Four C/C runners give it their best shot at state finals

Rogers City sent four runnes to the state cross country finals at Michigan International Speedway at Brooklyn, Saturday morning. In crisp fall air with overcast skies, the runners gathered at the far end of the field, all in anticipation of the year?s culmination of practices and races. The four runners included one boy, Aaron Smuda, a senior; and three girls, Lacey Kreft, a sophomore, Chelsea Kreft, a freshman, and Terri Schultz, a junior. Each runner had one thing in mind and that was to peak at just the right moment, and run his or her best time of the year.

All four did their best and performed with personal best times all around. As the runners heard the signal to begin, more than 200 strong in both races thundered down the course, some breaking early into the lead and others pacing themselves for the long endurance race to come.

OUT OF the infield and onto the course they strode, at first through a soft sandy area, then onto asphalt for a way and out through meadows and trails. Up hills and across hard and soft ground, they picked up the pace and began to thin out. By the first mile, many were already in long lines of runners or grouped in batches of six to ten with only one or two far out front and stretching their leads. At the second mile point, it became clearer as to who would place in the top 15, and some really began to show the strains of the race.

By the time they made the long trek back onto the speedway, and the course finish came into view, the runners were strung out and looked very tired. As they approached the final 5,000 meter mark they somehow magically ?kicked-it-in? and began running as if their lives depended upon it. Cross country runners are a special breed, and they know they must reach down deep within themselves to overcome the pain and fatigue. Their mental attitude must carry them sometimes over the edge for that last moment of strength and burst of energy to finish the race.

AARON SMUDA was running hard and came in 43rd place (17:15.40), out of 233 of the best runners from around the state in the Division 4 boys race. Aaron ran just 45 hundredths behind the 42nd place runner and was almost 65 hundredths in front of Michael Welch of Mio who placed 44th. ?Aaron was disappointed in his finish, but he?s already thinking ahead about track season,? said coach Pat Lamb. ?He had wanted to improve his last year?s time and ran almost to the tenth of a second the same time.? The first place runner was Stephan Shay, a senior from Central Lake, who led the entire race and finished in 15:35. Although Rogers City did not have a team competing this year, first place went to Harbor Springs (73), followed by Hudson (127), Vandercook Lake (164), and Bath (165).

IN THE GIRLS? 5K, Lacey Kreft placed 66th (21:17.35) out of 236 runners in the race. Lacey was running strong at the finish, making an attempt to beat out her nearby competitors. Wendee Hofbauer of Harbor Springs stepped over the line just five one hundredths of a second before Lacey, followed by Mattie-Rose Pennington of Sand Creek, just 30 one-hundredths after. Every split second counts as the runners pile up at the finish, some in complete exhaustion, others almost collapsing after giving it all they have in the last moments of the race. Chelsea Kreft crossed the line in 124th place (22:22.75), a full second before her nearest challenger. This freshman runner experienced her first major race with tough competition, and came through just fine with a three-minute improvement from her earlier season races.

Junior Terri Schultz, ran her best race of the season, when she flew across the finish line in 147th position, outdistancing her opponent Amanda Letson, of Potterville by just one second and only 45 hundredths of a second behind Peggy O?Callagahan of Hudsonville Freedom Baptist. The blur of runners at the finish line can sometimes only be distinguished by the el

ectronic devices worn on the runners? shoes as they cross the line.

?I THINK the kids ran their best, but especially the girls all ran personal records,? Lamb said following the race. The first place runner was Laura Rolf, of Rochester Hills Lutheran Northwest (18:29.15), who also led the entire way with her nearest competition coming from Katie Olson of Ann Arbor Greenhills (18:52.20). The Rogers City girls also did not have a team competing this year, but first place went to Traverse City St. Francis with (136), followed by Ann Arbor Greenhills (152), Big Rapids Crossroads Charter (166), and Potterville (228).

?Personally, I enjoyed the season and the kids did everything I asked them to do,? Lamb said of his first season as cross country coach. ?I enjoyed coaching them, and I think they?re a great group of kids.?

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