Tuesday, September 30, 2014

News: NSIC Weekly Summaries, AOW; NCAA Rankings; PP AOW; HS Results



NSIC women's XC weekly wrap up is HERE, men's HERE.

NCAA DI national rankings are HERE. DII regional rankings are HERE. DIII regional rankings are HERE.

Lakeville North's Luke Anderson named HS XC Athlete of the Week by the Pioneer Press HERE.

Mustang Invitational results HERE(boy's), and HERE(girl's)

Chatfield Invitational results are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girl's)

Willmar girl's team 
Willmar Invitational results are HERE(girl's) and HERE(boy's)

Red Wing Republican Eagle summary of the Red Wing Invitational is HERE.  Northfield News report on Northfield's summary is HERE.  are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girl's)

Worthington Daily Globe report on the Pipestone Area Triangular is HERE.

Victoria Lions Invitational results are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girl's)

Monday, September 29, 2014

News: Medtronic Renews TCM Sponsorship; NCAA Weekend Summary/AOW/Rankings; College Results; Mile in My Shoes; Transgender Athletes

Medtronic extends sponsorship of  Twin Cities in Motion events, which include  the Twin Cities Marathon, the TC Family Events, and TC 10 Mile this weekend, for five more years. News release HERE.

NCAA weekend recap from USTFCCCA is HERE.

Three Griak winners selected NCAA Athletes of the Week HERE.

NCAA Regional DI rankings HERE

St. Mary's No Limits Invitational results are HERE.

MPR on the Mile in My Shoes Program HERE.

MPR on the looming and, increasingly politicized, debate over transgender athletes is HERE.

Boy's Class AA HS XC Rankings

Boy's AA Cross Country Rankings Minnesota Coaches' Association  
Week 5 (released 9/29/2014)

Teams
1              Wayzata
2              Edina
3              Stillwater
4              Hopkins
5              Minneapolis Washburn
6              White Bear Lake
7              Eden Prairie
8              St. Michael-Albertville
9              Robbinsdale Armstrong
10           Rosemount
11           Shakopee
12           Minnetonka
 Other Teams receiving votes: Centennial


Individuals
1              Connor Olson, Wayzata
2              Joe Klecker, Hopkins
3              Micah Mather, Highland Park
4              Alex Berhe, Rosemount
5              Ian Eklin, Wayzata
6              Jaret Carpenter, Wayzata
7              Chase Cayo, Stma
8              Sam Thomas, Edina
9              Bailey Hesse-Withbro, Stillwater
10           Matthew Lundstrom, Detroit Lakes
11           Andrew Sell, Minneapolis Washburn
12           Nick Wareham, Woodbury
 Other Athletes receiving votes: Adam Armbruster, Delano; Logan Ramlet, Edina​

Girl's HS Class A XC Rankings

STATE CROSS COUNTRY COACHES’ ASSOCIATION
CLASS A RANKINGS
Sept. 29th   

TEAMS                         
1.       Trinity of River Ridge            
2.       Annandale                            
3.       Lac Qui Parle Valley-DB                       
4.       Waseca                             
5.       Fairmont                                   
6.       Perham                                  
7.       Dover-Eyota                                    
8.       Minnehaha Academy                   
9.       Lanesboro/Fillmore Cent.   
10.     Martin County West                 
11.     Roseau                                     
12.     South Ridge                                

INDIVIDUALS
1.       Madison Schandelmeier   Luverne Area
2.       Emily Donnay                  EdenValley-Watkins/K
3.       Theresa Mueller              Trinity of River Ridge 
4.       Alaysia Freetly                Lac Qui Parle Valley-DB
5.       Maria Eastman                Holy Family Academy
6.       Beth Stevermer               United South Central
7.       Tierney Winter                WEM-JWP
8.       McKenzie Kirtz              Grand Meadow/L.O./S
9.       Kayla Huhnerkoch          Redwood Valley Area
10.     Anna Donnay                 Eden Valley-Watkins/K
11.     Elizabeth Schlafke          Annandale
12.     Janessa Meulener           Belle Plaine

