The State Series
Maples and oaks leisurely shed their gold and crimson robes this time of year. They will soon expose their skeletal crowns to the heavens. These are unmistakable signs that winter's reign of cold looms. It also is a signal to all cross country runners who dare to chase a dream that they are now out of snooze alarms.
A tweet the other day from Joe Lynn, former Mizzou cross country coach and present Hillsdale College head cross coach, reminded me of this simple fact.
"That time of the year to start thinking about running fast," is what @CoachJoeLynn posted to his Twitter followers.
Here on the leading edge of winter is when cross country
runners shed their cautionary ways and run like they are unbreakable --
impervious to the wind, rain and pain that might stand in there path. It is now
time for distance runners to trust that their chassis will be sound and up to
the beating the best will force from it.
It is known as "The State Series" here in Missouri high school cross country circles. Any coach, runner or fan knows the magnitude those words carry. It starts with district meets for all sized schools held in late October in every part of the state. It then advances to sectionals for the larger schools, then on to the state meet at Jefferson City's Oak Hills Golf Course the first Saturday in November.
This is where those who are fast enough and fortunate enough to qualify will race for themselves, for their school, for their town and for whatever history -- good or bad -- they pound into that hilly, torturous turf.
Distance racing is different in that the elite runners and teams map their training to produce just one or two maximum-effort peak performances throughout the entire season.
Sure, the big early season meets are a great way to see where your training is and a chance to run against different colored singlets. But it is now, with leaves falling and frost covering your racing spikes, when your inner motor starts to wind into a high-pitched frenzy for what lies ahead the next few weeks.
The part-time runners who came out for the cross country team for the social aspect or to get in shape for their primary sports have melted back into the student body. The tone in your smaller morning stretching circles has seamlessly transitioned from playful to a more serious lilt.
The goal is within sight now. The cooler temps and still-dark skies invite a quiet resolve to a team looking to complete the final chapters of a season of work.
Failure is terminal this time of year. Finish in the top four as a team and your top seven runners move on to the next test. Fifth place or less results in tears and separation. Uniforms are laundered for the last time. Teammates revert to mere classmates. Goals unachieved linger to haunt forever like ghosts.
It is that time of year to start thinking about running fast.
Greg Hall @greghall24