2026  Cross  Country

Peoria 10.3.26

I have been planning this trip for months. This overnight is such an exciting part of the Cross Country season, both for me and for the athletes. It is great to see these athletes perform and grow, and to see how our Varsity pack distills into a cohesive unit. This trip has long been the definition of Varsity racing. It is with the expectation of growth and progress that we get on the bus and drive downstate to compete at Detweiller. It is with this vision that we mentally and physically prepare for the greatest racing opportunity of the season so far, and plan our upward trajectory into the heights of the State Series. Most importantly, this is a trip that needs to bee transformational. We cannot return the same team we left. Like Oshkosk, it takes every athlete buying in and contributing to this team. The 2026 trip has thus concluded. And what a great trip it was!

First, we came off of a few days of rain across the state, but it remarkably cooled temps both in Zion and Peoria. It was in the mid-70s for Friday, and even cooler on Saturday. We loaded up at ZBTHS and drove over four hours downstate, finding that race officials had roped off parts of the muddy course, so training wouldn’t continue to churn up these stretches. We were a pack of eight men, plus Coach Tolliver and myself, with Michael serving as the alternative for the upcoming race. Only a couple of the guys had seen Detweiller before, and the energy on the bus grew as we approached the historic course. We emptied out in the cool dusk and did a nice shakeout around the course. We checked out the perfectly-lined stretches and scouted the muddy corners. Xander and Tristan helped show places where it was best to run. We worked up the final 400 in a nice progression, and then practiced another start and finish. As the sun went down and the shadows overtook the fields, the men exuded excitement for the next day. They were hungry to compete. And hungry for Avanti’s.

​The team dinner that followed was full of laughter and fellowship. We had some great conversations and filled up, then had a trip to Walgreens for refreshments. While we didn’t quite make it back for pool hours, we had a productive team meeting. In the process, we busted out the signature Varsity uniforms for the next day. It was time to take it to the next level. We set some great goals for the next day. When Coach Tolliver and I chatted at the end of the night, we both agreed that the conditions were the most perfect we’ve seen, and every possible scenario the next day facilitated great racing. It was just up to the runners themselves to rise to the occasion.

We got out to the course the next morning in good order. The men were generally feeling good and had a mixed bag of slumber experiences. Unfortunately, however, we lost track of time and directions when it came time to prepare for the race--and the men missed their warm-up window entirely. We did finally make it to the box to check in, and did an abbreviated warm-up and dynamic from there. Despite these setbacks, the team quickly suited up and were as ready as could bee when the gun went up. And when the huge field surged forward, the men went out hard. It was ON!

I caught them about 1k into the race. T-Dunc had a robust start and was easy to spot in the checkered uniform between a trio of red Huntley runners. Xander, Ethan, and Kye were four paces and ten competitors away from each other with a great start up the hill, and Max had found a nice inside lane on the uphill. Micah and Aydan were packed right next to each other. The seven were off to a fantastic start. This was underscored at the mile, where Tristan rolled through at 5:06--his fastest start this entire season!  Xander was at 5:28, Ethan at 5:29 right at Xander’s elbow, and Kye at 5:32. Max was at 5:38 right behind him, with Micah and Aydan at 5:48 and 5:51 respectively. This was our fastest start all season!

Kye was wearing shorts for the first time this season.

They held nicely. The back “triangle” is usually where athletes slow and the race spreads out. The Zee-Bee pack slowed between 30 and 45 seconds across the board, owing to the fast start and the lactic slowly building in their legs. Kye had caught up to Ethan coming out of the back zone, and Xander had a short lead on both. Max was still in the mix and racing well, and Micah and Aydan had not lost touch; they were holding very well together at the midpoint. 

There is a choice to make at the second mile: grit it out and manage, or push out of the comfort zone and succeed.  The Bees chose the latter.  I was SO pleased to see how the final mile unfolded, and how each man dropped a significant negative split from the second mile. Dunc closed well, accelerated up the hill and earned a lifetime best 15:59--a 19s PR from his best time last year that closed with a 5:15 mile!  Congratulations, Tristan, on earning a spot in our “15 Club!” Kye surged upward and finished as our second man, splitting 5:29 for his last mile and finishing at 17:05--a 94s PR!  Xander was next with a tremendous kick and 5:43 final mile, finishing with a 15s PR and 17:14 time!  He was closely followed by Ethan, whose 5:47 last mile landed him at 17:26, a 6-second PR over his time at Home this season. Max was next at 17:42, dropping a whopping 54s from his PR at JT and landing his first sub-18 race!  He was followed by tremendous kicks from Micah and Aydan. These two worked so well together today, sharing the work around the course and pushing each other to brilliant success. They finished with 6:25-6:27 miles, with Micah landing at 19:11 (13s PR!) and Aydan at 19:13 (19s PR!).  Wow!  The Bees placed 31 out of 40 full teams and 277 finishers on the course today. Huge shout-out to Michael for cheering all over the course for his team. And it was solemnly sworn as a team expectation that Kye must wear shorts for the future races.

This was a wonderful race and EVERY MAN RAN THEIR LIFETIME BEST. Our top five averaged 17:05, and at Peoria this is the fastest the Bees have run since 2022. We got back on the bus an accomplished team, a group so incredibly proud of each other. We rose to the challenge today and made excellent growth. I truly cannot wait to see what these young men do from here!  Amazing work today, men!