Boy's HS Class A XC Rankings


STATE CROSS COUNTRY COACHES’ ASSOCIATION
CLASS A RANKINGS
Sept. 29th   

          TEAMS                    
1.       Martin County West                       
2.       Glencoe/Silver Lake                  
3.       Waseca                                           
4.       Minnehaha Academy                      
5.       Perham                                       
6.       Holdingford                    
7        St. Cloud Cathedral                   
8.       Canby/Minneota/LinHI             
9.       Holy Family Catholic                
10.     Lake City                                  .
11.     Mound Park Academy              
12      LaCrescent                                

INDIVIDUALS
1.       Shane Streich        Waseca 
2.       Ephraim Bird         Minnehaha Academy
3.       Isaac Overmyer    Park Rapids
4.       Andrew Zachman  Holdingford
5.       Mike Destache      St. Paul Academy
6.       Connor Schank     Howard Lake/Waverly/W
7.       Zach Carlson            Royalton
8.       John Roth             Lake Crystal/WM
9.       Zack Emery            LaCrescent
10.     Tyler Johnson          St. Cloud Cathedral
11.     Danny Radke            Mesabi East
12.     Billy Bessman            Perham



Girl's HS Class AA XC Rankings

Girl's Class AA Cross Country Rankings – Sept 29
Teams
1 Willmar                                          
2 Wayzata                                                                                                         
3 Edina                                                               
4 Eden Prairie                
5 Forest Lake                                   
6 East Ridge                     
7 Eagan                                               
8 Minnetonka                                  
9 Marshall                                         
10 Bemidji                                         
11 Lakeville South                                         
12 Moorhead       
Others receiving votes:  St Michael Albertville, Chaska, Totino Grace

Individuals
1    Megan Hasz, 11                                         Alexandria                                         
2    Bethany Hasz, 11                                      Alexandria                                         
3    Jenna Truedson, 12                                 Bemidji                               
4    Rachel King, 11                                          St Michael-Albertville  
5    Emily Covert, 8                                         Mpls Washburn                                              
6    Anna French, 12                                        Wayzata                                             
7   Anastasia Korzenowski, 10                      Chanhassen                                       
8   Tess Misgen, 10                                          Shakopee
9   Emma Benner,  10                                     Forest Lake                                       
10  Annika Lerdall, 10                                   Wayzata                                             
11 Jasmyn Armstrong , 8                             Red Wing                           
12 Lizzy Heil, 10                                              St Michael-Albertville
 Others receiving votes:  Claire Boersma, 10, Marshall; Samantha Hanson, 12,  Willmar; Emily Betz, 12, East Ridge;  Maria Berg, 11, New Prague; Hannah Oscarson, 11, Mpls Washburn; Michaela Keller-Miller, 11,  Wayzata; Anna Van Wyk, 12, Eagan             

Sunday, September 28, 2014

News: Griak Photos; Heaths; HS results

Griak photo gallery by Lance Elliott is HERE.

Three members of the Winona Heath family at the Elliptigo Champs  in San Diego is HERE.

Mustang Invitational results are HERE & HERE(boy's) and HERE & HERE(girl's).

Jaguar All Terrain Challenge results are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girl's)

John Hermes Invitational results are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girls)

Minnesota Daily story on the Gophers at Griak HERE.

Worthington Daily Globe report on the Griak Invite HERE.

Duluth News Tribune story on Duluth East's Keaton Long is HERE.

Duluth News Tribune results from the Hibbing Invitational are HERE.

Gene Niemi's Griak Photo Album

Roy Griak meets with the Menomonie team and others.  Even loans his
pith helmet to one of them.
Photo by Gene Niemi

Shane Streich(4407) and Connor Olson(4443) during the Boy's HS Gold
race. Photo by Gene Niemi. Wayzata won the boy's team title. Results
are HERE. Photo by Gene Niemi

HS Girl's Gold race. Anna French(3395) of team runner up Wayzata.  Individual
race runner up Jenna Truedson of Bemidji(260). Individual winner Samatha Ortiz
(91) behind Emma Benner of Forest Lake(2841).  HS Girl's results are HERE.

