantial 50m lead on the the field, but Libertyville's pack was progressively closing in. He had gone out really hard and had to manage the woods all by himself--a solid, gutsy start. Tony was next, in the aforementioned Libertyville pack, which had ten guys in it. Tristan D. was just behind him, followed 20m back by Joan and Jalen. Tristan J. rolled with the next wave of runners, and he made a commanding move at the midpoint that passed six runners and put himself in great position for the latter half of the course. Noah M. was stuck perfectly on Lauren's shoulder and had a fantastic pace going. Caleb was next and out by himself, leading a large Warren group; Deonta and Noah C. were leading our large pack that had spread out a bit. Sofia, Airmus, and Corey passed me in quick succession, followed by Steven C. Robert was next with Norah, and Braden and Steven G. continued their solid work as a duo. Similarly, Alex and Xander were stuck together, and Jose was with Alivia and Arwen. We looked super at the midpoint.

I rushed over to the final 400 and urged our final kicks from the corner of the building. I saw some of the kicks in the final 100, but concentrated my efforts in getting a reset and surge at this point. Ryan was overtaken in the final mile by the top Libertyville pack, and he valiantly fought in for 12th overall (17:18), behind the ten Wildcats and one Lake Forest runner that barely squeaked past him in the final meters. The first two miles on grass tired him out, but he put a great effort into leading today. Tony had a great move in the third mile here and moved up on Ryan, finishing with the same time (17:18). Jay's solid second half came through in a huge way, finishing solidly at 17:48 for a major Season Best time; Joan was right behind him with a lifetime PR 17:55, breaking 18 for the first time in his life! Tristan D. finished well but with an injured foot at 18:05, followed by TJ, who threw down a 25s PR for 18:43, breaking 19 for the first time. Noah M. finished a monster race for 19:01, a 8s lifetime PR over his time at Dawson, to round out the top seven.

Caleb was next, and he had a great kick. He finished at 19:18, dropping 37s from this previous best at Lake County for a huge PR! Noah C. finished next in 19:51, not in great health, but urging on his teammates. Airimus dropped 16s for a 20:08 PR and great final mile, followed by a nice Zee Bee pack. Steven C. brought the race home in 20:30 with a sore foot, with Corey finishing with a lifetime PR 20:41 just behind him, a 19s lifetime PR over this time at Dawson! Braden and Steven both finished the same way they ran the entire race--together at 20:50. This was a huge breakthrough PR for both--for Steven, it broke his standing time from last year, and for Braden it broke his previous best from Libertyville last week! Robert was next at 21:07, also running through some serious pain, but holding on well through the finish. He was quickly followed by Deonta at 21:33, a big Season Best race that beat his time from Lake County.

Jose surged in as our next runner, racing a huge PR 22:14! This dropped nearly 45 seconds from his time at Lake County, and exemplified huge growth! Xander was right on his heels, racing 22:16, followed by blazing finishes by Alex (22:39) and Sebastian (22:39). For Alex, this PR dropped nearly two minutes from Lake County; for Sebastian, over 90s! Huge races! Ziyier surged home next in 23:36, a PR of nearly 90s over Libertyville! And Amir ran the race of his life tonight as well. With excellent form, he worked especially well in the second half and added a nice kick in the final 150, to finish at 30:47--a lifetime PR by 73 seconds! Nicely done!

It was a wonderful evening. Celebrating the seniors, dodging the rain squalls, and racing on the home course with a huge pack--this was really fun. We charted thirteen lifetime Personal Records, and I really appreciated the way the team chose to run as packs. The outstanding support went a long way in securing these lifetime PRs. With Tristan's kick, we secured a perfect score over Warren (15-40), and took a win over Lake Forest (23-32); Libertyville's squad put ten runners before our first. This was our final quad of the season, and now we have the opportunity to sharpen up and compete in just one race per week from here on out. Nice job tonight, Bees!

