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|  Race Report: USA Cross Country Championships By John Nepolitan February 13, 2005 Fort Vancouver, WA American Track & Field
Cross Country in all parts of the world is a winter sport, a time when
distance runners are building a base following a rest after a long track
season. In the USA the National Championships (World Cross Country
Trials) falls right in the middle of the indoor track season, thus keeping
many of the top collegiate and open runners from taking part. For many
runners this is the one shot for them to make a national team and
represent the USA on the international stage. For the top six in each
race contested over this weekend it means a trip to the World
Championships in France one month down the line. Besides a different spot on the calendar, cross country in other parts of
the world is a much different sport than what we find in the USA. In the
USA cross country is not really a spectator sport or, at least it involves
active viewing, sprinting from point to point on the course to catch a fast
glimpse of the runners as they fly by. Many of the courses in the USA
have a signature hill, not so in Europe. In most cross country races
around the world, including the world championships, courses are
rolling at best, and consist of multiple loops (many times each loop is
close to 2000 meters - 1.25 miles - in length). At major events large
video screens are set up so fans can follow the action at the front every
step of the way. The USATF Championships are not as flashy, and many times very few
fans turn out to see the best distance runners America has to offer, but
this does not make the competition any less intense or this meet any
less important. For the top six, a trip of a lifetime and a chance to
represent the USA will be the reward. For those finishing out of national
team qualifying spots, it is back to work with the knowledge you took
your chance at making a national team and as the gun went off, you had
the same chance at earning that trip as those who will wear the national
colors in France. An added reward for those who finish in the top six will be a chance to
represent the USA at a new event, the 1st NACAC Cross Country
Championships in Orlando. This race will serve as a final tune-up for
those making the journey to the World Championship.
Outside of a few members of the original lead group being dropped, all
the big names were still in it at 4k. From 4k to 5k Chock made a huge
move that broke up the field and as she came up to the last 800m, she
only had Pasciuto for company. Over the last 800 Pasciuto would pull
away for the win, and Chock would slip to fifth place, but still achieve her
goal of making the World team. For Jennifer Barringer, this will be her second straight trip to the World
Championships. "It feels amazing," she said. "I had been a little bit under
the weather all week, so the first lap I thought, 'Do I really belong here?'
And then I thought, 'I made the team last year so I do belong here.' "Making the team for the second time feels like I am forging my way into
a career I plan on lasting a long time. This is a good start to something
great. Hills are tough for me no matter where I go (Barringer is from
Florida where she has no hills to train on), but I kicked down two or three
people coming up the last hill." As an individual champion, this was Liz Pasciuto's biggest victory of her
young career. While a high school runner in California she never won a
state individual title. "At the beginning of the last 1000 meters Caitlin
(Chock) took the lead and I decided to go with her then with about 300
to go I put in a little surge," said Pasciuto. Top 10 Results 1 Elizabeth Pasciuto 21:50.1 Univ of Colorado
At the start Torres took control and as the runners came to the half way
point a huge group of men were still in contact and ready to battle it out
for the team slots. Past 2k Tim Broe found himself in the lead and now
feeling a good rhythm started to push the pace. "Coming into the home stretch (the halfway point) I found myself in the
lead and thought maybe I feel better than I thought and just pushed it
when I got to the front," said Broe. "I have been doing a lot of strength
work so I just used my strength. The short course race it is difficult to find
a rhythm. It is kind of intimidating, you are hurting and there are still nine
guys around, that is where confidence kicks in. My natural instincts are
to get away from people, but you can't. This race is difficult when you
don't get into a flow, it is like running an 800 - you feel so uncomfortable
the whole way, but when you're done you are like I could have gone
more. You get lactic acid in the first 400 and your not sure if your are
going to be able to finish, but once you do you feel like you could have
kept going." Over the second and final loop, Broe would work his way clear of
Goucher, while behind them a mad scramble would go on for the final
team spots. For Goucher it was a big step back to where he was a few
years ago. "Today this is only my third good race," he said. "I told myself
to go out with the leaders and let the race unfold. I didn't know what to
expect. It has been a really long time since I have been out and really
competitive. This is a big step forward - huge. With a half mile to go I
felt back in the groove and that this is how it is supposed to be. It was
tough, but a few more races and I will be back where I need to be. At
about 800 meters out Jorge Torres made a big move and you cannot let
a runner like him go so we had to go after him, he made it legit. There
were some doubts slipping in and out of the head. I mean last year and
the end of the year before I was struggling hard core. Things were not
happening the way they used to, so those doubts were slipping into my
head at least I am pushing them out and getting back on track so I think
a few more races and I will be back thinking the way I used to think and
things will come more naturally." Mixing it up with the big boys was Liberty University frosh McDougal
who would go onto finish fourth and become just the second runner in
US History to make the Junior team one year and a Senior team the next
(Dathen Ritzenhein being the other). Top 10 Results 1 Tim Broe 11:37.8 adidas
Summing up her effort De Reuck said, "I wanted to make the team and
go to World Cross. I knew the girls were going to go out hard and I have
a little bit of a tight hamstring and I thought I would not be able to stretch
it, but it was comfortable and I am glad the course was a little more
muddy so it slowed down a little bit. That made it more of a cross country
strength race rather than a speed course." At 6k the spots on the team were set but NCAA runner-up Renee
Metivier, who was using the old Colorado tactic of slowly moving up,
looked best and with 2k to go it appeared like she would sweep by
people and earn a spot on the national team. In the end no places
would change and Metivier would not really get close enough to
challenge for the final slot on the National team and would have to settle
for seventh place. Top 10 Results 1 Colleen De Reuck 27:24.0 Nike
Rupp was at the front and at the start of the second loop, and a series of
short surges over the next 4000 meters put him clear of Eagon, who in
turn had shaken DeVries. All three were on the team headed to France.