Emily Covert of Washburn, who was
3rd in the Girl's HS Gold race.
Photo by Gene Niemi

UW Oshkosh's Jared Carpenter(2434), winner of the Maroon DIII men's race battles
runner up Alex Ciesielski(2424) from UW LaCrosse. Results from Maroon DIII are
HERE. St. John's Thomas Fieichtinger finished fourth and Hamline's Ryan Peterson
seventh. Photo by Gene Niemi

St. Thomas' Erin Statz. Photo by Gene Niemi

St. Olaf's Jordan Johnson(2) and Bethel's Annika 
Halvorsen(1825). Photo by Gene Niemi
The cart used to pick up runners in trouble from the heat out on the course.
Photo by Gene Niemi

Matt Johnson of Regina(Canada) wins the men's Maroon
DII race. Results are HERE.  Johnson said after the race
that he and his team like running at the Griak because
it is good preparation for the Canadian national XC
Champs.  Photo by Gene Niemi



Griack kid's race.  Photo by Gene Niemi


On the Edge

Mike Destache approaching the finish. Photo by Jim Ferstle
St. Paul Academy's Mike Destache gave it everything in winning the Boy's HS Maroon race at the Griak Invitational.  "I couldn't feel my legs," he said about the final stretch of the race.  Destache led from the gun and built up a seemingly insurmountable lead, but as he came down the final straight the "wheels" were coming off.  Roseville's Collin Kiley was closing fast and ended up finishing two seconds behind Destache.

Colin Kiley stretching it out near the finish. Photo by Jim Ferstle
After he'd finished Destache was walking around in a daze.  His respiration rate was up.  His eyesight would fade in and out.  Thanks to one of the women working in the medical tent, Destache got water, instructions on breathing to get more oxygen into his system, a plastic bag with ice to put on his neck. Slowly things began to return to normal.  But even after he was able to walk around he said: "I still can't feel my arms."

That loss of sensation soon went away as well, but his experience gave a new illustration of "giving it your all."  Results for the Maroon HS Boy's race are HERE.

In the girl's HS Maroon race there was not a repeat of that drama.  River Falls' Annie Frisbie went from the gun.  Was passed in the last third of the race by Shorewood's Morgan Floresheim, but retook the lead with about a mile to go and never looked back.  Frisbie went into the race thinking she could win and that the battle would be with Floresheim.  When Floresheim passed her, however, she thought she would end up in second.

When she saw that Floresheim was not pulling away, she gave it one more try and quickly reeled in Floresheim and steadily pulled away to gain a winning margin of 12 seconds.

Race results are HERE.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Hot Town, Fall in the Cities

As is often the case, the weather grabbed the headlines at the Griak Invitational on Saturday at the sun drenched Les Bolstad Golf Course.  Temperatures rising during the day to reach the 80s.  As MTec timer John Magnusson noted there were 40 DNF's in the women's Gold race.  USATF Minnesota president Rick Recker, who regularly officiates at area meets, including the Griak, said he'd never seen so many runners felled by the climate in the finish area.

The start of the first race of the day, the women's Gold DIII. Photo by
Jim Ferstle
The hardest working volunteers were the medical personnel who had to deal with the impact of the heat on runners who weren't acclimated to the sudden burst of hot weather than enveloped the Twin Cities after a long spell of more typical cool Fall weather.  Don Timm, a Gopher All American steeplechaser who coaches at Coon Rapids HS, noted it was kind of a "perfect storm" for potential heat injuries.  The loss of heat acclimation from a mild summer and an early cold front. Combined that with a course that encourages teams to go out fast for the first quarter mile as the wide start area narrows quickly into a narrow path leading to the back of the golf course.

Shelby Houlihan(32), Emma Bates(57), and Crystal Nelson(184) dual early
in the race. Photo by Gene Niemi
As race after race indicated, those who went out too hard paid a price.  Arizona State's Shelby Houlihan, the defending champion in the Women's DI Gold race has learned, having run the Griak five times, is that even on less challenging days, the Griak course tests you and rewards patience.  "I learned I had to be patient," Houlihan, who won her second consecutive title on Saturday in 20:35 for 6K, the same time she ran in 2013, said.  "If you're not patient on this course, it will hurt you."  The rolling hills, the turns, and the narrowing of the course at the beginning make experience running the course a definite advantage.  As well as respect for what the weather can do to you.