Dawson invitational 9.21.24

It was a gorgeous morning to drive down to Warren for the annual Dawson Invitational. The cool 65 degree morning later gave way to a toasty 85 by midday, but the morning was cool and the men were in high spirits as we got on the bus with our brand new gear. We had set some lofty goals and were hungry to get out and compete, as well as chase some PRs on the flat course. We were missing nearly half of the team to a band field trip, weddings, and illnesses--but those that were on the bus were fired up and ready to go.

The course was in fantastic shape. The morning dew held the dust down on the Des Plaines Trail upon our arrival, and the short, packed grass lent itself to great footing. We discussed the final 400m mark and walked the loop, and then it was time to get into the races. Xander was the only runner from the Frosh-Soph team who was able to make it today. He warmed up by himself and took the line with a grin, but the energy of the team was a great motivator as he approached his race. From the gun, our pack of one was off to a great start. Chasing a 20:20 PR, he went out at an aggressive 6:16 and looked fantastic. The second mile he split 7:22 and slowed a little, but I was pleased to see a strong reset as he surged in the final mile. Xander threw down a mighty kick as he entered the stadium, but unfortunately misread where the finish line was, and ended up stopping too soon. Realizing the error, he brought the race home in 20:46 and a shake of his head. This has happend before, and he still ran a fantastic race. Even with the long delay in the finish, he split 7:07--it was a fantastic last mile and would have been mid 6's if not for the accidental stop.

The Varsity pack warmed up next, and the day warmed up significantly for them as well. We took the line seven-strong, and from the gun went out hard. Ryan pushed up to the top twenty, with Tristan D. and Tony pushing hard as our second and third. Jay solidly locked in our fourth position, with Noah C. and Tristan J. about forty yards back as they exited the trail the first time; Noah M. was enveloped along a pack of Elk Grove and Stevenson athletes. Ryan closed the first mile in a healthy 5:18 in 24th place, with Noah C., Jay, Tony, and Tristan all under 6. In the second mile, Tristan and Tony were still firmly locked in within seconds of each other; Noah M. closed up on Tristan J. and Noah C. and Jay were both racing well. I saw some great kicks in the final half of the third mile. Ryan punched in as our first man for a 16:26 finish in 28th place, earning a PR over his Lake County time. Tony threw down a late surge to catch Tristan and finish as our second man, racing a 17:15 PR! Tristan was just behind him at 17:24, and while he was favoring his foot, he still ran an 18s PR! Noah C. finished hard as our fourth, passing Jay to earn a 18:18 PR, with Jay answering with a Season Best 18:32. Tristan J. closed at a lifetime PR 19:08, with Noah M. kicking in a second behind him at 19:09, also earning a lifetime PR. Every Varsity man ran a lifetime or season best time today--a great feat and one that shows our growth as a pack. We placed 17th out of 23 full teams. And it was getting pretty toasty out.

Our last race of the day was the JV/Open race. The heat was in the mid 80s by this time, and there wasn't much of a breeze to help mitigate it. Despite the warm conditions and the dust kicked up from the trail, our guys warmed up and finished a great dynamic. We took the line in a great pack, and when the gun went off the guys raced forward with great anticipation. Caleb led our pack in the opening mile, absolutely shredding in his new spikes. Behind him, Robert, Airimus, Corey, and Steven C. packed close together in an excellent pack that closed the first mile right around 6:30. Steven G. was just behind them, with Deeletre making a great opening move as well. At the midpoint we had spread out a little bit. Caleb retained a commanding lead on the Zee Bee field, with Airimus and Robert working just behind him; Steven C. and Corey had a couple competitors between them and Airimus. Steven G. had a great reset in mile 2, shaking shoulders out on corners and taking hard steps. When they kicked into the stadium, Caleb finished with a solid kick at 20:20 in the heat. Robert followed at 20:31, with Airmus just one step behind him at 20:32-- a 16s PR! Steven C. finished at 20:49, with Corey kicking hard for 21:10--also a lifetime PR by 50 seconds! Steven G. brought the race home at 21:33, which was a huge Season Best time and just two seconds off of his lifetime PR. DJ finished very well at 26:55, dropping over a minute from Libertyville! Our pack finished 13th out of 15 full teams on the field.

