Notes -- Upcoming meets, another H'ville article, Girls 4A West

• Happy Labor Day weekend!  Practice after early release today.
• There might be a Vandenberg running in this evening's ASU Covered Bridge Open meet at the Greenway, at 5pm and 5:45pm.
• Caldwell County Invitational -- Tuesday.  Coach Mac is looking for food supplies for sandwiches to feed the team after the meet.  Also, don't pass up the opportunity to run in the 4:30pm Coaches & Parents Race.  Tell Coach Mac soon that you want to participate.
• Another Hendersonville article in the Watauga Democrat -- "Boys Finish Second At Cross Country Carnival"
• Myers Park last night might not have been showing all their cards.  Their girls won easily anyway.  Preseason #5.
• Coach Mac informs us: "If you want to keep up with the meet on your smartphones you can go to http://live.milesplit.com  within two minutes after the last runner crosses the finish line you can see results."  There is now a link to this under Links, to the right.
• Wear your seatbelt! 

Volunteer September 7

Another chance to work football game concessions, September 7.

NC Runners profiles Watauga's Senior Boys, Darby #10

NC Runners this morning highlights Peter Vandenberg, Josh Anderson, and Bryan Brackney, including 12 minutes of video interview.

Also, these nationwide early season best times include Darby Middlebrook, with the 10th best time so far this year. Her 18:15 at Hendersonville was accomplished on a slow course.

Relay results

There will probably not be any official, complete results, but Coach Honea did post Watauga's.  (Thanks, Coach.)   GoBlueRidge will probably post a story (since they just reported results on WATA radio this morning). 

Each runner, whether part of a relay team or not, ran 2500m.  Coach Honea includes individual times.

Many of Watauga's runners did not make the trip, but the team still had 11 teams of 4 runners each.  South Caldwell won the Boys and Fred T. Foard the Girls.  Among Watauga Boys teams, Caleb Z., Travis, Joe, and Zack S. were fastest at 42:16, and 6th in the meet.  The team of Kaitlyn, Julianna, Sidney, and Brook led Watauga Girls teams with 52:08 and finished 7th in the meet.

Results -- not likely. Comments easier

Results for the relays at Alexander Central?  Maybe.  Probably not..

If you'd like to respond to anything here, it should be easier.  It is no longer necessary to do the word verification when commenting on this site.  Looked impossible to me when I tried it.  I was 0 for 3, maybe 0 for 4.

Wednesday meet at Alexander Central HS

For much of the team, there is a meet in Taylorsville Wednesday the Northwestern 3A/4A Relay.  It will be a relay race, so there will be Watauga teams competing against other Watauga teams, and of course against other conference teams.
(Is there really a meet Wednesday?  Not for Coach Honea.  "Wednesday – short hill repeats.   For most people, we will do loops . . . "  But don't worry.  There really is a meet.)

3:00pm bus leaves WHS
5:00pm meet begins
Supper immediately after meet
8:00-9:00pm bus returns to WHS

Directions to Alexander Central High School (223 School Dr, Taylorsville)   Map
(1) Take 421 east to Wilkesboro.  Go south on Hy. 16 at Exit 286A.  When you get to Taylorsville, Hy. 16 will go left/east, but go straight/south on Liledoun St and then left/west onto School Drive. (1 hour)
(2) Take Hwy 321 south to Lenoir.  Turn left onto Hwy 18.  Turn right onto Hwy 90 to Taylorsville.  Turn left at the first stoplight coming into Taylorsville.  Take a right at the next stoplight.  (1 hour)

Watauga County Schools get out early this Friday, but there will still be XC practice. (And an ASU meet at the Greenway starting at 5:00pm.)

There's another meet coming up next Tuesday, 9/4, in Lenoir.  A home meet September 12, and a BIG meet in Cary/Raleigh September 15.  The team will take only 48 athletes to the 9/15 meet.  It's another overnight trip.