VHAC  Quad 9.29.26

Our final Quad meet presented a great opportunity for building confidence and workout experience as we head into the latter half of the season. We traveled out to Vernon Hills Athletic Complex (VHAC) for the first time since 2023, greeted by a temperate sunny day. A strong bank of stormclouds was on the horizon, promising several days of forecasted rain ahead. But the course was in wonderful shape and we spread out the new tarp and began the journey through our final race.

It isn’t always that the plan involves coaching with options, but today the runners were presented with a choice:  race it, or pace it. I provided workout splits for a cut-down run that built from tempo to race paces and a hard finish; I also opened the opportunity for those who wished to use this flat course to try for a PR. We got in a warmup and were on the line with ease, and then the gun went off. 

Without his workout partner, T-Dunc went out on his own and led the Zee-Bee pack with ease. He passed the first mile with a smile, and Ethan rolled through as our second, followed closely by Xander. Kye was next, with Max just behind him and both had Stevenson runners paired on their elbows. Micah and Aydan were next through the mile in good form, holding well together, and Malik was a minute behind them and racing well. I was pleased to see Jesse racing tall here after a couple weeks of lower leg pain, and he was closely followed by Christopher and Axel, holding a 7:25 mile pace that far exceeded anything they have paced in practice! Santi was just behind them, followed closely by Ovier. Gustavo was our final man, racing faster here than I have seen him race before. The first mile had them all grinning as they passed by.  

The second mile flew by in similar fashion. Tristan was ahead of his pace, closely followed by a Stevenson competitor, and Ethan held our number two spot; Xander had gained on him, however, and looked great. Max had caught up to Kye, and Micah continued to lead Aydan through the course. Malik passed me and caught two runners right at the clock, and I was glad to see Santi had caught up with and was holding with Axel and Christopher. Ziyier was just behind them and racing very well.

The finishes were really spectacular today. There is a slight bump up and a long straightaway here at VHAC, and they kicked nicely headed down the home stretch. Dunc hit 17:01 with ease and a tremendous kick. Xander out-kicked Ethan with a long push that landed him at 17:42, which was faster than any race he’s run since Deerfield! Ethan was next at 17:58 and had a huge smile, with Kye at 19:39 and Max next at 19:45. Micah kicked very nicely for 20:05, with Aydan pushing right on his shoulder to earn the same time and a great finish. Malik had a nice kick to earn 21:03.  

What followed was a great string of accomplishments. Jesse surged in to run 21:45, a 24-second PR that beat his time from the Home Quad!  He was closely followed by a huge second half move by Ziyier, who landed a strong Season Best 23:49, soundly beating his Deerfield time by 1:40!  Christopher and Axel finished, as always, together. Christopher narrowed edged out Axel for 23:52, and Axel ran 23:53. These were huge PRs--23s for Christopher, and 22s for Axel!  Santiago was just behind them at 23:57.  Gustavo finished next to round out the Zee-Bee pack. He worked with great strength around the course, which was his second three-mile race of the year. He finished at 46:09, which was 3:20 faster than his PR at JT over the weekend.  Amazing work, men!

JT was tough and taxing, but today the weight lifted and these men ran the way I wanted them to:  with ease, choice, and without pressure. Those running the workout were well ahead of their time targets and finished with much more in the tank, and huge boosts of confidence. Those who raced saw their efforts pay off in a huge way. No matter the pathway taken tonight, we grew in precisely the way I wanted this team to grow. The miles of shout-outs on the way back reflected great pride in each other’s achievements, and showcased nothing but camaraderie and brotherly support. I stand by the statement that we truly have the best men and the best team in the school, for these guys know how to work hard, support each other, learn, and push to bee the best versions of themselves. This was the perfect stepping stone toward our last invitations in the upcoming weeks. 

I would bee remiss if I didn’t mention that, in addition to our four lifetime PRs and one Season Best time, we also charted one successful Homecoming invitation. The men were--and I believe, still are--very excited to support Aydan!  :)

JT  Invite  9.26.26

This has always been one of my favorite courses. It presents so many possibilities in the race, and comes at the season’s midpoint where we have developed a strong base of fitness and racing experience. There is nothing really easy about the Bulldog Athletic Complex, owing to the large hill situated right in the middle that requires runners to conquer it three times. But the half-mile of fields above it lend to recovery and resurgence, and the finish is deceptively short. We arrived to a crisp fall morning in the mid-50s and heavy dew, and a gorgeous sunrise over the course. The men knew this was a challenge we were ready to embrace. They were a little beat up from the midweek work, but the spirits were high.  From Box 10 (which included a smiley face), we had a great trajectory to the first turn.

Our Frosh-Soph pack took the line first. They had to abbreviate their warmup as they were out cheering the F/S women to a third place trophy team finish, but Michael, Axel, Christopher, and Kye warmed up and took the line in good form. The dew started to evaporate as the gun went off, and they surged off and up the hill.  On their second climb to the mile mark, Kye was holding just outside the top twenty.  He smartly surged up the hill, leading our four-pack in good work. Michael was about fifteen positions behind him, battling a Carmel athlete who continuously matched Michael’s moves. Michael got him at the left turn, and a moment later Axel and Christopher cruised up the hill. These two have worked so incredibly hard together this season, using each other to drop a tremendous amount of time already. Today they packed and constantly made moves throughout the course. I looked across the field to see Christopher overtake three runners to catch up the Axel, and Axel respond in kind. The race spread out in the final mile, with our guys gaining a little breathing room. Kye passed a Wheeling runner on the hill in a great surge, and Michael did the same with a Deerfield competitor!