The heat really crept up on us today. The opening races were really pleasant, but the Varsity and JV boys races were more environmentally challenging. I am very proud of how we raced, at all levels. We used each other to make packs, and used those packs to compete. We ran nine lifetime PRs and two Season Bests out of the fifteen guys that were able to make it today--a very impressive achievement. As we move forward, we need to keep up the excellent cohesion and get ready for the home meet this next week. Nice work today, Bees!

Libertyville Quad. 9.17.24

It was a dusty eighty-degree evening when we drove south to Adler Park for the Libertyville Quad tonight. Joining the host, Waukegan, and Stevenson, we came to the course that we know so well--and that many loathe for its hilly terrain. Regardless, I structured tonight as a workout. Our main goal this week is to target our racing on Saturday, so today became an exercise in packwork and progressive racing. I didn't even allow the team to use spikes; everything was geared toward pushing hard and growing in experience. We walked the loop and saw just how much dust was being churned up on the Des Plaines Trail, and talked about how we needed to hold in our workout groups for at least the first mile, if not the second. Our ultimate goal was closing the final 400m with our fastest split of the day.

It started very well. Ryan broke away and worked up among the top runners, while Tristan D. and Tony followed. Tristan made a move half a mile in that edged Tony, while Tony was enveloped in a sea of orange and green jerseys. Our next pack was very cohesive at the mile mark, with Tristan J., Joan, Jay, and Noah M. holding together beautifully. Our next trio was just forty yards behind them, with Caleb leading Robert and Xander in a great group. Deonta and Airimus were packed right on a group of Stevenson runners, followed about twenty meters back by a huge Zee Bee pack led by Jimmy and Corey. Keegan and Braden were right behind them, with a Libertyville and Waukegan runner separating them from both Stevens. Alex, Jose, Sebastian, and Ziyier were next in very tight formation, effectively blocking out a group of Stevenson runners, and also setting a really robust pace in the first mile. DJ rounded off the pack, just a moment behind them at the mile. It was a nice start.

I caught the a few guys in the woods, and then raced down to the trail to coach the finishes. Ryan and Tristan D. were still rolling solo and worked hard up the hill for the final time. Ryan finished as our first man at 18:02, and Tony and Tristan battled in for our second, with both finishing at 18:45 but Tristan beating Tony by 0.6 seconds. Our next group was a solid pack at the 400 before breaking away: Jay and Tristan surged in the pack, with Joan and Noah M. just behind him. Caleb put on a nice kick, aggressively passing two Stevenson runners in the first steps past the 400 mark, with Xander and Robert closely following and moving updward as well. Deonta and Airimus had not separated at all, and were running side-by-side in good form (though it was here that Deonta rolled an ankle). Jimmy and Corey were locked in together, still at each other's shoulder, as were Keegan and Braden; Steven and Steven were in lockstep as well. With 300 left, Alex broke away from Sebastian, Ziyier, and Jose to charge up the hill, and DJ made a solid move.

Jalen and Joan rolled in well as our third and fourth at 20:02 and 20:03 respectively, followed by Tristand J. (20:19), Noah M. (20:24), Caleb (20:37), Robert (21:49), and Xander (22:02) rounding off our top ten. They were closely followed by Jimmy (22:16), Airimus (22:28), Braden (22:29), Keegan (22:32), Deonta (22:34), and Corey (22:40)--this was a lot of guys closely packed! Steven C. finished at 23:40, followed by Steven G. (23:42), Jose (24:28), Alex (24:47), Ziyier (24:55), Sebastian (24:57), and Deeletre (28:09). While I didn't ask them to, this workout produced several lifetime PRs! Braden dropped nearly a minute from his previous best last week at Mundelein, Ziyier dropped eight seconds from Lake County, and DJ dropped twenty seconds from Mundelein. Wow! I remember seeing DJ's time at the 400 and urging him through the final hill, and then seeing his immense satisfaction at the product of his kick. Wonderful job!

