The cross-country season has come to an end. At state in Missoula last weekend, Finn Schretenthaler took first place for the third year straight. Senior Isaac Ramirez and Freshman Langley Hamilton ran incredible races, finishing consecutively. Also, Junior Devin Earl ran a breakout season record of 18:26. Sophomore Addy Boyce ran a career PR of 22:55, earning a box of Capri Suns from Coach Kirk Lentz as a reward. Senior Jude Johnson pushed through a fall in the second mile, rolling her ankle, while still finishing strong in her last race as a Running Ranger. The seniors looked back on their divisional runs and all the months of hard work that led them to this point. Each runner has his or her own story of attitude, perseverance, and team loyalty and shares a glimpse into the sport and what it has to offer.
During the weeks before state, all four went into a tapering phase, scaling down on mileage to focus on speed and form. Schretenthaler mentioned that the greatest reduction of mileage was immediate weeks before state. He had hoped earlier to break 15 minutes this season but confessed he had yet to meet his goal. In spite of that, he felt optimistic entering the race, satisfied with all that he had put into his training—extra mileage, and maximum effort every day.
Stevenson’s training also shifted to speed and form as the season finished. Instead of being time-focused, she focused on racing the girls around her while having a “competitive but fun mindset”. She was relieved that she did not let rain and low temperatures get the better of her performance and embraced to the weather as best as she could.
Johnson referred to the taper period as “polishing” giving up high mileage for faster work. She aimed for sub-23:30, meaning she needed a strong two-mile pace. Although she didn’t meet her desired time, she was pleased to stay mentally sharp even when it became increasingly hard to keep up with her teammate, Addy Boyce, at the end of the race.
Each athlete felt something different during the middle of the race as well. Schretenthaler said in the first mile being particularly slow, and he needed to re-jigger plans. Not bombing out early was difficult for him to think about, but actually made the race less difficult. He only made minimal adjustments and didn’t encounter any major issues. Stevenson followed her strategy too, taking it steady pace and trusting her training, pushing for a two-mile time her coach encouraged her to meet while chasing down Sidney and Laurel rivals. Johnson and Stevenson’s greatest challenge were the conditions: wet grass, cold winds, and waterlogged ground underneath their spikes.
Despite the individual focus of racing, collaboration still dominated the day. Schretenthaler never did get to share a work session with a teammate during competition, but later said that camaraderie was what mattered most. Stevenson also mentioned racing with two younger teammates, helping to drive them through tough stretches. Johnson called herself a mentor on a young team this season, advising and counseling others while striving for her own objectives.
Confidence was an ongoing theme. Schretenthaler said he knew he had won soon after clearing the first mile, feeling that he was in a good position relative to the other runners. Stevenson’s confidence came through mental toughness, telling herself that running must continue to be a pleasure, no matter the competition. Johnson learned that a quality race takes full concentration from start to finish, even when it doesn’t happen the way she desires.
In the future, all four took personal insightsaid this race does give him some confidence, but is still “just another step forward”. Stevenson, is just thankful running will be a part of her life in the long term. Johnson plans to continue competing after high school with club running, considering half-marathons and even a full marathon down the line.