Kye led the pack through the finish, earning 18:49 with a nice kick. Michael kicked hard and earned a PR 19:44, racing the first sub-20 of his life!  Axel and Christopher kicked very well, too, and likewise earned lifetime PRs! Both finished at 24:15, with FAT giving Christopher the narrowest split-second lead. He dropped three seconds from his time at Home, while Axel thirty-four seconds from the same race. Nice work, F/S!

Our Varsity was on the line next, seven-strong. The strides looked crisp and, without any real fanfare, the gun sounded to launch these guys into their battle.  Headed up the hill for their second lap and the mile mark, Dunc was leading our pack in the fifteenth position, amid a large front-running pack. Xander was just behind him with a little breathing room, and next surged Ethan on the outside of a huge group. He took the hill wide and gained at least three positions on the incline. Max held our fourth slot with authority, passing a Deerfield runner at the base of the hill. Micah was just after him, charging the hill with authority, followed immediately by Aydan and then shortly by Malik. It was a solid start! 

The Varsity ran really solid finishes as well. Dunc kicked in for 17:00 and a medal 18th place finish.  Ethan had overtaken Xander with about 1k left, and he raced in as our second man for 18:13. Xander fought on empty across the line for 18:31 and our third position, with Max just behind him at 18:35--racing a 1s PR that the timing company rounded to 18:36 in the final results. He did this despite having major shin pain all week, but his resilience really shone through today. Micah was our fifth, racing a huge PR as well. He raced 19:24, breaking 20 for the first time in his life and dropping a whopping 40s from his best at Dawson last week!  Aydan had a fantastic kick at 19:57, with Malik racing 21:01 and rounding out the pack. The Varsity placed 9th out of 11 full teams, narrowly missing Johnsburg and beating Woodstock and Lake Forest Academy today.

The JV race was immediately after, and this large coed race is always one of my favorites. Hundreds of competitors took the line, and our Zee Bees were ready to bring the day to a successful finish. From the gun, they raced out well.  Jairo led our pack with authority before stepping out with an injury just after the mile mark. Coach Faiz was there to assist him to the Trainer, and Santi stepped up in his place as our lead Bee. I was not able to see much more than the first mile and finishes of this race as I tended to Jairo, but was impressed with how these men stepped up. Santi was followed by Jason on the hill, with Jason making a great move on the terrain and Ovier just behind him. Gustavo was racing his first three-miler today, and he set off at a great pace. He refused to let up when we had some large gaps around him, and did a remarkable job of holding his pace steadily.

Santiago was our first man across the line, racing 22:23--just a couple seconds off of his lifetime best. Jason was just after him at 22:42, racing a PR that dropped 22s from his time at Home! Jesse was next with ankle pains, finishing at 24:41, and a moment later Ovier surged through at 25:55. The entire team came out of camp a few moments later to cheer on Gustavo’s epic finish. He surged in, with great strength in the final lap, for a sub-50 49:28 that set his lifetime PR. Well done, men! The JV placed 5th out of 5 total, complete teams in this race.

We had the opportunity to celebrate a few medals today, as well as the F/S women earning a trophy! The men were tired but exuded a sense of accomplishment as we embarked on the return trip. The shout-outs on the bus lauded the seven lifetime PRs today and the numerous efforts that defined tough racing. We are going to do Links this upcoming week as well, as there is much to celebrate.

I am proud of the solid racing efforts. We’re coming off of Dawson’s quagmire last week and a tough midweek workout, and these men are continuing to grow in their strength. They competed on the toughest element of the course today, showing that our team takes challenges head-on rather than simply trying to get through and survive them. The photos I took on the hill show grit and determination, and this makes me so proud. We are not going to have any more courses of this altitude, as we head into the final season stretch: VHAC (flat), Peoria (gentle hill), Lakes (it takes care of itself), Conference at LF, and Regionals at Warren. This is a nice trajectory to compliment the strength this team is continuing to build. Solid racing efforts, today, Bees!

Bill Dawson 9.19.26

We had a great week leading up to the weekend and the annual Bill Dawson Invitation at Warren. We also understood that the weekend was scheduled for major rain and thunderstorms, starting in earnest on Friday night and carrying on throughout the day on Saturday. With the future of the meet hanging in the balance, Warren opted to plow ahead with the plan to run the race on Saturday morning. Thus, we knew we were in for a wild time.  The day brought every conceivable challenge that made it a memorable day of Cross Country! I believe Bill would have enjoyed this day, for it is one of those that make this sport awesome, memorable, gritty, and a pure competition. It is a day to put aside time-based strategy, and simply race.

​We got on the bus wearing rain gear and embracing the fact that the day was going to be a slop. Warren consolidated the races from six to four and scheduled the Varsity first, which was a great move. We got to the course and set up the tent in the downpour, which immediately soaked every person and piece of luggage even momentarily exposed to the elements. Our walk of the one-mile loop filled shoes with water and quickly taught us that parts of the course were soon to be churned into a quagmire once the races started. Of note, Warren rerouted the course to stay on their property and avoid spicy attitudes from bicyclists on the Des Plaines Trail and a robust bill from Lake County. Once the Varsity women took off in the first race, the men in our Varsity pack began warming up out in the elements.