This workout today wasn't meant to produce PRs, but it was intended to push us to run together and with consistency across the terrain. We will see hills again at Grant (and hopefully Busse), and this training is a great way to get used to them. The workout aspect also took a lot of stress off the guys and I could tell they are going to put great energy into Warren this upcoming weekend. Moreover, the heat and dust of the course is good endurance training, too. In the next couple of days, we are going to put all of our energies into Saturday's races, and I hope we can see a splendid payoff. Nice job tonight!

Mundelein quad. 9.10.24

It's been exactly ten years since we've run out at Diamond Lake, the Mundelein home course. Whether it's because of site rotations or weather rescheduling, it's been a long time since we've gone out to the wooded, soft bark trails and narrow, crowded parking lot. This is our only race this week and the first of our three Tuesday quad meets this season, so I asked the team to race and compete at their best. We didn't have any real course knowledge, so I asked them to keep an open mind and work as best they could at the advantages they could find. When we walked the one-mile loop, we found short rolling trails with many turns, and a large hill with a very soft surface of dirt and bark. They guys were rather optomistic on the walk-through, and despite the challenges the course produced, they looked forward to getting the race going. We had to do an abbreviated warm-up and dynamic, but we took the line against Libertyville, Mundelein, and Lake Zurich in 80 degree heat.

We got off to a positive start with the gun. With over a hundred runners on the course, it was imperative that we got through the far gate in good position, as the trails are narrow and don't afford a lot of passing opportunities. I caught the race around the 3/4 mile mark, just as the runners came up the large hill and headed toward the sport fields. Lake Zurich and Mundelein packs had a commanding lead, with Ryan holding nicely behind the LZ group. Libertyville was doing a workout and had ten guys packed and pacing behind him. Tony and Jay were at each other's shoulders with a close group of LZ runners following them; Tristan J., Joan, Noah, and Deonta were just behind them with a few meters separating them. Noah M., Caleb, and Airimus were next in a close group, and Xander was just two positions behind them. Robert led Nathan and Steven C. here, followed closely by Corey. A large Libertyville pack separated Corey from Jimmy, Keegan, and Steven G, but they were fighting to close in together. Sebastian led Alex and Braden by a few meters at this point as well, followed by Jose, Deleetre, Ziyier, and Kayden. I appreciate the close racing in the opening mile.

As the runners surged through and neared the conclusion of their second loop, it was clear that the course had collectively worn us down. It's not a forgiving one, and though we logged great first miles, the second slowed us up some. Ryan continued to lead the Zee Bee pack, but part of the Libertyville contingent had made a move and were up ahead. Tony worked hard up the hill and had some distance on Jay; Noah C. made a move past Joan and Noah M. moved up the Tristan. Our packs were working at full capacity to get up the wood chip hill, but they were clearly tired. I urged them to finish in the best way they could.

I ran up the catch the final 400m finishes, and I was excited to see that, despite the fatigue clearly evident on faces and shoulders, our runners were putting in their best to climb to the fields and finish. The light uphill from the gazebo to the field saw several guys catch competitors and decisively pass. Ryan finished 19th overall at 17:33, with Tony our second at 30th place and 18:33. Jalen was next at 18:53, followed closely by Noah C. at 19:03, Joan at 19:15, and Noah M. at 19:43. Tristan J. and Caleb finished strong as our 7th and 8th at 20:21 and 20:24 respectively, followed by Airimus at 20:44. For Airimus, this was a lifetime PR, dropping 10s from his Lake County time! Steven C. was next at 21:19, with Robert at 21:38, Jimmy at 21:55, Deonta at 22:01, and Xander and Corey at 22:08 and 22:09. Keegan and Steven G. kicked onto the field together, finishing at 22:32 and 22:36 respectively, with Nathan at 23:09. Braden had a great kick as well, finishing with strength at 23:38, earning a lifetime PR that dropped 8 seconds from Lake County! He was followed closeby the Alex (24:36), Jose (25:32), Sebastian (25:33), and Ziyier (25:49). Deleetre and Kayden both had great kicks in the final stretch as well, which earned both lifetime PRs! DJ ran 28:29, dropping 31 seconds from Lake County, and Kayden finished in 30:16, his first 3-mile!

