26.2 Quest: Cross Country Time Trials

As you are already aware if you have been reading here lately, my 13 year old daughter, Payton who is going to be a freshman this upcoming year is going to be running Cross Country. As you can imagine that makes me very happy and very proud. Both because I am a runner, and because that was my favorite sport when I was in high school.

This past week was the first time trials for her team. She has been training with them ever since school was out three days a week. I am not 100% certain what the time trials are completely for, but I am sure it is to help see where everyone currently is. The other thing the time trial is for is to determine who will be going on their summer running trip to Myrtle Beach. This trip is only open for the "Top 20" and the top 4 freshman.

Going into this time trial I told her she had a pretty good chance at getting in the top 4 freshman and encouraged her that way. She was not sure she wanted to go on the trip since she didn't know anybody and is quite shy. I told her not to throw the race just so she didn't have to go, that we wouldn't make her go.

The time trial was for 2 miles. I told her I had in mind what I knew she could accomplish, but I didn't tell her incase she didn't hit it she wouldn't be upset. I knew she could come in under 15 minutes which would mean a 7:30 pace. I knew this was doable considering the times we had run together and the 5k race she had just run with me a couple weeks earlier.

She was nervous the night before, she was worried she was going to let me down. I told her that as long as she ran her hardest and didn't stop to walk I would be happy and very proud of her. Now, if she "had" to walk I would be OK, but I told her she needed to keep running and not give up.

Well, the morning came and she went to run it. We were not aware that parents could be there so we missed the race. She was very excited and called me when she was headed home. She said that she came in 7th and her time was 14 something. As you can imagine, I couldn't believe she didn't know the "something" and it about drove me crazy.

I had to wait till the official results came out which stressed me out having to wait, but the results finally came out later that day. There were some of the girls that ran the time trial the week before because they would not be able to be there on the time trial day. This messed up her original finishing place, but only by a couple places.

The final results were in and she finished 9th out of 89 girls!!!!!!! That was all grades freshman through senior. Her official time was 14:06 - yes OH-6! She ran a 7:03 pace and finished well into the "Top 20" She immediately told the coach that she was going on the trip.... I guess finishing as well as she did changed her mind about the trip. :) She was the second freshman, she had one other freshman beat her by 15 seconds.

I am so proud of her, she exceeded my expectations by almost a whole minute - for two miles!

Tim Wilson - blog.262quest.com - subscribe - follow - virtual4now