Team Winter

Winter's Blog

• [caption id="attachment_451" align="alignleft" width="201" caption="Humboldt Redwoods"][/caption] My fall running season had many great highlights. I had some unfinished business in the Redwoods of Northern California. Last year at the ½ marathon, I realized after crossing the finish line I was a mere 12 seconds from the 12 and under course record. This year I went back with one goal in mind, to not just beat the record, but to put a significant dent in the record. My coach, Bob Williams, told me to just beat the record by a little and save up for the next day. I had a qualifying 3000m race the very next day for middles school x-country. I would need to place in the top 7 of that event to go on to All-City Championships.
  It sounded like a reasonable plan until I got out there on the Humboldt Redwoods ½ marathon course. My legs felt great, the pace was easy, so I was back to my original plan. I crossed the finish line in 1:40:40. A new PR and a new course record, beating the course record set back in 1988 by 11 minutes and 11 seconds- fitting for an 11 year-old. I am not done with the Redwoods yet though. It is a very magical place and I love to run there. But more so, I love to just run and play and hike through the groves of the Redwoods. Next year I will go back to break the 12 and under course record in the 5k. Oh, and yes, the very next day I did win the 3000 m middle school event showing my coach that maybe the youth don’t have quite the recovery issues as adults. I went on to be the All-City x- country Champion for Middle School several weeks later.
  Junior Olympic x-country racing culminated in Hoover, Alabama this year. I was proud to be part of a great team this year, Bowerman Athletic Club. This is Nike’s youth x-country team and they have a lot of great athletes and coaches. I managed to take 48th at Nationals in the 3000m. I raced against some amazingly fast girls. Even more amazing, therewas only a minute from first place to my 48th place finish. That means almost every second a girl was crossing the finish line.
  With x-country now done, my coach still has me running around 25 miles a week to keep my base and I hop on my compu-trainer 2-3 days a week. Swimming is still 4 days a week with my local swim team. Every weekend is now full of snow. I am thrilled to be back in the mountains racing downhill for another great season. I will spend the next two months focusing on my Winter sport.
  My mantle looks bare where I keep my winnings. Right before Christmas I sent out my last two first place trophies. They made very unique x-mas gifts for two people. One gentlemen said it was probably one of the best gifts he had received in 44 years for x-mas. My National Championship trophy will now be at the Prostate Cancer Foundation. I chose to give that special trophy to Mr. Milken. He is not only a prostate cancer survivor, but runs the Prostate Cancer Foundation to help find cures for prostate cancer. I could think of no better person to give my National Title trophy to. I look forward to the 2011 season and have lots in store for Team Winter.

  Happy New Year!

  Winter

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