Bob Firman Invitational

It's hard to believe the cross country season is in full swing and almost half over.  One of the races Raegan looks forward to every year is the Bob Firman Invitational.  This was a large meet with 94 teams (940 Girls, 1344 Boys) participating from all over the Northwest (Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Utah....).  The Bob Firman is held at Eagle Island State Park in Boise, Idaho.

Raegan really likes the Eagle Island Course and the race has the added bonus of being an overnight trip for the kids.  The course is two loops around the lake on mostly flat terrain.  The running surface is primarily a dirt trail with areas of sand and grass.  There is one small hill that is known as "spectator hill" which creates some excitement.

Eagle Island Cross Country Course

  The course is considered to be one of the faster courses in the state.  Raegan had a goal to finish under 21:00.  She had a great race and finished 48th (249) in the Varsity Division I (Large Schools) with a personal best time of 21:08.

Coach Guldin give Raegan his customary pre-race handshake

Running the "Fox Trail" a little over 800m into the race

About 1500m into the race just before hitting "the beach".

Looking forward to running on the beach.

Late summer fires in Idaho, Washington and Oregon are making for a very hazy day.

The start of about 200m of sand..... on "the beach"

Raegan running "the beach".

Everyone usually runs close to the shore where the sand contains the most moisture. 

Raegan starts up "spectator hill"

The first of two climbs on this hill.

Second loop on "fox trail"

Raegan has just finished her second leg on "the beach" about 1000m from home.

Just coming down the backside of "spectator hill"

800m to go.

Rounding the corner to get to "Poplar Lane"

Hanging tough!

Running "Poplar Lane" with about 400m to go.

PR at the Eagle Island Course.  Note the "train wreck" in the shoot.  These girls give their all!

Marilyn and Madison give Raegan a post race hug.....

Some of Raegan's teammates all smiles after the race........

Summer Fires

We have had incredible weather this past few months.  Moderate temperatures, light to no wind, and "cloudless" sky's.  Ideal weather for getting the telescope out and doing some nighttime observing! The catch?  Heavy haze due to the numerous fires ongoing in Idaho, Washington and Oregon.  This haze has been a staple in Eastern Idaho since early August.  On Friday, September 21st, the haze was particularly bad.  I was amazed at how much the sun was obscured even 30+ degrees above the horizon.  We were traveling to Boise to watch Raegan run at the Bob Firman Invitational when I stopped to take a few pictures of the setting sun.

Satellite image of the fires in Idaho taken in September 2012.  Pocatello would be near the bottom right of this image.  These fires contributed to the hazy conditions we had from late July through late September.

Taken just outside of Mountain Home, Idaho.  It was a specifically bad day for smoke in Idaho!

Note the sunspot visible through a 300mm lens.  No filters.

Cropped view of the image above.  This image looks very similar to the images I took with a solar filter through my telescope.  The sunspot 1575 is visible in the 10 o'clock position .

Franklin Cheer

If there is one thing Kennedy loves to do, it would have to be dancing and cheering.  As I have taken pictures of my family at various events, I have noticed that Kennedy has a "special" smile when she is performing on the dance floor or cheering at a game. This year Kennedy made the Franklin Cheer Squad.  I think I will be attending a lot of junior high sporting events and cheer competitions in the near future.....

Franklin Cheer

Kennedy cheering at a recent volleyball game.

TIger/Grizz Invitational

The Tiger/Griz Invitational was held this week in Idaho Falls, Idaho.  Another popular race with 28 teams from Utah, Wyoming, Montana and Idaho in attendance.  This is course is relativity flat with small rolling hills and one water crossing.  Raegan ran another 21:50.  This is the third week in a row where she has run almost identical times (she is consistent!).  Raegan has some personal goals in mind and is not completely satisfied with her results.  She finished 23rd (110 participants) in the "Varsity A" race just thee spots from the medal platform.

Coach Gulden giving some last minute advice to his girls.

Always ends with a handshake and a good luck..........

Just about every picture I have of Raegan at the line has this same look of "I'm going to be sick"........

The line at the Tiger/Grizz

The first 100m

Lots of traffic and a thundering heard of runners makes for a lot of excitement at the beginning of every race.

Raegan negotiates some traffic.

A large heard of girls....  Where is Raegan?

Found her!  Can you?

Raegan at the water crossing.  Just when I was about to snap a picture, someone stuck there arm out &$^&#*$

2000m down, 3000m to go,  looking good.

Up the hill for the 4th time in the last 400m.  Legs are burning!

Still looking strong.

About 1600m to go.  Marilyn cheering on Raegan....  (sunglasses on the left)

Holding strong.

100m to go.

100m to go with four girls chasing her down.

Lots of yelling a screaming as the runners head down the shoot.

30m to go. .............

The girl from Teton is giving it one last push.

Giving it the all.....

Hangs on!  Raegan has really worked hard on her kick.  Two years ago, all four girls would have passed her.  Nice job Raegan.

Found a better place to a catch the boys at the water.  Brian Grigg goes all in!

Lots more smiles when its all over!!!

The girls team tied with Idaho Falls for 2nd place (given 3rd place based on our 6th runner). Our boys finished 4th. This week both the boys and girls are ranked as "bubble teams" to finish in the top 6 at the state level.  Presli Hutchison , DeSeanna Kilgore, Kaden Clay and D'Artagnan  Kilgore are ranked top 20 in the state 5A Rankings.

Dutch Oven Chocolate Cake

This was my first attempt at cooking with a dutch oven.  I decided to start trying out desserts and learn a few skills before I move on.   We had a family BBQ on Labor Day so I decided give it a shot.  I searched the Internet for some recipes that looked inviting.  I found what I was looking for on Byron's Dutch Oven Recipes web page.

The recipe for Chocolate Lovers Delight: (Marilyn loves chocolate so how could I go wrong)

1 1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 cup light brown sugar
1 (10 oz) bag of minature marshmellows
1 chocolate cake mix, prepared as directed
6 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Looks good.......

 Line the bottom and sides of a 12" Dutch oven with heavy foil. Mix the water, cocoa powder, and brown sugar together and pour into the Dutch oven. Add marshmallows and spread them out evenly. Pour prepared chocolate cake mix over marshmallows. Sprinkle chocolate chips over cake batter.
Cover oven and bake using 8-10 briquettes bottom and 14-16 briquettes top for 60 minutes.
Serve warm with ice cream.
Serves: 10-12

Raegan's motivation to help? The cake mix batter all to herself......

 Overall, things turned out pretty well.  I think I had too much heat on the bottom and overcooked it a bit.  I also need to get foil which will cover in one sheet.  The sugared mix on the bottom made for a sticky mess and leaked through the seam. It was not fun to clean up.

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)

Reagan shadowing one of her nemesis from Idaho Falls (1418).  Dennis the Menace......

Looking pretty strong with about 1600m to go.

100m to go.  Legs are burning!

Reagan has been working on her kick and is improving.

Good stride.  70m left

None shall pass!!

Running the shoot is always exciting.  Mom (in red) cheering Raegan on.

Almost home!