UHS Cross Country 2011

Saturday, October 8th, 2011.  The forecast is for cool temps and a little bit of rain.  The Bulldogs are looking forward to cooler weather and fast tracks so they can post some fast times.  We pull into Mead High School for the Patriot League Meet in the middle of a light drizzle.  Looks like it could be the day we've been looking for.

The Girls Team prepares to run.  It's a little cooler than we hoped for, but at least it's not raining.  Everyone adds a layer or two, and we're ready.

Two of our girls run PR's (personal records), but it's not enough.  The Bulldogs finish 8th on a cold, dreary day. 

Time for the Varsity Boys to be ready.  They finish their last minute preparations while Coach Christensen checks his notes.  It's still cold, but we're hoping the rain doesn't start up again.

The Boys Team jumps out to a great start!  All 8 Varsity runners today are in the front of the pack.

Unfortunately the rain has come, and along with it the winds.  As the runners head to the finish line the rain is coming hard & fast into their faces.  Garrett Coles turns the corner for his final 80 meters to finish 2nd in League in 2011.  

Garret Roberts forces himself against the wind & rain to a 5th place finish in League and earns Patriot League All-Conference status.

Dan Eberhard kicks out his final 80 meters and works his way to a 7th place, All-Conference Patriot League finish.

As the rain pelts hard & the wind gets worse, Alex Breen fights his way to a top 20 finish - 17th place. 

Sam Rhoton kicks in hard against the weather and also pulls a top 20 finish - #16 in the Patriot League in 2011.

Kelton Lightfoot becomes the 6th Bulldog to finish in the top 20, at number 20.  Notice Kelton's rain-soaked shirt as he guts out the finish.

As the rain and wind continue to worsen, Jordan Perkins fights his way to the end.  JP finishes 1 out of the top 20.  Notice the angle of the rain behind JP.

Andres Flores leans hard into the rain & wind on the way to his finish - just out of the top 20, but a hard-fought race just the same.

The Bulldogs Boys Team finishes 1st in the Patriot League.  It hasn't been pretty - in fact it's gotten progressively colder and wetter during the race.  Everyone struggles to pick up the camp and get things into the bus before the wind blows them away.  One canopy is damaged by the wind and will have to be replaced.

Erin Schwartz guts out a race against time.....and the frigid cold.  With rain blasting into her face, Erin works her way to the finish.  It's not easy but Erin won't back down to the weather.

The rain & wind haven't let up, and some teams have gone home.  But the Bulldogs Junior Varsity Team looks the frozen weather in the eye and spits into it's face!  (Of course, they'll pay for that!). The boys are going to run with every piece of warm-weather gear they can use, but they're going to run.  There's no quitters here.  These are Bulldogs, after all.

The race is about to start.  Time for a few last thoughts......or another grin at how ridiculous this thing is!!

There they go - hootin' and hollerin' about how nutty this is.  But they won't be stopped.  Sorry boys, the camera is going off to a warm place for now.  But we salute your spirit and the drive that makes you Bulldogs through and through!