Despite being from a hot climate and well acclimated to the conditions she faced, Houlihan, who was running her first race of the season, had a plan to run with the lead pack until three or four kilometers.  On Saturday, she surged and opened a lead around 3.5K.  The win kept alive her desire to go undefeated in XC this year and to win the NCAA title.  The South Dakota native said she worked hard over the summer to build up her endurance. "I know I'm fit enough to win (the NCAA's)," she said.  She had some proof of that as 2013 NCAA DI runner-up Emma Bates was also in the Griak race and finished sixth.  Bates was philosophical about her loss.  The Elk River grad had family and friends at the event wearing orange shirts with "We (heart) Emma Bates" written on them in ink.

While Bates wasn't happy about her performance, her objectives this year are at the end of the season, not now, she said.  Houlihan has a similar plan and says she approached the Griak race much as she will the rest of the races this season.  That's simply: "to run my own race.  Concentrate on what I can control, rather than worry about anybody else in the race."  Both Houlihan and Bates are also looking beyond college.  "It's always been a goal of mine," said Houlihan.  "To make an Olympic team.  To be one of the best in the world."
                                                                     **********
Gopher women's coach Sarah Hopkins drove past the team's tent before the start of the race and yelled to the runners: :"You're not going to an execution. It's fun."  It was the opening salvo of her pre-race pep talk, said Hopkins.  Like many of the other women's teams, the Gopher women had cheek temporary tattoos and/or writing on their legs to take care of some of the fun aspect.

Gophers Kaila Urick led the way for the women.
Photo by Gene Niemi
Hopkins was satisfied with the result. The Gopher women finished seventh in a loaded field.  She tongue in cheek thanked her mentor and former Gopher women's coach, Garry Wilson, who was a driving force behind the creation of the Griak meet, for inviting so many top ranked teams to the event. "We didn't have our best day," Hopkins said of the Gopher's results.  There were two freshman in the team's top four finishers and the effort did not take a lot out of the team.

"We can get right back into training because we didn't go into the 'hurt locker' too much," she added.  Next big race where they can earn points for NCAA qualifying is the University of Wisconsin Adidas Invitational on October 17, Hopkins said, calling it, like the Griak meet, "another stepping stone" to the objective of making it to the NCAA championships

Women's Gold DI race results are HERE.

Mead Leads LaCrosse

Laura Mead grits her teeth as she nears the finish.
Photo by Jim Ferstle
UW LaCrosse senior Laura Mead led her team to the team title in the Women's Maroon DIII race that began the Roy Griak Invitational on Saturday.  Mead credited her summer training for being able to take the
top spot this year.

In the past, she said, she had trained to hard, too much speed work over the summer.  This year she "took it easy" by simply doing mileage and tempo runs.  She didn't do intervals until school started and the team began to train together.  So, she felt fresh and strong coming into the season.

St. Thomas' Erin Statz continued her early season form, taking the runner up spot, followed by Macalester's Kimber Meyer in third.

Women's results for Maroon DIII race are HERE.

Exceeding Expectations

Gopher men's coach Steve Plasencia's decision to take the Gopher men's team out to UC Riverside this cross country season looked prescient as it allowed the Gopher men to race in comparable heat not long ago.  And the runners were willing to follow their coach's instructions to go out conservatively, then run a strong back half of the race. Results were a surprise third place finish n the Gold DI race at the Griak.  The top three teams in that race were separated by a mere three points, so with a little luck they might have even fared better.

Gopher men's top finisher, Aaron Bartnik,
who finished 8th in 25:07.
Photo by Gene Niemi
"We expected to finish sixth said the team's volunteer assistant coach Declan McDonnell.  Knowing the heat would be an issue, Plasencia told his team to hold back in the first part of the race.  Then, as he rode around to points along the course in a golf cart to watch the race unfold, Plasencia urged the team members to bring it home hard. They did.

