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ST. LOUIS – Some people race the clock; other’s race top-flight opponents. Parkview’s Cameron Byrley likes to race the Gator.
Byrley, a junior, knew the Forest Park Cross Country Festival course after having won the JV White Division as a freshman. Now he has added the varsity White Division title to his résumé with his 16:28.90 on Saturday.
Byrley moved into the lead after charging up the final hill and turned toward the long straightaway to the finish to see the Gator clearing the way. He set his sights on the new objective and gave chase.
“Once I saw that Gator in front of me … just let me catch him,” Byrley said. “That’s been my goal for a long time is to catch a Gator and I finally did it.”
Byrley said he was instructed by his coach to pace the first mile at about 5:10 and then relax through the second mile. He attacked the third mile, picking off other runners until he found only the Gator rumbling between him and the finish line.
The victory came in a respectable time, but Byrley said it fell just short of the PR 16:14 he ran at sectionals last year.
“I like this course so much,” Byrley said. “It inspires me to just get out here and ran as fast as I can. This sets me up for what I want to do at districts, and I want to get all-state this year, so it’s nice.
“Where I’m at is good, but I think I have to put in a lot more training and a lot more dedication to this sport if I want to get faster times.”
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