Splat Shot: Cardinal Classic

Starting Line at the Cardinal Classic

Week two of the cross country season found us in Soda Springs, Idaho racing at the Cardinal Classic. This race is the first "big" meet of the year which draws from schools from Utah, Wyoming and Idaho. This year 17 schools attended which seems to be down slightly from the past, but still a good showing. Great day to race with cooler temperatures than normal for early September.

The Cardinal Classic course is a good early season test for the runners. The famous "Heartbreak Hill" (100ft elevation change) really weeds out the runners at the end of the first mile. You can easily tell the difference who has been training all summer and who has not. There also seems to be a few kids every year that reach Heartbreak Hill and decide that cross country is not for them. Never to be seen again......... You talk any runner what that has raced on the course and they will all mention the hill! Raegan has admitted this course is not her favorite.

Raegan posted a personal best on this course with a time of 21:50 (36th our of 96). Her personal best on this course was a 22:52 posted at the 2010 State Championships. Last year Raegan ran a 24:45 at the Cardinal Classic after missing all of her summer training due to an injury.

The girls finished 5th overall just behind Idaho Falls. A few of the girls did not run as well as they would have liked, but I think the season has a lot of promise. The boys finished 3rd and are really looking good after graduating their State Champion runner Dallin Farnsworth. Note: Dallin was ranked in the top 5 nationally as a high school student. He will be running cross country and track at BYU after an LDS Mission.


Cardinal Classic Course

Pre-race jitters. They had them at the line for a long time due to issues with the timer. Raegan (1399) looking like she shes going to be sick. Diseanna (1402) plotting her course.

There off! 5k of pure fun.

The first 100m is always fun to watch.

Running in traffic and trying not to get stepped on.

800m

Heartbreak Hill is coming!

Just after the log hurdle (right side of the picture). Reagan with a group of girls from Soda (one of the best teams in the state even though they are a 2A school)