The Gopher "chase pack:" Alex Brend(503), Christian Skaret(511), Blayne
Dulian(50), Charlie Lawrence(508), Obsa Ali(head, shoulder, and foot behind
Lawrence).  Photo by Gene Niemi
Starting out from placings in the 100s, the Gophers cut through the field with a pack of five stalking Minnesota's top two runners: juniors Aaron Bartnick and Adam Zutz.  Three from that trail pack: Junior Alex Brend and Freshmen Obsa Ali and Charlie Lawrence rounded out the Gopher top five at the finish.

The ever changing lead pack around mid race.  Michigan State's Caleb
Rnynard(711) takes the lead.  Race individual champ,  Nate Jewkes(801)
waits for later to make his move.  Photo by Gene Niemi
At the front of the race the lead changed several times over the last few miles with the final drama playing out on the homestretch as team champion Southern Utah's Nate Jewkes roared down the homestretch to take the individual title in 24:46. After the race Ali and Southern Utah's Ibrahim Amed got to know each other.  Each had been the fourth man on their respective teams.  Both had African ancestry and, eerily, Amed, like Gopher grad Hassan Mead, suffered from a collapsed lung.  Amed lost his 2012 track and XC and his 2013 XC season recovering from the issue.
Obsa Ali heading toward the finish. Photo by Gene Niemi

Gold DI men's results are HERE.

UMD Passes Another Test

The UMD team and coach with the winner's trophy
Photo by Gene Niemi
The UMD women's team passed another test this weekend.  Challenged by defending team champion Augustana, the Bulldogs were up to the challenge winning the team title with 74 points to Augustana's 97.They managed that feat despite "running through the meet," having done hard training during the week leading up to the event, instead of resting for the Griak.

Rivard(1061) leads runner up Sasha Hovind(1142) and her teammate
Breanna Colbenson(1051) who finished eighth. Photo by
Gene Niemi
The team's top runner Sam Rivard, won the individual title in 22:02.8, leading nearly the entire race.  During the week Rivard tried to convince her coach Joanna Warmington to let the team race in the Gold DI race against top ranked DI runners such as Shelby Houlihan and Emma Bates.

Friday, September 26, 2014

Griak Invitational Ready to be Run


The finish arch is up...

The runners are on the course doing a recon run...

The starting line is ready for the runners...

The legions are ready to welcome the legends to be....
The Awards stand is open for business...

The trophies are ready...

Let the racing begin...

The Wall

No, not that wall.  USTFCCCA is featuring a new element to their website, coverage of top weekend meets.  Today Virginia and Boston College, tomorrow Griak are among the featured events HERE. Note: Maria Hauger, who is a sophomore this year at Virginia, has not run the team's first two meets, including today's win for the woman's team.

Thursday, September 25, 2014

News: Charlie Lawrence; Mason Ferlic; Loyalty Programs; Bersagel; Marathon World Record; HS ResultsMSUM fund run; Gopher Griak Preview


Minnesota Daily on Gopher Charlie Lawrence HERE.

Mounds Park Academy grad Mason Ferlic and other Michigan captains step up when coach left HERE.

Colleges using "loyalty programs" to boost attendance at games HERE.

How many elite runners' "day job" involves writing about investments in Israeli Banks on the West Bank?  At least one--2013 Medtronic TCM champion Annie Bersagel HERE  It's in Norwegian, so you'll have to use Google translate if you aren't fluent in the language.

How do you set a World Record in the marathon?  Sean Hartnett maps it out kilometer by kilometer HERE

Mankato Free Press report Mankato West Invitational  HERE. Boy's Results are HERE. Girl's results are HERE

ZM/KW Invitational Live Results HERE.

Sun Current report on Edina girls at the Eagle Invitational HERE.

MSUM president runs 50 laps to raise funds HERE.

Gopher Griak preview for men HERE, women HERE and HERE.


Wednesday, September 24, 2014

News: RT HS XC Rankings; NCAA DII, DIII; MIAC AOW; HS Results; TCM Runner Tracking

Running Times HS XC rankings for boy's HERE and girl's HERE.

NCAA DII national rankings HERE.  Regional rankings HERE.

NCAA DIII national rankings HERE. Regional rankings HERE.