I want to write a special congratulations to the four men who charted lifetime PRs tonight--Kayden, Deleetre, Airimus, and Braden. This was not and easy course by any means, and most guys charted times a bit slower than the previous races. Being able to run lifetime bests on this course is nothing short of impressive--well done!

Tonight was not what many expected. Strong starts didn't necessarily manifest into strong finishes. But the experience tonight was pivotal if we leverage it right. If we continue to approach courses with an open mind and finish at our best when we're tired, we can conquer anything in our way. The dynamic nature of XC requires this adapability. We also had really good packwork in the first half, and reformed in the final mile. There is much power in this! We will be at Libertyville soon for another hilly experience next week, and hope to see the same open-minded approach when we lace up for that day. Keep up the good work in

Rebel invite 9.7.24

I don't think the temperatures were ever as inviting for this meet as they were this morning. It was a breezy fifty degrees at dawn and it was not going to be a hot one. Usually we get scorched on the long day that is the Rebel Invitational, but the prospects at dawn were wonderful. Unfortunately, we have had a bad bout of Covid running through the team, so our collective numbers were down today with a number of sick runners or runners who had other commitments. But those who showed up and got on the bus did a wonderful job on a tough course. UW-Parkside's course is a nationally-ranked Cross Country course but brings with it two large hills to conquer. We approached 4k and 5k races, which also don't translate well into seasonal comparisons. I asked the runners not to focus on their times today, but to measure their success through the way they compete and finish. They seemed to like the metric.

Once we got there, we started walking the course and found that they had actually switched to different loops than those we've run the last few years. No worries, but it made it a pretty dynamic morning! The freshman boys 4k was the first to see Zee Bees on the line, and we were represented in strength by Nathan, Kayden, and Xander. For Kayden this was his first XC race, and he was excited to open his season. The three surged off the line at the cannon, and had a great start headed up the hill. I saw them again near the midpoint, where Xander was leading our pack. Nathan was next, and Kayden just a couple short minutes behind him. They disappeared into the woods for their final loop, and all three of them emerged later with excellent kicks. Xander led our pack in with 16:51 and 14th place in the field. Nathan kicked well as our next man in 19th place, logging 17:35. Kayden finished his first race in excellent form, racing 22:40 over the course and coming through in 43rd place. Nice work, freshmen!

Later in the morning it was time for the Varsity to take the line. I shoulder tapped Robert and Caleb today for their first Varsity races and I was pleased to see them both very excited to step up into this role. There were only nine varsity teams on the line, by my count, and the field felt even smaller than last year. Nonetheless, we took a right-side approach to the hill in our planning, and when the gun went off, they followed the plan perfectly. At the midpoint, Ryan was leading and both Tristan and Tony were rolling in close succession. Jay had our fourth spot firmly locked down, and Noah M.--still recoving from a week of illness--was racing well as our fifth. Caleb had a 12m lead on Robert and both looked good after the hilly first half. Coming through to the finish, Ryan surged past me at 16:58 on the 3-mile clock and finished well at 14th place (17:30). Tony had edged Tristan at the third mile (18:14 and 14:15 respectively) and they closed in 18:41 and 18:42. Jalen passed the three-mile with a season-best 18:33 (!) and closed in 19:06. Noah was next at 20:25 (19:51 at the 3), followed by Caleb at 21:08 (20:37 at the 3) and Robert at 21:51 (21:19 at the 3). Varsity placed 7th out of 8 full teams.