We had six men represent us in the Varsity race today, and I raced everyone else at their grade level. Once the gun went off, our men surged out in the wet grass.  TJ had our lead position headed into the stadium and the first mile mark, with Dunc about 25 meters behind him. Xander held our third nicely, working up to lead a large pack and get a little space to work with. Micah got off to a great start as well, finding a gap and managing the hill corner nicely; he was followed closely by Aydan and Malik. On their second lap and just after the midpoint, I caught them once more and Dunc had surged to our leading position, effectively trading positions with TJ by about 50m. TJ was holding his own here and racing on the line for best traction. Xander had a few more people creating traffic around him, and Micah held a consistent pace for our fourth man still. Malik had opened up and moved past Aydan here. It was clear in the final lap that the mud had gotten so deep and slick throughout the course that these guys had to fight for every step. Dunc reported tweaking a hip flexor on a corner in the mud, and the terrain sapped each guy’s energy.

TJ surged up and finished as our first runner today at 17:19. Dunc was next at 17:36, followed by Xander at 18:52. Micah finished fourth and, beyond all reason, earned a lifetime PR! He raced 20:14, and dropped four seconds from his previous best at Lake Forest last week!  This is absolutely amazing, and a huge congratulations to him!  Malik followed with a great kick headed into the stadium for 22:06, with Aydan rounding out our pack at 24:03. The Bees placed 18 out of 21 full Varsity teams today. They finished on empty and completely painted in muck. And proud of these efforts.

The final race of the day was the huge combined men’s frosh/soph and JV event. Three races had churned the terrain into something completely different from where it started, and it looked more a pit of mud than a Cross Country course. We put a team of ten on the line, and these guys carried with them a great attitude toward the conditions. Thankfully, the rain had let up and it was a pleasant temperature.  With the gun, it was race time!

Kye led our squad from the jump, but was overtaken by Ethan in the first mile. Max held a strong third in our squad, surrounded by Stevenson athletes, followed by Santiago, Jason, and Michael in quick succession. Jesse passed by next with a huge grin on his face, with Axel and Christopher racing together. In horror, I saw that the course had taxed Axel one of his shoes, but he was gamely holding on with just one! Christopher was grinning as he passed by on this first lap, and Ovier was just meters behind them. Gustavo was next, working well around the treacherous ground.  On the second lap, Ethan still led our team right next to a Schaumburg and BG pair, followed by Kye. Kye completed an assertive surge each time he passed by his coaches, which was great to see. Max was next, his entire lower body covered in mud; Santi was next to cruise by, followed by Jason and Michael in the same pack. 

I caught them headed into the stadium for their finishes. The tables had turned away from Christopher’s favor, perhaps in strange solidarity with his racing buddy, as he had lost not one, but both of his shoes! He was fine on the grass, but the muddy mats presented a major obstacle that he had to navigate. Ethan finished as our first man today at 19:23, followed a moment later by Kye at 20:11. Max had a nice kick to finish at 21:21.  Michael surged on Santi and kicked for 24:06, with Santi finishing at 24:21, and Jason right on his heels for a 24:32 finish. Axel found a gear with his single shoe, kicking for 27:09; Christopher made it through at 29:14! Ovier was next in with a nice move in the final 250 for a 30:01 finish, with Jesse limping gamely in with shin pain and a 30:37 finish. Per my agreement, Gustavo finished the second mile at 35:37.  The Bees had finished the day. There were enough F/S men to score 16th out of 23 teams. We didn’t have enough JV men to register a team score.

Today represented a pinnacle in gritty racing. To say that this was a tough day would be a gross understatement, but it proved a memorable one. We truly went out and did the best we could do, and every man gave it everything he had. Days like today are major markers in the memories we make in a Cross Country season. While the day did not accommodate the time progress we had hoped to make, it showed that we can race in any condition and find joy in what we do. There are a few aches and injuries to mitigate this week, but we have a solid seven day block before we need to race again. I am proud of how we handled ourselves. Just like the man himself, the Bill Dawson Invitational will occupy a prominent memory in our hearts. Also, Christopher and Axel both recovered their shoes. Nice job today, Bees!

Home 9.15.26

The Home meet is always a point of pride for me, as I hope it is for this team. We put a summer and a season of work into learning how to race it. Our focus is always the “Twilight Loop,” which is furthest from the crowds and provides a mile in which the Zee Bees can leverage their course knowledge and talents better than any team on race day. The Home meet is an opportunity to compete for the Top Ten Board rankings, and to show our friends and families just how talented this team is. It is also our Senior Night. After a Saturday of questioning the tall grass, we scouted on Monday to find our amazing Park District hosts had performed a perfect deep trim across the entire terrain, and our Maintenance friends had perfectly double-lined the entire three miles. In short, I had not seen the course so well maintained in all the years I have coached it, and I stand by that in hindsight. Simply put, it was beautiful. Thus, my trepidations evaporated, and it was now up to the team to stand out on the excellent home turf.

Then it rained for twelve straight hours. 