MIAC XC Athletes of the Week-men HERE, women HERE.

Duluth News Tribune summary of Duluth area runners at Milaca Mega Meet HERE.

Mankato Free Press summary of the St. James Invitational and Mankato West Invitational HERE.

Worthington Daily Globe summary of the Murray County Invitational HERE.

Worthington Daily Globe summary of the area runners at the Milca Mega Meet  HERE

Red Wing Republican Eagle summary of the Trojan Invitational HERE Boy's results are HERE, girl's HERE

Park Rapids Enterprise summary of the Bagely/Fosston Invitational HERE.

Strib story on Blaine's Sarah Olson and her pet cow HERE.

Rocori Invitational results HERE.

Nike Heartland Pre-Regional  results HERE.

Mankato West Invitational results are HERE(boy's) and HERE(girl's)

Raider Invitational results are HERE(boy's), and HERE(girl's)

Kingsland Invitational results are HERE.

MSHSL Facebook photo gallery from the Milaca Mega Meet HERE.

Track runners in the Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon and 10 Mile.  Sign up HERE.


A Bird's Eye View: Video, Eagle Eye, and Jumbotrons


A bird's eye view of the venue for the Brit' Pub Vault.  The photographer,
Wade Baird, thought it might be interesting to take an "aerial panorama"
of the event from above.  He went to the Doubletree Suites Hotel that is
next to Brit's and asked if he could take a photo through a window from the
hotel.  Those rooms were all booked, he was told.  "How about the roof,"
Baird replied. The manager said OK, and this photo is the result.
Photo by Wade Baird
Today's New York Times has a story about the use of modern video technology in high school football HERE.  Advances in the technology of  video equipment and delivery through cloud computing have brought video analysis and game films, a tool that has been a useful  for professional and college sports, down to the high school level.

In track and field the same technology has become common primarily in the field events.  The throws and jumping events are filmed by coaches and/or parents with a tablet computer.  At this weekend's Roy Griak cross country meet there will be a jumbotron that plays streaming video of portions of each race.  

Different advances in road racing came in the form of automatic timing equiptment that, decades ago, replaced the stop watch.  Today the races have chip timing that not only gives finish times, but splits and average pace per mile for all results.  St. Thomas track coach Steve Mathre and partner Dave Bodie started Eagle Eye LLC as a timing company, but as technology advanced in video, Eagle Eye has become a one stop shop for a variety of services.


The stated goal of Eagle Eye is "making video technology and specialized athletic equipment affordable for all schools, programs, teams, and club sports."  In conversations with NCAA and USATF official Bob Podkaminer, Eagle Eye found another market.  A video assist in the increasingly contentious area of protests in track and field.  The most public example of that being the protest at last year's USATF indoor championships women's 3K.  Podkaminer, who is the NCAA secretary-rules editor had noticed a trend in field events of what he called "strategic protests," i.e. protests that were not filed because of an obvious foul, but rather for "strategic" reasons.  

The long jump in particular seemed to be the target of many of these protests with the possible strategy to induce the targeted jumper to worry about fouling.  Plant the seeds of doubt.  The long jump also has different rules(the NCAA rules are different than USATF's) for determining whether or not a jump is a foul, which makes it doubly ripe for exploitation, said Mathre.  The difference between a clean jump and a foul can often be razor thin on athletes travelling at a high rate of speed.

So why not employ video technology to allow meet officials to quickly and easily determine if a jump was legal?  In addition to supplying video of all the events at the meet, Eagle Eye provides video "surveillance" of whatever event or events need such scrutiny.  Tennis, for example, uses Hawk-Eye, a video imaging service that follows the flight of a tennis ball and marks the spot where it lands.

Tennis players get a set amount number of unsuccesful "challenges" to calls on whether or not a ball was in or out.  When a challenge is made the replay of the flight of the ball and where it landed is played on video on the scoreboard in the stadium.  In addition to providing an objective view of where the ball landed, the instant video invariably attracts and audience response within the stadium as the anticipation of the ball in flight is greeted by an audible response from the crowd when it lands. Track's protests video is not broadcast to the stadium audience, but sometimes will get coverage within a scheduled broadcast where the only response is from viewers at home.

