Meet of Champions - 11/3/18
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Sophia Pulling Away for the Win!
What a fun week! With only the three Reynolds, Emma, and a showing by Maizie, the remaining team members travelled all over for practice. Monday was intervals at NHTI, Tuesday was a run at Mast Yard, Wednesday was intervals on a poopy cow field near Welch, and Friday saw us at Mines Falls previewing the wet course followed by a dinner at Uno’s.
While the rain mostly finished by the time the race started, all the water remained on a boggy Mines Falls course. Julia Robitaille, looking to avenge her loss of a week ago, got out to a fast start regardless. Ever patient, Sophia bided her time over the first half of the course, chasing by as many as 10 seconds. Almost instantly, it seemed to spectators, Sophia shut the gap down (right at the planned point), and by mile 2 was in the lead. Over the last mile she pulled away for a 13 second victory, marking the 2nd ever MOC victory by an MVXC runner, and the first runner ever under the 18 minute mark! Emma, looking forward to the fast MOC course, didn’t let the sloppy conditions dampen her effort, as she maintained position throughout the entire race, even catching a couple on the final hill to place an amazing 31st, and running her first ever sub-20 race.
In the boys race, DRen got off to an excellent start, setting himself up well by the halfway mark. Speedy running up front eventually let the top two pull away, but David hung on in 5th for most of the second half, before kicking (and barely holding off a late charge) to place 4th and another trip to New Englands. Matt, meanwhile, did have a decent start but ran into trouble in the mud and lost some time over the first mile. He was able to regroup and run a solid race, placing 45th and 14th among DII runners.