The course soaked up most of the precipitation, but it did leave some soft spots. It was in better shape than I had thought it would bee, but this inevitably slows the races down. We also closely monitored the radar and had several storms in circulation, but the rain held off for most of the meet. It did lead to a spike in humidity right around 80 degrees, which wasn’t totally unexpected, nor was it the most pleasant. Still, we showed up ready to compete and race at our best.  After a robust delay on behalf of Libertyville, we opted to combine the men’s and women's races. This proved a very good decision, expanding the racing field and allowing our team to race together just as they do in practice. Our team took the line with over two hundred competitors today, and the Bees looked sharp from the jump.

We packed up very well in the first mile. Dunc, TJ, and Xander were close in the first 1200m and off at a nice pace as the rain started up again.  Ethan was our fourth, with two Stevenson runners on his six, with Kye racing as our next man, just ahead of a Libertyville pack.  Max passed by next, working up in a pack of over a dozen competitors, followed by Aydan and Hugo, who were deep in a group. Micah and Jairo were through next, packed right next to each other, followed by Norah and Malik. Jay had packed close to Charisma, and just meters behind them were Jason and Santi racing well together. Ovier, Christopher, and Axel had a fantastic start together that looked like a strong repeat of their start at Lake Forest last week, and the Zee Bee pack was off!

I caught them again at the midpoint, right by Goose Poop Alley. This stretch is always soft, and it was clear from the footstrikes that the rain had softened it even more. Still, the team raced pretty consistently here and I could see them accelerating back into the woods on firmer terrain past the volleyball court. Dunc was battling a Stevenson athlete and had put some distance on TJ and Xander, who were racing about 30 meters apart; Xander had over 50m of a lead on the nearest competitor.  Ethan had an identical spread, and Kye held position as our fifth man, battling a solo Stevenson athlete, with a long gap that Max steadily worked to fill. Aydan held our seventh position nicely, just behind Norah, and Jairo was just 20m behind him. Jairo pushed ahead of a pair of Stevenson runners just as he approached the turn, and Micah was just behind, taking a nice inside turn to best a Stevenson athlete. Malik and Hugo were still holding their pack and racing in lockstep, with April just behind them. Michael and Alivia were through next, leading a line of dozens of runners. Jesse was working steadily among this large group, followed by Santi and Jason. Jason hit the turn and passed a Stevenson athlete to return to Santi’s side, which was a nice move here.  Charisma and Jay passed by in tandem again, and looked strong headed back into the woods. They were followed a moment later by Janelle, Axel, and Christopher. As soon as they passed me, Christopher and Axel executed a great surge that passed two runners and put them in a strong position for the woods. Nicely done!  Ovier pulling off of Ailene and Candy here, and this packwork was great to see. 

I made it to the 400m mark just off the corner of the Leisure Center as the top runners were passing through. I could tell the course had presented its challenges, but our team was still putting some great times down. Dunc came through at 7th overall and lead the Zee Bees for 16:41, and TJ was our second with a nice kick for a Season Best of 17:04. Ethan passed Xander in the final mile to finish at his highest rank yet and a huge lifetime PR, racing 17:32. This beat his season best time from Deerfield by nearly 40 seconds and smashed his PR from last year!  Xander surged in next at 17:47 for a nice kick, followed by Kye at 18:39. For Kye this was also a lifetime PR that dropped three seconds from Lake Forest last week! Max finished as our sixth man at 19:05, followed by a monster PR by Aydan as our seventh man. Aydan raced 19:32, dropping over a minute on his best time this season and beating last year’s best! Jairo surged in next as he decisively punched through the twenty minute mark for the first time in his life, earning a huge 19:43 PR!

Looking up at the top of the hill, I could see Micah, Michael, and Malik in a row, each accelerating nicely down the decline and toward the chute.  Micah led them in at 20:19, followed by Michael at 20:31 and Malik at 20:41. Michael and Malik both earned lifetime PRs with their finish times--Michael dropped 19s from his time at Lake Forest, and Malik broke his best 20:54 from last year!  Very proud of these races and the teamwork that got these three in! Our next four finished in quick succession as well. Hugo led the charge to earn a 21:42 finish, with Jesse right behind him for a PR 22:09--43s faster than Deerfield! Jay and Santi finished the course together at 22:31 and 22:42 respectively, both kicking nicely through the large group rolling through the line. Jason was next with a monster race finish, racing 23:04 to beat his previous best at LF by 29 seconds! Christopher (24:18), Axel (24:49), and Ovier (25:25) rounded out the pack with great finishes. Christopher and Axel dropped NEARLY FOUR MINUTES APIECE for gargantuan PRs over their races just one week ago, and Ovier threw down a Season Best by a whopping 81 seconds!  Absolutely fantastic!

I am very happy with how we performed tonight. Our home course is always challenging in the terrain, and the softening certainly didn’t help a whole lot. Neither did the significant delay that required the team to keep their spirits up and their wits keen while we waited. But the wonderful opportunity to race with our women’s team and deep field of competition made for an excellent night of racing. Dunc and Stevenson runner broke up Libertyville’s perfect score, and we also lost to Stevenson. We beat the Waukegan Bulldogs tonight. On our team we charted nine lifetime PRs and two Season Best races. This is a nice indicator of the fitness that we’re building, as well as the racing confidence we’re starting to achieve. I firmly believe that we can continue this trajectory and replicate this success in future races--we must. In just one week we have made a number of collective gains, and I am confident that we’ll build on them. 