As the Times article pointed out, the advances in technology have created opportunities for sports on several fronts. Events, such as the Brit's Pub Vault, have shown how creative ideas on where to do an event have potential.  Using video at such an event could potentially add to the draw of the event even more.  A lot of the vaulters already use video for performance reasons, technique analysis.  Imagine a "jumbotron"/screen on a wall that features video of each jump, interviews with the vaulters. 

Some of the people at Brit's that night were not track fans.  Didn't even know that there was such a thing as professional pole vaulters.  But the atmosphere, location, and unique event caught their attention.  Ideatap studios made a promotional video about the event that could easily lead off the evening's festivities, and/or be played at track events and/or on social media leading up to the event next year.  Eagle Eye might even be able to develop a new market of providing services they could offer to the event.  

Just as the photographer Wade Baird got creative in order to get the "bird's eye view" of the Brit's rooftop,  others can use the existing technology to enhance an event.  Technology has been an integral part of helping the running boom in road racing, triathlons, and like events.  It also can contriubute more to the "legacy events" on the track.  The seeds merely need to be planted and nurtured to get them to grow. 


Tuesday, September 23, 2014

News: Rivard; Mahmoud; NCAA Rankings; NSIC Weekly XC Summary; UMAC Athletes of the Week; JP's Road Double; Eric Finan; Licensed College Running Apparel

Duluth News Tribune story on UMD's Samatha Rivard is HERE.

Strib story on Burnsville's Faysal Mahmoud HERE and HERE.

NCAA DI national rankings HERE. DII Regiional rankings HERE.  DIII HERE

NSIC men's weekly XC summary is HERE, women HERE.

UMAC Athletes of the week HERE.

Team USA Minnesota's Jon Peterson writes about last weekend's 10K/5K East Coast road race double HERE. Teammate Eric Finan writes about the USARC Champs 5K in Rhode Island HERE.

Licensed collegiate running apparel coming soon? HERE

Boy's HS XC Class A Rankings

STATE CROSS COUNTRY COACHES’ CLASS A RANKINGS
September 22nd

TEAMS        
1.   Martin County West 
2.   Glencoe/Silver Lake 
3.   Waseca 
4.   Perham 
5.   Holdingford  
6.   St. Cloud Cathedral 
7    Minnehaha Academy 
8.   Canby/Minneota/LinHI 
9.   Holy Family Catholic 
10. Lake City 
11. Mounds Park Academy 
12  LaCrescent  

INDIVIDUALS
1.     Shane Streich      Waseca 
2.     Isaac Overmyer   Park Rapids
3.     Ephraim Bird       Minnehaha Academy 
4.     Connor Schank    Howard Lake/Waverly/W
5.     Andrew Zachman Holdingford
6.     Mike Destache     St. Paul Academy
7.     Zach Carlson        Royalton
8.     John Roth             Lake Crystal/WM
9.     Zack Emery          LaCrescent
10.   Tyler Johnson        St. Cloud Cathedral
12.   Danny Radke        Mesabi East

Girl's HS XC Class A Rankings

TEAMS
1. Trinity of River Ridge 
2. Annandale 
3. Lac Qui Parle Valley-DB 
4. Waseca 
5. Fairmont 
6. Perham 
7. Dover-Eyota 
8. Minnehaha Academy 
9. Canby/Minneota/LinHI 
10. Lanesboro/Fillmore Central 
11. Martin County West 
12. Roseau 

INDIVIDUALS
1.     Madison Schandelmeier  Luverne Area
2.     Emily Donnay                 EdenValley-Watkins/K
3.     Theresa Mueller             Trinity of River Ridge
4.     Alaysia Freetly               Lac Qui Parle Valley-DB
5.     Maria Eastman               Holy Family Academy
6.     Beth Stevermer              United South Central
7.     Tierney Winter               WEM-JWP
8.     McKenzie Kirtz             Grand Meadow/L.O./S
9.     Kayla Huhnerkoch         Redwood Valley Area
10.   Anna Donnay                 Eden Valley-Watkins/K
11.   Elizabeth Schlafke          Annandale
12.   Janessa Meulener           Belle Plaine

Monday, September 22, 2014

News: NCAA DI Regional Rankings; USTFCCCA NCAA Weekend Race Recap; MIAC; HS; Hesse-Withbroe; Heimlich; Emily Gordon

NCAA DI Regional rankings from USTFCCCA are HERE. Seven men's Midwest Region ranked teams competing at the Griak this weekend: Iowa State, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, the Gophers, Nebraska, and Illinois State.  For the women there are five Midwest Region ranked teams: Minnesota, Missouri, Illinois, Kansas, and Illinois State.

