CA State Meet Pictures and NXN live results link...

State Meet Pictures thanks to Spencer Allen and Margaret Gallagher and www.sportstimagewire.com:
http://www.sportsimagewire.com/SIWportfoliopage.html

NXN Live Results thanks to www.recordtiming.com:
http://www.rtspt.com/events/nike/nxn11/

Videos from races thanks to Results Posted:
https://www.facebook.com/ResultsPosted

Also coming up, more interviews with some of the top performers from the CA State Meet.  Keep your nominations coming and I will try to interview as many runners and coaches as I can.  What athletes do you want to hear from?  What about coaches?

State Champs (NS)

http://www.siskiyoudaily.com/features/x2086541859/State-Champs

Also, check out my interview with Yreka coach Pam Borg on October 11th:

http://www.crosscountryexpress.com/2011/10/catching-up-with-yreka-hs-coach-pam.html

Catching up with Sir Francis Drake runner, John Lawson...

 Today we chat with Sir Francis Drake junior, John Lawson (picture to the left is at last year's NCS meet taken by Spencer Allen of www.sportsimagewire.com).  This past weekend, John won the Division IV state championship as he recorded the second fastest time for any NorCal athletes (15:20).  Lawson had quite a season as he won the MCAL, NCS and state titles, the same achievement accomplished the previous season by Tamalpais senior runner, Dan Milechman.  Lawson has also participated in the Dipsea race and has already made his presence felt on the legendary race as you will see below.

1)    How did you get your start in distance running?
My mom, Kelly Lawson, was the catalyst of my running career.  For as long as I can remember I had been dragged along to local club meets by her and my dad, both of them long time trail runners in Marin.  In seventh grade I started running cross country at White Hill Middle School and after I started experiencing some minor success from there I couldn’t stop.  I signed up for both XC and track in my 8th grade year.

2)    What other sports have you played besides XC and track and field?
I played recreational baseball and soccer until high school.  I even played ice hockey for several years in San Francisco.  I stopped playing basketball after just one year in 7th grade when I scored a basket for the wrong team…

3)  What was the first success that you remember in cross country and track and field respectively?
It wasn’t until my 8th grade year that I started to really feel some success in running.  In XC I won most of the season’s meets outright yet still got my butt whooped in the county meet.  I was hungry to finally win in track but I was disappointed to find that they don’t have any races longer than 1200m in middle school track in field.  I was already too excited to run some eight lap races; three just seemed ridiculous to me at the time.

4)    Tell us a little about your coaches and how they have helped you become the runner you are today.
Coach Rod Berry stepped into the Varsity boys program at Sir Francis Drake my freshman year under Head Coach Bill Taylor.  Since then Rod has been the main reason for any success I might have had (he himself being a high school standout and XC captain at Stanford back in the day).  He has built our boys team up from very novice young runners. His training formula has proven successful for me, especially in these past two years.

5)  Who are the runners that you have looked up to during your time in high school (on your own team or other teams)?
I’ve always envied the superior finishing kicks of my former teammate and 800m runner Carroll Oliver.  Also there have been so many guys on our team that have graduated that are still some of my best friends, whether they have continued their running careers of not.  Other runners I’ve looked up to?  Elias Geydon was always fun to watch because he always looked so incredibly fly finishing his races.  Pre can just go without saying…

6)  You have participated in the Dipsea race in the past. For those that are not familiar with the race, can you tell us a bit about the race and how you have done in the race.
The notorious Annual Dipsea race is one of the oldest races in the US today.  Every June, about 1500 runners of all ages start at their respective handicap times and race from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach over some pretty brutal terrain climbing over 1400 ft in elevation.  I’ve run the Dipsea since I was in 6th grade and I’ve enjoyed it more and more every year.  In the 2010 and 2011 races I was the first high school finisher so maybe I can repeat that this year if I continue to run it.

7)  Favorite xc course? Favorite xc race? Favorite xc workout?
One of my favorite cross country races is the Artichoke Invitational, a race down in Half Moon Bay that I’ve been running since my freshmen year.  It’s a pretty interesting race because it’s only just over 2 miles long and it’s known for this ridiculously steep hill in the middle of the race.  It’s got European hay bales and you finish on the track, which are all the best things about a cross country course.  This year I’ve learned to love mile repeats.  They make you feel fast and it’s easy to track your improvement in these workouts.

