Official 2021 Eastbay XC Champs Live Discussion Thread

PEREZZZZZZZ

cramister wrote:

PEREZZZZZZZ

I would lean toward Perez also as we know she can go up and down hills.

Cook, and in an upset, Kenan Pala from Francis Parker in San Diego.

Pala ran 14:25 at Mt Sac and 14:50 at Woodward Park. He probably would have been under 14:50 if he ran the D1 race at the state meet, though he was pushed in the D5 race by Alex Mader. Pala’s by far the best runner in CA not named Sahlman or Young. In fact, in xc I think he’s better than Aaron Sahlman this year. He doesn’t have to travel for this race.

The speed ratings make it a toss up. May depend on how the athletes respond to whether they raced a week before or not.

I figure some of you XC enthusiasts can satisfy my curiosity. I know in the past the runners in this meet wore spikes. I never got an incredibly close-up look, but Verzbikas (just for example, since I remember pics of him) seemed to be wearing track spikes. Or maybe they're XC spikes, as I'll admit I'd be hard-pressed to tell the difference at a glance. Sara Hall, I don't recall; maybe I just didn't get a good look at the feet...

Anyway, I've been noticing a lot of flats in XC this year. Newbury wears Vaporfly; the runners at the Mt. Sac pro race were wearing marathon super shoes also. Maybe some of the last group had spikes: I'll admit I didn't see pics of all finishers. I saw something called 'cross country flats' mentioned in another thread and was not incredibly clear about that. Are they trail racing shoes? I saw footage that I believe was the CA State Meet pop-up on YouTube and although I didn't click and watch, it appeared that there was asphalt on the course, so I guess I see the need for something not spiked.

What I'm wondering is: what will they be wearing in this weekend's race? And what did they wear at the other one last weekend? I would normally have guessed you'd mostly see the same spikes they'd wear on a track but these days wonder if it's Vaporfly for most of the field. I don't intend to plug Nike and don't like them myself, but I AM observant enough to know that's what most high school runners wear as far as brand.

Forgive my ignorance! I have always raced mostly on pavement and don't own a spiked shoe. In fact, I didn't have a pair in high school. That shows you how much racing I've done on grass- not a lot! I have just be one use to seeing exclusively spikes for NCAA or pro XC over the years when I have caught a glimpse of it but it seems high schoolers often race cross in something unspiked. Add to that the super-shoe movement, and I'm even seeing those now....

So somebody give me an educated guess such as: half will probably be spiked, a quarter in marathon super shoes, etc.... Thanks in advance! I may actually watch this if I can get the stream to work for free.

The trend seems to be that kids who can afford them wear Vaporflys if the course is suitable for high stack low stability shoes. Your probably saw them at both my sac and Runninglane last weekend because those courses are suitable for such shoes. None of the courses my kid runs on in league are suitable for vaporflys because of thick grass, mud, lots of hairpin turns, etc.

My guess is that Balboa Park is not suitable for Vaporflys, but I guess we will find out tomorrow.

Man I knew this was going to happen, I really don't like the super shoes because of this. Running is supposed to be the great equalizer, but yet again the rich kids have found a sizeable advantage in something that many can't afford, sigh* puts a little bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I'm glad there are courses where they won't be able to get the benefit out of them.

rojo wrote:

Jonathan Gault predicts that Natalie Cooke and Gavin Sherry will be your champions. What say you?

https://www.letsrun.com/news/2021/12/2021-eastbay-cross-country-championships-preview-natalie-cook-goes-for-unprecedented-nationals-sweep-gavin-sherry-leads-boys-field/

Sherry is very, very good, but you’re sleeping on Hough in your preview. He’s gone undefeated save RunningLane and sub-15 seven times this fall, with none except his 14:10 coming on California-fast courses with real competition. I expect him and Bergen to contend for the win. You even noted in the preview that though Sherry ran really well at regionals, the previous course/meet record holders didn’t even place top 3 at nationals.

Who knows though, should be a good race and wish all three the best

I'm really rooting for Kevin Sanchez to get in the top 10. He was the fastest non-Newbury runner at Woodbridge this year as well as winning Texas 6A state champs by almost 10 seconds. I don't think he has a chance to get into the top 5, but I feel he can at least get into the top 10.

just for info, Drew Hunter was the last guy to break 15 minutes on this course, 14:56 in 2015 for a 206 speed rating.

rojo wrote:

Jonathan Gault predicts that Natalie Cooke and Gavin Sherry will be your champions. What say you?

https://www.letsrun.com/news/2021/12/2021-eastbay-cross-country-championships-preview-natalie-cook-goes-for-unprecedented-nationals-sweep-gavin-sherry-leads-boys-field/

No Newbury Park, so it's a little hard to get too hyped up about this race...

1. Bergen

2. Hough

3. Sherry

4. Pala

Bergen looked good last weekend but going to say it comes down to a race between Sherry and Langon.

Ethan Ashley is gonna win

I got no one.

I'm just glad this is happening again. I'm glad the best athletes in high school get to experience this...it wasn't too long ago that Footlocker was the only nationals race (2003).

It is sucky that the first time back its not FOOTLOCKER. I wish it was. return to normalcy.

avevie wrote:

I got no one.

I'm just glad this is happening again. I'm glad the best athletes in high school get to experience this...it wasn't too long ago that Footlocker was the only nationals race (2003).

It is sucky that the first time back its not FOOTLOCKER. I wish it was. return to normalcy.

I feel you. Use to be called Kinney tho so I guess normalcy is a name change every 20 years

Routing for the Midwest - Riley Hough and Riley Stewart - some good hill runners!!

Dark horse pick on the girls side is Bob Kennedy's daughter, Sophia - hoping she can "roll" down the hill just as good as her Dad once did!

Wise Old Man wrote:

In fact, in xc I think he’s better than Aaron Sahlman this year.

huh

On the girls side, I predict 10th place EMW finisher Lauren Pansegrau equals or betters her regional finish. She fell during the regional and clawed her way back up to 10th to qualify which says a lot about her mental toughness.

Miss Pansegrau had an immense impact on Wisconsin spectators last spring when she doubled with an alternate season state cross country meet win in 16:57 and then a 10:13.93 3200 in Palatine, IL that same night. Such that people in the Wisconsin track world have suggested the first Saturday in May be named after her. The performances that day went beyond the scope of high school running and were symbolic of the return to normalcy after the pandemic. She is widely regarded as a class act and hero.

Pressure is off now, she has a bit more elbow room in the race and she is an extremely deserving young lady. Watch for the name!