We had a wonderful celebration of our seniors after the race. The weather held off and made for a great evening to bring the seniors on stage and celebrate their accomplishments. On the men’s team, we were able to celebrate Gustavo, Ziyier, Malik, and Jesse. Congratulations, seniors! And on to the Dawson Invite this weekend!

Lake  Forest  Quad  9.8.26

The progress of the week coming off of Crystal Lake continued today as we traveled out to Lake Forest West for the first quad meet of the season. We squared off against LF, Stevenson, and Lake Zurich. The day was actually quite temperate, with the temps peaking in the high 70s and a mix of clouds and sun. The team was collectively a little beat up from the back-to-back training of the meet and the long run, so we set our objectives on packing up in the first mile with teammates and finishing with strength. While this is a great course for splitting and running for time, I asked instead to measure our progress as a continuity of the week’s hard training and a chance to hone our second half skills.  The men were in excellent spirits and brought a palpable sense of excitement to the bus; Coach Faiz pumped them up with some excellent words of wisdom.

We embarked on a warmup that largely included more time in the bathroom than actual time on their feet, but the men collectively got their preparations done and took the line. Technical difficulties with the timing pushed the meet back nearly thirty minutes, and seemed to take some of the edge off the event. With the gun, they surged smartly across the open terrain and off into the first mile loop of the sport fields. I caught them as they headed back across the bridge, about 50m from the first mile mark. 

T-Dunc led the pack in his customary style, holding fourth place at the mile for a 5:14 start. Xander held our second spot with strength, and Max was back on his feet after Saturday’s injury--he was racing tall as our third man and looked confident in his racing. Ethan and Kye held our fourth and fifth positions, just 10m apart, and Hugo had made a great first mile move to race as our sixth. He was closely followed by Micah and Jairo, both locking in a great start to the race, with Aydan just meters and a couple of positions behind them. Michael trailed Aydan by thirty meters, racing his first 3-miler, followed closely by Malik.  Santi and Jason were packed well together, followed by the paired Jesse and Jay duo; Ovier was just seconds behind them, and Axel and Christopher were racing at each other’s elbows. It was a positive first mile.

I was able to see them again closer to the second mile mark. Dunc was in fifth place, and Xander was fighting a Stevenson runner. Max held third for our team but was in obvious discomfort, though he showed no signs of letting up in the race. Kye had gained two positions on Ethan, and Hugo surged up to join Micah. Aydan did the same to catch up to Jairo, and Michael did a nice move in the narrow trail to pop ahead of a trio of Stevenson and LZ runners. Mailk appeared to be steadily accelerating here with ⅔ of the race completed. Santi and Jay were still packed tightly and holding off a pair of LF athletes. Jason pulled ahead of Jesse in the second mile, and the packs were holding their own.

The final mile was the true test of the day. It was here that the totality of the week’s work hit the legs as the men worked around the final field and into the finish line. We were a little less springy than usual on our turnover on the final 300 straightaway, but this didn’t stop the team from putting in a tremendous amount of effort.  T-Dunc finished 7th overall with a 16:47, followed a minute later by Xander at 17:49. Xander had been working on a different racing strategy today, and gained some valuable insights on the course. Kye worked up to finish as our third man, dropping a 47s PR over his Deerfield time to land at 18:42!  Max was hot on his heels for 18:49, with Ethan just behind him at 19:01 for a solid finish. Micah was next with a monster kick that held off a LF runner, earning a 38s lifetime PR (20:18) over his best time from last year! Hugo was fast on his heels with the best race of his life tonight, racing 20:43 and earning an 87s PR over his best time last year!  Aydan, Michael, and Jairo followed in close succession.  Aydan finished with a solid 20:46, just seconds off his Season Best time from Deerfield.  Michael finished his first three-miler tonight to establish his PR at 20:50, and Jairo kicked very well for 21:02, nearly two minutes better than his time on Saturday!  Malik surged in next at 21:38, rounding off what is likely the best kick I have ever seen him throw down at a finish and holding off an incoming Stevenson runner.

Jay and Santi had spent the whole race together, and surged in together to the finish as well. Jaylen finished first at 22:15, earning a 1:45 lifetime PR that obliterated his Deerfield time! Santiago dropped a whopping 71s as well, earning a 22:16 PR. These guys showed just how powerful a racing partnership can bee on the course! Jesse and Jason were up next, with Jesse racing hard against a LZ opponent and finishing at 23:07; Jason raced 23:33 and earned the largest PR of the night! He dropped 2:03 from Deerfield--congratulations!  Ovier was in soon after, racing 26:46 for a 67s Season Best time over his previous at Deerfield!  Christopher and Axel rounded out the Zee Bee pack, racing 28:07 and 28:10 respectively. For Christopher this is a 9s lifetime PR, and for Axel a 5s PR. Well done!

It was, in total, a fun night of progress and a crucial part of our training. This team collectively earned two Season Bests and nine Lifetime PRs, and the men who didn’t cross this threshold still raced with fortitude and tremendous effort. I made it clear that this was an opportunity for us to grow and that we measured success today in our efforts. I did not expect us to feel at the top of our game, yet the experience of competing when we are facing heavy legs is one that should help toughen this crew for the races of October and November, and build up our strength for days when times are tough. I’m really proud that this team continues to choose the race uncomfortably, and to bring such positivity to each other when it’s needed most.