The JV race was up next and the final race of the day. We also had our largest pack racing in this competition. I advised them the same approach on the first uphill segment, and was delighted to see them approach with enthusiasm and attack the heights. At the midpoint, Deonta was leading the Zee Bee pack, with Jimmy and Corey spread out in the next 100m. Keegan and Steven G rounded the turn toward the meadow in quick succession, and a moment later Alex surged through the flat stretch. Jose and Braden were racing shoulder to shoulder here, and decisively passed a Racine Park competitor as they cruised into the second half. Deleetre was our next man through the midpoint, followed just a moment later by Amir. They were off to a fantastic start!

Moving to the third mile mark and the final stretch, Deonta cruised past and kicked nicely into the chute to lead the team at 21:56. Jimmy had a great kick as our next runner, catching two runners at the third mile mark and finishing at 22:11--he also ran a season best 3-mile time of 21:35! Corey and Keegan kicked in great form as our third and fourth men, finishing at 22:41 and 22:42 respectively; Keegan's kick closed over 50m of distance on Corey in the last 160m! Steven G. was next at 23:11, followed quickly by great kicks by Braden and Jose (24:32 and 24:39). DJ surged in just moments later, running 30:15. Amir finished next at 32:45, racing in his first race greater than two miles for the first time--and running a lifetime PR 32:00 in the three-mile!

I am proud of the performances today--they were gritty. Running 45-60 seconds for 5k is an expected differential from our usual 3.0 mile races, and some guys ran even faster. The challenging hills, loose trails, and turns presented challenges that we worked through in great form. With the sicknesses raging through the team, it would have been an easy option to avoid the rigor of the day entirely and stay home, but we showed up and threw down. There are not more 4k or 5k races in our season to compare this against, but this day stands as a positive benchmark for our season. Keep moving forward, Bees!

Lake County 9.4.24

On a beautiful, 80-degree afternoon we journeyed out to Lakes High School for the Art Campbell Invitational. This has bounced around different venues: Wauconda, Waukegan, Grant--and this year the team was absolutely ecstatic that it was hosted by Lakes. Lakes is a high point of our racing in October every year as our last invite, and the veterans were stoked to get two cracks at it this season. We arrived to a fantastic afternoon and a course in great shape. Spirits were high, and the runners hungry for success.

The Varsity men took the line first. Ryan went out leading our pack, with Tony our second man headed into the backfield, leading a huge pack of competitors that was slightly trailed by Tristan. Jay held steady a few meters back, with a small gap to Joan and Noah C. Noah M was racing well as our seventh man. The pack was generally holding their positions well at the second mile, and, despite feeling the heat and fatigue of the long hill, were racing well. I saw several nice moves on the downhill leading back into the trails--particularly from Jay, Tony, and Ryan-- with some fancy stepping the get into position. I was able to catch them one final time in the final 200m leading into the finish. Ryan surged in first with a fantastic kick, earning himself a lifetime PR 16:37 and 35th place in the field. Tony sprinted in next, with a decisive kick that landed him a huge 17:34 PR, dropping 12 seconds from Deerfield! Tristan had a great kick and finished as our third at 17:52, followed quickly by Jay and Joan, who battled right into the chute. Joan edged out Jay to earn 18:31, and Jay a season-best 18:35. Noah C finished next at 18:42, followed by Noah M. at 19:45. Our Varsity finished 13th out of 18 total teams.

The large Open race was last tonight. I absolutely love combined races, with a huge field of competitors and incredible opportunities for our men and women--who train together every day--to compete at each other's sides and let their training serve them best. This was an exciting race, with the sunset in full grandeur and the temperatures dialing comfortably back. I caught the pack approaching the mile mark, with Xander leading the Zee Bees in great form. Airimus and Steven C. were next on the busy trail, followed by Caleb, Robert, and Deonta within close proximity. Nathan was racing well in his first Cross Country race, followed closely by Corey, Steven G., Keegan, and Jimmy. Braden and Sebastian were at each other's shoulders a few meters back, with Alex racing next with Jose on his six. Ziyier and Deeletre, in their first XC races, were holding well with a pack of Lake Forest runners.

