Cross Country Time Trials - Payton did Awesome! (Take 2)

If you are not already aware, my daughter Payton has just started her high school career and her Cross Country Career as well. You can read how her first races went by reading about her first 5k race (non-cross country) as well as her first 2 mile Time Trial as part of the Cross Country Team.This past Saturday was Brookwood High School Girls Cross Country's first 5k Time Trial of the official season. This race was run on one of their Cross Country Courses, the newest, at the new Alexander Park.

The girls ran their race at 7:30 that Saturday morning. We arrived just before 7:00 to watch the boys cross country race and to give the girls a chance to warm up.

The time to race came and Payton and the rest of the almost 100 girls lined up. Payton lined up about 3/4 of the way back in the pack and before I realized that she had done this they were taking off. If you read about her first 2 mile Time Trial you will realize that this is a bit further back than where she needed to start -- quite a bit! I mentioned to one of the other parents that I hope she pushed her way through the pack and didn't pace herself with the ones she started off with.

The leaders appeared around the bend coming up to the 1 mile marker on this 3 circle course. I looked at my watch and saw they were pacing right around 6:30. I immediately started watching for Payton because in the 2 mile time trial she finished in a 7:04 pace. Right on time, at just before 7:00 minutes she crossed the 1 mile marker. I was happy to see that she had made her way through the pack and was right where she needed to be - now just to see if she could maintain it for the full 3.1 miles.

The next mile came and went and based on where I was standing it looked like she crossed the second mile marker at about 14:08, still pacing right where she needed to be pacing. When she passed me at the start finish line I saw she was getting tired and I was worried she was going to start fading in the last mile. I waited intently and nervously as the clock started to near 21 minutes. I checked the time as she passed the 3 mile marker and it looked like she was still pacing around the 7 min pace with just .1 left to go.

Payton neared the finish line and had two other freshmen running right with her, one just in
front of her and one just behind. Payton ran up to the finish line and then stopped right in front of her coach. Since this wasn't the finish line the third freshmen following right behind her passed her right at the finish line. This was a moment to learn from and I am sure she won't do that again :)

These three freshmen finished within just a few seconds of each other with Payton's time being an awesome 21:54, an incredible 7:02 pace! Payton finished in 10th place overall....... that is right, I said 10th place overall.
There were a few runners that couldn't run the time trial and made it up a few days later. Overall there were right at 105 girls that ran the time trial which put Payton in 10th place out of 105 runners!

I am very proud of her and am excited to watch her progress throughout the season.




It will be our little secret that her time of 21:54 beats my 5k PR...... at least for now :)

12 comments:

  1. That's incredible! What a time and it looks like she is really enjoying the experience also.

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  2. Great time! Sub20 is just around the corner. Top Ten is awesome!

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  3. 21:54! holy cow! that's terrific! Beats my PR of 22:06, too! You must be so excited to have your daughter running. I hope my older so runs when he gets to high school... for now it's soccer and basketball....

    A big pat on the back for Payton! :)

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  4. Thanks all - I will pass it along - I am very proud and she is really enjoying it :)

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  5. Wow. Very nice result. And as a freshman. She has great things ahead of her in her Cross Country career. :)

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  6. That is so great! I bet you're getting a lot of joy out of seeing your little girl become such a great runner. Look out, I see sub-19's in the future!

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  7. Smashes my PR out the ballpark as well. Congrats!

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  8. good lord! she's got some speed!!! congrats to payton! i was definitely running 22's-24's in hs xc :)

    definitely remember - RUN THROUGH THE FINISH! in the women's world's 5k today the girl who WAS in first place got passed in the final kick and was in 2nd, then pulled up BEFORE the finish line and got passed and ended up THIRD. crazy stuff. i'm sure speedy p will never make that mistake again :)

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  9. Thanks all for the comments! I have passed them along to the rightful recipient :)

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  10. good lord! she's got some speed!!! congrats to payton! i was definitely running 22's-24's in hs xc :)

    definitely remember - RUN THROUGH THE FINISH! in the women's world's 5k today the girl who WAS in first place got passed in the final kick and was in 2nd, then pulled up BEFORE the finish line and got passed and ended up THIRD. crazy stuff. i'm sure speedy p will never make that mistake again :)

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  11. That is so great! I bet you're getting a lot of joy out of seeing your little girl become such a great runner. Look out, I see sub-19's in the future!

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  12. Thanks all - I will pass it along - I am very proud and she is really enjoying it :)

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