Rich  Eschman  Invite (Crystal Lake) 9.5.26

Our first Saturday invitation of the season launched today to great fanfare. We chose this year to test out a new meet instead of going to Lake County (on a week night) and/or Parkside. Parkside has been slowly shrinking over the past few years, and we secured an opportunity to head down to McHenry County to race the Rich Eschman Invite at Veteran Acres Park. Coach D reported that we once ran there many years ago for a Regional, but otherwise we haven’t put a Zee Bee spike on this course in quite some time. Knowing that it was hilly, I encouraged the men to focus instead on competing in the largest meet so far of the season. It was a humid 76 degrees when we got out there after an hour ride. As soon as we entered the parking lot, it became clear that this was going to be rugged XC racing. The steep hill from the parking lot dropped onto the sport fields of the start and finish, and the loops took the runners through grass fields, narrow lake paths, gravel hills through dense woods, and single-track pathways far distant from the central area. We saw turkeys, egrets, hawks, deer, and geese--wow!  

How do you coach a course we’ve never seen?  Today we had 3.1 and 2.15 mile opportunities. I firmly stated that our times didn’t matter today. Instead, we would measure our success on how we compete on the miles in between, and strive to truly get a feel for racing. I challenged the team to increase our “XCIQ” by using today as a learning opportunity. On top of that, we were to race our toughest course of the season and I wanted to keep our expectations reasonable and achievable.

There wasn’t a lot of time before we warmed up and kept dodging the piles of turkey poop that were liberally distributed throughout the grassy areas. The 3.1 JR/SR race was first, and we had a huge crew on the line.  We stacked up in box #10 and threw down a few run-outs before settling in for the gun. There was a palpable energy here, and I couldn’t wait to see the Bees get into the competition. With the gun, they were off!

I caught them by the mile and two-mile marks, which formed a narrow crossroads up in the woods near the middle of a steep incline.  T-Dun lead our pack out in 20th place at the mile mark, followed soon after by TJ in 25th and with a Woodstock runner at his elbow. Xander held a very close third for our team. Ethan was next, leading a large group up the hill, with Max our fifth. He was grimacing with every step, and I later learned he was racing on a rolled ankle but still keeping himself in the mix. Jairo surged up the hill with a nice burst in the slick gravel; Micah, Hugo, and Aydan were close behind him in fast succession. Our next up was Malik, with Jay and Santi within thirty meters, and Ovier punching hard up the hill. It was a solid start and they then hit the single-track stretch. I saw them again crossing the same trail headed into mile three, generally holding the same positions. Dunc had some breathing room and TJ got ahead of the Woodstock opponent; Xander held our third and Ethan had backed off a bit. Micah had moved up to our sixth man, after Max, with Aydan overtaking Jairo as well. I was pleased to see Malik and Santi closely packed here. Santi continued upward and packed with Jay in the field headed into the “turkey trail” (dubbed by Coach Hamilton).  

It was a neat view, seeing the runners careening down the steep hill and into the final 100m of the finish. T-Dunc surged in for a 24th place medal as our first man (18:32), with TJ kicking nicely for a medal finish at 33rd place (18:52). Xander locked in our third at 19:49, throwing down a dizzying kick across the mats. Ethan was our fourth at 20:08 with a decisive kick as well, and Max raced through on his injured ankle and a lost chip for 22:00. Micah had a great kick for our sixth place at 22:26, followed quickly by Aydan (22:46) and Jairo (22:52). Jay led the next Zee Bee pack through with a strong finish at 25:15, with Santi (25:18), Malik (25:23), and Hugo (25:24) right behind him. Ovier finished with an outstanding kick as well, racing 30:30 on the course today. 

While the men staggered through the throes of sweat-dampened recovery and caught their breath, we took stock of what we had just done. There were mixed reviews, but these conversations got progressively more positive as they recovered and reflected on the challenges of the course that they had just conquered. This turned into a point of pride for them, which is exactly how I wanted them to feel coming off this terrain today.

Before long, it was time for the 2.15 mile F/S race. Gustavo, Kye, Axel, Christopher, and Michael represented our pack today. We did our strides behind the finish line and braced for the gun. The energy was positive and the shorter course beckoned. With the gun, they sped out and into the trails!  I caught them as they headed to the mile mark, with Kye holding 15th place and racing well. Michael was holding his own nicely in the first race of his career, followed by Christopher and Axel packed at the elbow (and throwing gleeful thumbs-up signs to me as they passed!). Into the final loop, Kye still held a decisive upper position, and Michael had moved ahead of a pack of four that he had previously trailed. Axel and Christopher were in lockstep, and Gustavo was working with great heart in the first race of his career into the mile mark. He had family support and was racing well in the tough conditions.

Kye was our first finisher, earning a 16th place medal for 13:21!  Michael earned a medal in his first race for his 43rd place finish (14:50), followed by nice kicks from Chistopher (19:27) and Axel (19:31). Gustavo had a gutsy finish for 40:04 and a successful finish to his first race!  

We cheered on the women and broke camp, getting on the bus considerably damper than we arrived but with a common feeling of accomplishment. And these dudes were tired--they truly put it all into the race today. The hills presented a challenge we can rarely replicate in our community, and none of these guys shied away from taking a risk on the terrain. The individual conversations were enlightening and positive, and I could do little to suppress an overwhelming feeling of pride in how they raced today. The shout-outs on the bus were genuine and meaningful, and soon the team lapsed into well-deserved rest.