USTFCCCA weekend race recap for NCAA DI, II, and III.  Has a photo from the start of the St. Olaf Invitational HERE.

Summary for St. Ben's third place finish at the Colorado College Invitational HERE. Results are HERE.

St. Thomas women's summary of the National Cathloic Championships and St. Olaf Invitational is HERE, men's is HERE. Women's results are HERE(scroll down page 2 to the non DI race), men HERE(scroll down to page 2/non DI race).

Winona Daily News story on the Jim Flim Invitational HERE.  Photos HERE. Full results HERE.

Strib article on the Eagle Invitational is HERE. Article on Stillwater's Bailey Hesse-Withbroe is HERE.

Winona Daily News story on St. Mary's Tyler Kircher's heroic Heimlich is HERE.

Team USA Minnesota's Emily Gordon's Athlete Biz page is HERE.

Boy's HS XC Class AA Rankings

Boy's AA Cross Country Rankings
Minnesota Coach’s Association
Week 4 (released 9/22/2014)

Teams:
1              Wayzata
2              Edina
3              Stillwater
4              Hopkins
5              Minneapolis Washburn
6              White Bear Lake
7              Eden Prairie
8              Robbinsdale Armstrong
9              Shakopee
10           Minnetonka
11           Rosemount
12           Bemidji
Other Teams receiving votes: Elk River, St. Michael-Albertville

Individuals:
1              Connor Olson, Wayzata
2              Joe Klecker, Hopkins
3              Jaret Carpenter, Wayzata
4              Bailey Hesse-Withbro, Stillwater
5              Ian Eklin, Wayzata
6              Logan Ramlet, Edina
7              Chase Cayo, Stma
8              Eli Krahn, Stillwater
9              Alex Berhe, Rosemount
10           Nick Wareham, Woodbury
11           Matthew Lundstrom, Detroit Lakes
12           Faysal Mahmoud, Burnsville
 Other Athletes receiving votes: Adam Armbruster, Delano; Justin Hytinnen, Farmington​

Girl's HS XC Class AA Rankings

September 22, 2014
Teams
1 Willmar                                          
2 Wayzata                                                                         
3 Edina                                               
4 Eden Prairie                 
5 Forest Lake                                     
6 East Ridge                     
7 Eagan                                               
8 Minnetonka                                  
9 Marshall                                         
10 Bemidji
11 Lakeville South                                         
12 Hopkins                                     
Others receiving votes:  Moorhead, St Michael Albertville, Chaska, Totino Grace

Individuals
1    Megan Hasz, 11                         Alexandria                    
2    Bethany Hasz, 11                      Alexandria                         
3    Anna French, 12                        Wayzata                             
4    Rachel King, 11                          St Michael-Albertville  
5    Anna Van Wyk, 12                   Eagan                                  
6    Jenna Truedson, 12                 Bemidji                               
7    Emily Covert, 8                         Mpls Washburn              
8    Anastasia Korzenowski, 10 Chanhassen
9   Annika Lerdall, 10                     Wayzata                             
10   Emma Benner,  10                  Forest Lake                                                       
11  Jasmyn Armstrong , 8            Red Wing                           
12  Lizzy Heil, 10                             St Michael-Albertville
 Others receiving votes:  Tess Misgen, 10, Shakopee; Elizabeth Klecker, 10, Hopkins;  Claire Boersma, 10,  Marshall; Samantha Hanson, 12, Willmar;  Lauren Peterson, 8,  Farmington; Emily Betz, 12, East Ridge;  Maria Berg, 11, New Prague