NCAA XC Championships

Unfortunately one of the best seasons in Utah cross country had to come to an end.   However, ending the season with an athlete at the NCAA Championships was a great way to go out.  I sent Alyssa and our graduate assistant, Shayla out to Indiana on Friday before Monday's championship.  Due to having several recruits on campus Friday and Saturday I stayed back to entertain them and then catch up to Alys and Shay on Sunday morning.  Shayla has become a super assistant coach and Alys is about as low maintenance athlete as I've coached.  So I knew they would be perfectly fine without me for a few days.  

 They arrived and had a smooth trip.  They attended the Athletes Championship Banquet on Saturday evening with all of the other athletes and coaches.  They stayed in a new hotel near campus which provided them easy access to all the things they needed.  This year's participation gifts were a rolling travel bag with the NCAA Championship logo and a stocking hat.  I also purchased a black long sleeve/half zip that is embroidered with our school logo and notation of being an NCAA qualifier for Alyssa.  

  The conditions on meet day were less than ideal (cold, windy, and damp).  It had rained the night and morning prior to the race, but was dry at race time.  Alyssa was her usual self....focused, a little on edge, but ready to run a great race.  She later admitted that she was quite nervous, although she never really showed it.   That is what confidence allows you to do.  Alyssa's parents made the trip from Reno, NV which I know gave her a sense of comfort as well. 

  

  Our plan was to be out in the top half of the race at a mile and then start moving up through mile two to the top 100.  From there it would be maintaining a good rhythm and finishing strong.  We felt a top 80-100 finish was achievable and if everything went perfect she would possibly be running for an all-American spot (top 40).  

  

  As she approached the mile it was obvious that Alys was back a little further than we talked even though she was out in 5:29. Per our pre race plan I would see her again just before 3K.  As she came by I knew she had moved up, but I had to take a second look to really believe what I thought I had counted.  Sure enough....she was now in the top 100.  She had passed 40% of the entire field in 1400 meters.  So what would she have left?  At 4K she was 94th (:13:52) and as she passed me with 500 meters to go she was 84th.  She made the turn for home and was still passing people up the final stretch.  She finished 76th in 21:00 in her first NCAA championship. That time was :13 seconds better than she had run on the same course a month earlier with ideal weather conditions.  She was only 19 seconds from being an all-American.  It was an amazing effort.  There is no question Alyssa is one of the best collegiate cross country runners in the nation after that performance.  

  After the race it was back to Indianapolis for the evening as our flight back to Salt Lake wasn't until Tuesday morning.  We grabbed lunch near the hotel and then hand a nice dinner in downtown Indianapolis later that night.  

  It was a great trip and after all of that Alyssa was back in class on Wednesday prior to Thanksgiving--a true Student-Athlete.  There is a reason she was an all-Academic District Team honoree during track last semester.  Below are a few videos from the NCAA meet.