With just one lap to go all the places on the national team were set and
at the front Rupp was able to relax and enjoy the run home. For Rupp
this is simply a step to the ultimate goal, a top finish at the World
Championships. "I am defiantly peaking for worlds," said Rupp. "We rested a little bit, but I
am coming off a sore foot so I have not been able to get the best training
for the past two months. I ran 14:08 last week in Boise leading most of it
so that gave me lots of confidence." The race went just as Rupp had planned, "I just wanted to wait and
make it as easy as possible for as long as I could then started surging
and gradually picked it up. The focus has been more on strength right
now we are doing a lot of long intervals and a lot of tempo runs. That is
something that I had never done before. I can count on one hand the
number of tempo runs I did last year, now we do them at least once a
week since cross country training started back in September." The world championship races traditionally go out very fast, to get ready
for this there will be yet another change to Rupp's schedule, "We are
going to start doing more speed stuff like long fast intervals. I just feel
you have to get used to that feeling then just settle in the best you can
after that." Top 10 Results 1 Galen Rupp 25:13.9
"Nicole Teter took it out on us, I was just trying to get out because I was a
little worried about getting caught up in that first turn," said Flanagan.
"That looked like that was the nastiest part of the course. I just wanted to
make sure I was not going to go down." The slight foot injury has prevented Flanagan from racing and as a
result she was a little unsure of herself coming into the weekend. "I
really did not know where I was at, I mean my training has been decent
but because of my foot bothering me I have not gotten in the normal
training I like to do so there was a little lack of confidence compared to
most years. I feel if I treat it (the injured foot) aggressively this next week
and monitor it and do some cross training as well with my regular
training I should be able to still compete fairly well." The team places looked to be locked up after the half way point. The
only real change to the overall standings over the final 2000 meters was
a big move by eventual eighth place finisher Heather Sagan who moved
up steadily the entire race. Making their second national teams of the
weekend were Blake Russell and Lauren Fleshman, both who had
qualified the day before for the Long Course team. Making a return to
the World Championships will be NCAA Division III Champion Melissa
Buttry. Top 10 Results 1 Shalane Flanagan 13:24.3 Nike
At the front from the gun Ritzenhein had very little company as the only
runner to even try to give chase was Olympian Alan Webb, but even
Webb would give up and eventually drop out during the third of six laps.
As each lap went by Ritzenhein continued to build on his lead and was
never in danger of being caught. "I felt like I was not going to be able to pick it up, but I was going to be
able to hold that pace for a while," said Ritzenhein. "I have not done any
specific work to go faster than that, but hopefully in five weeks I will be a
little bit tuned up and I could hold that pace. It was good having Alan
(Webb) there cause it brought back the old days, so then it helped me
established a pretty good lead and then I just kind of held that and felt
the same the whole rest of the way." For the world championships Ritzenhein believes he can run with the
best. "I am going to go in there thinking that I can medal. I will not be
disappointed if I am in the top 10, but I would be shooting for maybe
getting a medal." Behind him Jorge Torres was alone in second while a safe distance
back a small group had formed which still needed to be cut down to
establish the top six places and a spot on the National Team. Included
in the pack was 4k champ Tim Broe and 2004 Footlocker Champion
Matt Withrow (a freshman at the Univ. of Wisconsin). For Withrow who
missed being eligible for the Jr. race by 5 days, it was a chance to run
with his heroes. "I was just trying to get a feel the first time out," said Withrow. "I am a
small guy compared to everyone else and I was getting jostled a little bit
especially around the turns. I was just waiting till it spread out a little.
Once it got down to six guys I knew this is the race and I knew I was
going to make it and then it got down to 2000 meters to go I was like I
just don't want to make it I want to see how well I can do here and finish
it off. I was running with Broe and I was going to stick with Broe as long
as I can and started thinking how do you out kick your hero?" Coming in Withrow thought he may have a chance to make the world
meet if all went well. "I knew if I ran out of my mind and if I ran the best
that I could I was like maybe a shot." As the laps went by not only did runners drop from the top pack until
everyone in the group knew as long as they stayed strong they would be
on the team, but many name runners besides Webb would abandon the
race including Luke Watson and Grant Robison. As the race got closer
and closer to the finish it was clear to see that Ritzenhein was in a class
alone. Following Ritzenhein over the finish line were Torres then Broe.
After Broe, the other team spots went to Withrow, Jason Lehmkuhle and
Ian Dobson. Paul Kezes who crossed the line in 7th will make the team
because Broe has already said that his cross country season is over
and will not run at the World Championships. Top 10 Results 1 Dathen Ritzenhein 36:59.9 Nike
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