8)  What was your plan going into the STATE meet this past Saturday and how did the race unfold for you?
I just hoped to run patiently and intelligently.  There was a group of experienced runners that were expected to be up with the lead pack.  I just made sure not to make my move too early and burn myself out on the first mile.  The course is fast and people go out at a crazy pace consistently every year so I was conservative on the first mile to hit just above my goal split of 4:50.  The rest of the race was a wild card so instead of surging I waited behind the leaders (Kyle Bueckert, Will Wilde-Botta, and Daniel De La Torre) and started to break away around the second mile.  It was a very tight pack up there for most of the race.  Everyone ran smart races; it was a real pleasure to race such a good group of guys.

9)  What is your advice for a young runner who has goals of being one of the best in state?
I’m still trying to figure that out for myself.  All you can do is trust your coach, train smart and diligently, and race hard.  Everything else is beyond your control.  Races are my favorite part of this sport.  Try to have fun with them and don’t be afraid to sometimes take risks.

10)  Anything else you would like to add.
I am really thankful for my family, my coaches and god.

Thank you very much for your time John!  AJC

NorCal places at CIF State XC meet...

http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/XC/2011/stat_nor.htm
Find out who was the top individual from NorCal for boys and girls.
Who was the top boys' team?  Girls' team?

Congratulations to all the podium placers (team and individual).  Lots of near misses as well.  Overall a tremendous day for our region.  

Newspaper links rolling in already:
University wins record 9th state XC title; Branson's Maxwell wins
Campolindo's Carrie Verdon makes up ground at the end to win a second straight CIF state cross country championship 
Campolindo's Carrie Verdon repeats as state XC champ - barely
Oakmont's Garcia, Vista girls are second at state meet 
D-IV State Cross Country Championships:  Scotts Valley's Fraser captures first state title by outrunning two-time defending state champion Chapus (NEW)
State Cross Country Championships:  Aptos' Hiltz takes 5th in D-III, team gets 3rd (NEW) 
University High girls win 3rd straight state title (NEW)
Three area runners notch third-place finishes in CIF cross-country races (NEW)
State cross country:  Lawson, Maxwell capture titles (NEW)

University coach's struggle continues to inspire runners (NCS)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/11/24/SPRK1M42MF.DTL

Real Time state meet results...

http://www.rtspt.com/events/cif/xc2011/

Final Team Rankings (boys) heading into state meet
Final Team Rankings (girls) heading into state meet
Final Individual Rankings (boys) heading into state meet
Final Individual Rankings (girls) heading into state meet

What NorCal teams (top 3 in any division) will get on the podium this year?  What individuals (top 10)?

NorCal newspaper coverage heading into the CA state XC meet...

Campolindo's Joyce hitting his favorite time of the year (NCS)
The fun of cross country?  Bonding (NCS)
Harriers make good showing at NCS in Hayward (NCS)
More State & NCS Cross Country coverage (NCS)
Zack Leffler follows through on plan step for step (SJS)
CROSSING STATE:  County runners prepare for biggest challenge of season against elite field (CCS)
Cross Country:  Rio Americano Runners in St. Meet (SJS)
Haley Kroll turns junior disappointment into senior triumph (SJS)
Sickler, Kurtz ready to run at state cross country meet (SJS)
Local runners revved up for final run at State Championships (CCS)
Martin ready for state meet (CCS)
Cross Country:  Branson's Maxwell has sights set on state title (NCS)
Campolindo aims for big finish at the state meet to cap a stellar cross country season (NCS)
Cross Country:  Trio take own paths to state meet (SJS)
Sonoma's Conner poised for Saturday's state meet boys' Division-3 race (NCS)
Young Trojans ready to run well at state (SJS)

State Meet projections by Sstoz Tes

Division I Boys
Division I Girls
Division II Boys
Division II Girls
Division III Boys
Division III Girls
Division IV Boys
Division IV Girls
Division V Boys 
Division V Girls

The above projections are based on the following course conversions:
http://chrysafeniosquince.blogspot.com/2011/11/state-meet-qualifying-course.html

Those are the rankings going into state.  Now it's time to race and let the feet do the talking.  Best of luck to all NorCal teams and individuals at the state meet.

Top NorCal Teams (Boys and Girls) heading into CA State XC Meet

http://www.dyestatcal.com/ATHLETICS/XC/2011/sec_nor.htm
Combined times at above link are based on the following as found at www.lynbrooksports.com:

ASSUMPTIONS:
1 - Only Section marks were used.                         
2 - No consideration was made based on weather. 
3 - All times are based on Woodward Park times:           
    Based on a 19:00 girl and a 16:00 boy.