Coming through the second mile, Steven C. made a move that usurped Xander's lead of our pack; Xander was still racing well but had tired slightly after his incredible start. Caleb and Robert remained resolutely together, and Airmus and Deonta fought to stay together in a sea of Lakes competitors. Nathan had a great second half, too, and stuck gamely with a Deerfield pack and used them to pace into the third mile with Corey just behind him. Keegan moved just ahead of Jimmy and Steven, and both Sebastian and Braden held together. I could not wait to see their finishes!

I could not bee more proud of how this group closed out the race. Steven, who had intended to break twenty minutes in a few races, decisively did just that tonight, surging in as our first Zee Bee for a lifetime PR 19:39! Caleb rolled up next as our second man for a PR 19:55, his first time breaking twenty as well! Robert was next with a lifetime PR 20:19, dropping 1:34 from Deerfield! Xander closed next at 20:20, a 13-second lifetime PR, followed by Airimus at 20:54, a 19-second PR. Deonta closed at 21:17, a season-best, with Keegan just behind with a great kick at 21:42, just one second away from his lifetime best. Steven G. was just seconds behind him at 21:49--a season-best as well--with Jimmy steps behind him at 21:55 to also earn a season-best race. Corey was 22:00, and I had to go to the tenths of a second to determine that this was a lifetime PR by 0.4 second! Nathan finished his first XC race in 22:21 for a PR, follwed by Jose at 23:32, a PR by nearly a minute over his time at Deerfield. Braden kicked well at 23:36 in his first 3-mile race, setting a fantastic PR as well. Sebastian was just behind him at 24:15, a four-second lifetime PR, with Alex just one second behind at 24:16, dropping a 1-sec PR too! Ziyier finished his first 3-mile race in great fashion at 25:08 for a PR, and Deleetre finished well 29:02, also finishing the first XC race of his life.

I was so proud of the efforts today. The men who ran their first, or first 3-mile, races tonight deserve a special congratulations. The collective packwork and fortitude paid off big-time as we charted fifteen total lifetime PRs at the 3-mile distance. Those who moved the marker from their Deerfield times show continued growth and improvement, which is a challenging thing to do on a tougher course than Deerfield. The excitement for the night was palpable as we cooled down and collected our things, and I cannot wait to see how we capitalize on this work later this season, on the same course. We race Parkside this weekend, and hope that this hard work will push us up one more rung of the ladder of success. Nice job tonight!

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Deerfield 8.29.24

We opened the season with a fireworks display at Deerfield last night. To say that our men showed up and performed would be a gross understatement--they showed up and competed in fantastic fashion in the first competition of the year. We have a large crew this year--27 strong--and they have, in the few short weeks we have trained, learned to work to each other's strengths and to push each other to greatness. These qualities came through for them in the opening races and set a strong precedent for the season ahead.

I like this race. Every year, Deerfield provides a flat course and one or two competing teams for a low-risk, accessible race at either two or three miles. The vibe is inevitably positive, and it is a confidence builder for runners before we get to Lake County and some of the larger invites. The heat wave of the early week had eroded slightly, and temps were just edging under 80 degrees when we arrived. A nice breeze carried through the campus as well, and the evening cooled slighting with each successive race. While a little on the warm side, conditions were fantastic. Deerfield and Grayslake North athletes were there as well.

Our first runners, Amir and Braden, took the line in the two mile race. Both new to the sport, they had to quickly familarize with the course, warm up, and take the line against the small field of Deerfield and GN runners. Shaking out the prerace jitters, they threw down a fantastic start at the gun. Both worked to integrate in the field and aggressively competed around the first field loop. When they hit the midpoint, Braden had found a good pace among a pack of Deerfield athletes and Amir was pacing well. Both were racing faster than I had ever seen them run. When they turned into the fields for the final lap, both were working through the heat to exhibit very strong finishes. Congratulations to both on their first XC races--Braden finished at 14:27, and Amir at 22:10!

