Footlocker

This past week the cross country team went to a western regional cross country meet down in California, simply put, it was awesome! We left Thursday afternoon and set off on Le Bus for California, a 12 hour grueling bus ride. I'm sorry to say it took forever. We ate dinner just outside of Las Vegas (hate the place) and then continued on our way. We pulled into our hotel at somewhere around 2:00 a.m. California time, so like 3:00 Utah time, a little late, but about what we expected. We slept soundly and then the next day it was off to see the course.
The course was really cool. It consisted of 2 half mile loops, fairly flat terrain, followed by a set of switchbacks and three other steep steep hills. Thankfully between each of these was a long stretch of downhill. It was a fairly intimidating sight, but we were all confident, having run tons of trails similar to it during the summer, still it was an impressive course. After running the course we set out for.... the beach! It was a long drive to the pier, but a worthwhile one. We spent two or three hours at the pier eating, playing football in the sand, playing in the waves, and just hanging as a team and having fun. Oh, and we protected a hermit crab from the raging ocean waves :) I wish I had some pictures to show you guys! We headed back to the hotel and got ready for the next day... the race!
We woke up early at six o'clock so that we'd be able to get to the race in time. The races started with the freshman/sophomore girls at 7:30 so we had to leave the hotel early. As always the meet was an impressive site with tons of people getting ready for their races and families and friends there to cheer them on. My race was at 8:15, so a little after we got there it was time to start warming up. I wasn't too nervous about the race, I was there to have fun and do my best, but I did have some goals, and although none of them were fulfilled that's ok because I'm just going to keep on working until I reach them! The race was intense and I finished in 68th with a time of 18:14. The rest of team did amazingly well as well! Some of the highlights were Jason Lynch finishing first in the boys senior race, and Josh Kennedy placing second in the boys freshman/sophomore race! Those kids are crazy good runners, props to them! (To see everyone's times look at the cross country blog). Then it was time to go home, a 12 hour bus ride again lay before us. This time for some reason the bus ride didn't seem as long. We played card games and watched movies and just talked, it was actually pretty fun! We got back home at around 2:00 a.m. Sunday.
This trip was way fun and I think that the team really got to bond together a little more over the past three days. I know I got to know Kevin Lynch a little better, he being one of my roommates, and the kid is awesome! Plus it was just fun to spend time with your friends and learn more about them, and just spend time with them. Our coach was awesome, good old senor, he was so nervous about the trip, particularly some of the bus drivers and their rather mediocore driving, not too mention all the stress that comes with having a bus load of teenage kids to cart around :) I'm glad he trusted us enough to take us on the trip, and he supported us in our races and made sure everything went as smoothly as possible. Like I think I've said before he's turned the program around. A few years ago it never would have been possible for Hillcrest cross country to have made this trip, but he's trained us and trusted us enough that we've become capable of performing in a big race, as well as just becoming better people. It was a good trip!