    CCS (Toro)     - * 1.001, about -:01 for girls, -:01 for guys
    CCS (Crystal)  - * 1.024, about :23 for girls, :19 for guys
    NCS (Hayward)  - * 1.038 & 1.033, about :41 for girls, :30 for guys
    SJS (Willow)   - * .957 & .9646, about -:49 for girls, -:34 for guys
    CS  (Woodward) - N/A
    NS  (West Vly) - * 1.008 & 1.027, about :08 for girls, :25 for guys
    SF  (GGP)      - * .9605 & .9635, about -:45 for girls, -:35 for guys
    Oak (JM Park)  - * .8636 & .8947, about -3:00 for girls, -2:00 for guys
    SS  (MSAC)     - * 1.0229 & 1.0208, about :25 for girls, :20 for guys
    SS  (MSAC-rain)- * .9842 & .9594, about -:18 for girls, -:39 for guys
    SDS (Morley)   - * 1.0877 & .976, about 1:40 for girls (2.75mi), -:37 for guys (3.04mi)
    LA  (rain 5K)  - * 1 & 1, about :00 for girls, :00 for guys

Catching up with Amador Valley HS runner, Jena Pianin...

Today we chat with Amador Valley HS junior runner, Jena Pianin who this past Saturday won the NCS Division I race with the 3rd fastest overall time in any division.  Her time of 17:41 trailed only Carrie Verdon of Campolindo and Julia Maxwell of Branson who are both favorites going into the state meet to win their respective divisions.  At her previous two NCS MOC XC meets, Pianin finished in 11th place as a freshman and 7th place as a sophomore.  Last year during track, Pianin placed 4th in the 3200 at the NCS MOC to qualify for her first state track meet.

1) What other sports have you played besides cross country and track and field?
Besides running I did ballet when I was younger.

2) When and how did you get your start in xc and track?
I started track in 8th grade at Harvest Park Middle School. In 8th grade I moved to California from Massachusetts. I joined track to meet new people and ended up loving it!

3) What was the first success that you remember in each sport?
The first success I had was during 8th grade at the middle school time trial. I ran the mile and really surprised myself when I ran a 5:52. That’s where I fell in love with racing; I was hooked!

4) What were some of your highlights during your freshman season at AV in xc and track?
Freshman year, my biggest highlights were winning MVP and being the number one runner on the varsity squad, but most importantly meeting all my AMAZING teammates! During track, my biggest highlight was breaking Amador’s 3200m school record.

5) What about sophomore year? What are your current track and field prs for 400, 800, 1600 and 3200?
Sophomore year my highlights included qualifying for state in XC and track, and improving my school’s 3200m record throughout the track season. My PR’s are: 400m: 62(split), 800m (2:21), 1600m (5:02), 3200m (10:48).

6) What did you do differently this summer training wise to prepare for this current xc season?
Training smarter and more regularly over the summer really helped me prepare for the long XC season. Most importantly, cross training, eating right, and working out twice a day helped me build a good foundation going into this year.

7) What was your highest weekly mileage during the season? What was your toughest workout? What does a typical week look like for you with a Saturday race?
My highest mileage this season is 55 miles per week. My toughest workout would be hill repeats.

8) Tell us a little about your coach and how he has helped you become the runner you are today.
Coach Ozzie (Jason Oswalt) is extremely knowledgeable, down to earth, and easy to talk to. Coach Ozzie helps me come up with race plans that I can stick to. My other coach, Coach Huff, is an amazing motivator and has shown me how to really believe in my ability. He makes me aspire higher every day.

9) Favorite xc course? Favorite xc invitational? Favorite distance run? Favorite xc workout? Favorite track event? Favorite track invitational? Favorite track workout?
Surprisingly, I don’t have any favorites. Each race, workout, and invite offers a new and exciting challenge.

10) What was your plan going into the NCS race and how did the plan unfold once the gun went off?
My plan going into NCS was to run smart and stick with the leaders. When the gun went off, I stayed focused and in a competitive mind set.

11) You ran at the state meet last year. How do you think that experience will help you at this year's state meet?
Last year, I didn’t know what to expect, but this year, I’m ready to have the best race possible to help the team. I hope I can make state my best race to date!

Thank you very much for your time Jena!  AJC