Xander summed it up nicely in his closing remarks, reminding the team that today’s race will know no comparison in the remainder of the season. In terms of terrain, we conquered the hardest we would race. I reminded the crew that if they can put the same effort into a flatter course, they will see amazing results. We are going to build on what we accomplished today and then leverage it into our next races. Tuesday at LF is going to be a great starting point for this, and a sterling opportunity for pack racing. I am going to particularly watch the packs that formed nicely today:  Micah, Aydan, Jairo; and Jay, Santi, Malik, and Hugo--these guys can do great things together! We’re going to work on running progressively and running together for Tuesday, and I cannot wait to see how we grow from this experience.  

I have to end by thanking this great team for keeping and open mind today, for embracing the conditions, and for taking seriously the racing opportunities. It was fun today to coach and see when growth isn’t measured by numbers, but instead in the heart. 

Deerfield  8.26.26

There are some days that the smiles never stop. The first race of the season is inevitably one of those evenings, and tonight brought incredible joy and progress!  We traveled to Deerfield for the annual Season Opener against Deerfield and Grayslake North, arriving on a toasty evening with omnipresent dust in the air, heat in the low 80s, and a team hungry for success. I have enjoyed seeing the progress over the summer and the first couple of weeks of the season, but the first race is the ultimate measure of where we start things. I asked the men on the bus to run from their hearts today and test their mettle, to compete and catch opponents each mile, and to push and pull each other on the course. After a short walk and putting bibs on the new racing singlets, it was time to begin!  We practiced a couple of run-outs and did our best to quell the nerves.
With the sharp report of the gun, we were off!

In the opening 800, the Deerfield Warrior pack surged forward and took near-complete control of the race with at least ten men at the front. Their control was not complete, however, as Ethan went out with great gusto and led the race for the first 800 before being enveloped in red jerseys. T-Dunc knew exactly what to do to capitalize on, and he edged right in the middle of the Deerfield pack. Xander, Ethan, and two GN runners rounded out the top pack, which stuck together through the mile before separating. Max took a major step forward in his first race, working on the shoulder of a GN runner and racing as our fourth man, followed by Hugo and Kye. At the 800 mark, Aydan was next, and about 100m back was Malik, Micah, and Jesse in a tight pack. Jason and Jay were racing 15m apart, and behind them a great pack of Bees were led by Santi--he had Ovier, Christopher, Axel, and Ziyier all working together in lockstep.  It was a very nice start.

I caught them again just after the mile mark. A photo I took captured a very important moment--the race leader looking with confusion to his right and seeing Dunc coolly in the middle of the top seven Deerfield men. They were clearly used to racing with zero competition, and Tristan gamely navigated their wide turns and matched their pace for an opening mile in the mid 5:40s. I loved it!  Xander was our second, with two GN runners between him and Ethan. Max confidently held the fourth Bee position, and Kye was racing very well as our 5, just ahead of Hugo. Aydan locked in the seventh slot, and Micah and Malik had put a few dozen meters on Jesse; Jay was leading Jason now and Santi put some sauce on the second mile to surge upward. Ziyier had moved up ahead of Christopher, Axel, and Ovier, who had a nice pack intact here.

Coming out of the second mile, Deerfield’s top seven had accelerated and dropped the second mile in the mid 5:20s; Dunc was right there to the right side of their pack and holding nicely; they had dropped two of their Deerfield pack with the quickening pace.  I rushed over to the finishing field to cheer on the kicks, and it was wonderful to see these Bees pushing with all their might when they were most tired. Dunc raced in for 16:23, just seconds off of his lifetime PR, taking sixty and cleaving the Deerfield top 8 nicely! Xander raced in at 17:29 and tenth overall, earning a 9-second lifetime PR! Ethan and Max surged in 16th and 17th overall, Ethan racing 18:19 and Max 18:36--this was a major 83-second drop from his best time last year!  Amazing!  Kye was next at 19:29, decisively breaking twenty in the first race of his life and finishing as our fifth man; Aydan was sixth at 20:39 with a major kick, too. Interestingly, the coaches and crowd were all cheering his name--and it turned out that he was racing a Deerfield runner of the same name! Our Aydan narrowly missed winning the excellent duel by just three-tenths of a second.  It was a great finish!

Micah and Malik were next, sticking together until there was just 150m left; Micah kicked for 21:27 and Malik for 21:38. Jesse finished his first XC race in good form as the next man at 22:52, with Hugo trailing at 23:08. Jay finished his first XC race at 24:00 in great form, followed closely by Santi at 24:22.  Our next five guys finished well and summoned nice kicks. Ziyier leveraged his racing experience to land at 25:29, with Jason finishing his first race at 23:36 just behind him. Ovier kicked in at 27:23, with Axel at 28:15 and Christopher at 28:16, both of these final athletes finishing their first races as well.  Nice job!
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It was warmer than anticipated, and yet the Zee Bees stood up and raced well today. The two lifetime PRs for returning athletes and the six who set their lifetime PR in their first 3-milers tonight deserve congratulations. The men worked hard and showed that they can embrace challenges and compete with others. Tonight was an invaluable experience for these guys, with many lessons learned over the course of these miles. I look forward to building on this solid foundation as we move forward together and train for the Crystal Lake next weekend. I’m proud of you all!
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