The 3-mile was our next race, with twenty-three men competing from ZBXC. The pack warmed up and prepared well, and by the time we were on the line they looked sharp. For several, this was to be their first XC races, and for many it was an opportunity to test their summer training and push against the previous year's PR. I urged them to have fun, but also put their best effort into the race and leave it all on the field. That's exactly what happened.

At the gun, they surged forward with tenacity. Ryan raced out for an early 2nd position, with Tony closely following with a pack of Deerfield runners. Tristan D raced as our third, followed by Joan and a pack with Jay and Noah among a bunch of competitors. Tristan J (TJ) had a fantastic start, racing out ahead of Noah M and Deonta; Steven C. surged out early, too, and worked on a GN runner. Airimus, Robert, and Corey established a great pack together, followed closely by Steven G, Jimmy, and Keegan, Xander and Alex packed close, and Sebastian and Jose locked shoulders and pushed forward. They were feeling the heat a little at the midpoint, but were making some positive moves. Ryan opened the first mile at a robust 5:08, and was continuing to lead our pack. Deerfield made a major push in their second mile as well, but our athletes hung on well. Tony and Tristan raced in very close proximity, with Joan our fourth. Jay, Noah, and TJ rounded off our top seven, and each man was holding their own. Back into the fields, I was able to catch a number of finishes. I'd ask everyone to try kicking at a flag with about 150-200m left, and some great moves were made. We didn't win all of the kicking battles, but we put up a fantastic fight in the final stretch.

Ryan came in as our first man at 10th overall at 16:52, just a few seconds off of his lifetime PR from last year. Tristan and Tony pushed hard together, with Tristan finishing his first XC race at 17:42 and Tony right behind him at 17:46. It was a big PR for both--for Tristan, it destroyed his Bee Linked time of 19:04, and for Tony he beat last year's PR by 24 seconds! Joan was our fourth man at 18:16, racing a 30s PR over last year, all the more remarkable because he has been biking and going light for the last weeks due to a knee injury. Noah C was next with a solid 18:21 finish, a 3s PR, followed by Jay, TJ, and Noah M in quick succession. Jay (19:18) is just coming off being sick and was instructed to go easy, but still threw down a great race. TJ raced his first XC race and earned 19:34 for his first PR, and Noah broke last year's best by 23s and broke 20 for the first time, racing a PR 19:39! Steven C was next, racing a huge PR 20:28, breaking his best from last year by 31s, and then Xander and Caleb charged through with amazing kicks. Xander raced his first XC race tonight as well at 20:33, breaking his Bee Linked PR by a monster 3:25! Caleb raced a huge 1:17 PR for 20:41, also breaking his previous best from Bee Linked.

Airimus was next at 21:13, breaking last year's best by 16s! Keegan ran his first XC race and finished just behind him at 21:41, breaking his previous best from Bee Linked by 65s! Robert and Corey flew in next, Robert (21:53) just seconds off his PR from last year, and Corey racing 22:00--a PR of 2:21 from his Bee Linked time! Six more Bees finished next in quick succession: Deonta (22:27), Jimmy (22:30), Steven G (22:50), Alex (24:17, a PR in his first XC race!), Sebastian (24:19, a PR over his freshman year time), and Jose at 24:28--a PR of 5:13 and the largest growth of the entire night.

It was a wonderful night of racing. We charted 17 lifetime PRs over the two races today, and drew many imporant lessons in racing experience. I am very pleased to see the packs form, the teamwork on the tough stretches, and to see the kicks we are collectively developing. The sense of accomplishment as each runner finished was palpable, and the short conversations with each athlete overwhelmingly positive. Within just a short period of training we have set a fantastic new benchmark, and I look forward to building on this as we open the season. There is so much we can accomplish together, and I cannot wait for the journey to unfold!

This next week we have two races: Lake County on Wednesday (moved to Lakes this year, and nobody is complaining!) and Parkside on Saturday. The former is going to be a great test of our team against the other local schools (especially NSC teams), and the latter a fantastic challenge at the 5k distance. Let's go!

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