Complete results, another meet Wednesday

Complete results from Hendersonville:  Honea--Boys, Honea--Girls, with comparisons to previous races.  Also for all teams and runners, NC Runners.

NC Runners has lots of photos again, although unfortunately from just some of the races.  Addie and Brooke.  Will beat these two to the line, with an 18:40.  Subscription required, so forget it.


Great results from top to bottom.  And for many freshmen, their first 5K race and their first away meet.  Congratulations!  If your time was not too sensational, be aware that Josh Anderson ran his 2009 race in Hendersonville in 25:32.  Just 16:37 Saturday.

Darby -- 2nd or 3rd fastest time ever on the Jackson Park course, despite the conditions.  18:15, 30 seconds ahead of TC Roberson's Brooke Gordon.

There is another meet at Alexander Central coming up Wednesday after school.  Relays!  (Yes, it really is scheduled for Wednesday, according to both high schools' and NC Runners' pages.)

Go Blue Ridge -- "Middlebrook Paces Pioneers XC Carnival":
"WHS won women 3K race with 33 points. The Pioneers had four runners in the top ten.  Lily Weeks led the way finishing second in 12:38.26; Jesse Wangler was third (12:40.26) and Carson Middlebrook finished fourth (12:41/07). Emily Kane was ninth (13:28.69)."

Saturday in Hendersonville, video from last Saturday UPDATE full results

2nd UPDATE:  NC Runners has full results now (and they're also here).

1st UPDATE from NC Runners feed: Darby Middlebrook wins with 18:15.  Watauga Boys 2nd.  Watauga Girls 3rd.  A pretty good day!

In case you're not there, NCRunners might have a feed of results for top runners, although they're in Charlotte for another big race there.  (Might have to set up account.)

Later, results should be here at NC Runners meet site and, of course, Honea's.

I'd missed this.  NC Runners has video of last Saturday's races, in addition to all the photos.

WNC XC Carnival teams and runners UPDATE Friday

The Asheville Citizen-Times has a useful article: "Record Field for WNC XC Carnival."  It will tell you who are the top teams and top runners for this meet, which includes a few talented South Carolina and Tennessee teams.

UPDATE Another AC-T article Friday: "Cross-Country Meet Grows to Record Size."  The home team's Brooke Gordon says, "It's awesome to be part of this meet after a really hard summer." (Thanks, NC Prep Track)

Have fun.  Good luck.

Hendersonville details

Schedule
Coach Honea is expecting many runners to get a run in on Friday.  Sunrise is at 6:52am Friday, in case that helps.

The buses leave WHS at 4:00pm Friday.

The meet is at Jackson Park in Hendersonville.  There will be 8 races starting at 8:30am and with awards, ending about 1:00-1:30pm Saturday.  Here's TC Roberson's meet website and NC Runners page.

Home to WHS about 5:00-6:00pm Saturday.

Directions
North entrance:  (801 Glover St., Hendersonville) Go west on I-40 to Asheville, then take I-26 East to exit 49B (highway 64W). Stay on 64 West for approximately 1.5 miles then take a left at the light (there's a Jackson Park sign by the light). Go two blocks to a T intersection, take a left to the park.

There was construction last year and we were given different directions, to the south entrance to the park.  That problem does not exist now (I got through last November).  It's probably best for the neighborhood to use the north entrance instruction above.


Map: The course goes around and through the 7 softball/baseball fields, the pond, and the tennis courts.  I think it also includes a crowded route through the woods at the northwest end of the park.  2 laps.

Provisions
Supplies needed still -- including a folding table and ice chests.  (Plus $20 for room and food.)

Last year
Some top results from last year's meet.  Watauga Girls and Boys from Honea.

Pioneer Club -- need volunteers

Ooops.  Thought somebody had this.  The team needs someone to attend the Pioneers Club meetings, which started tonight.  It looks like an Osborne is covering tonight's meeting, as so often happens when you need something done.  Thanks!

http://www.signupgenius.com/go/904084DA5AC2F4-pioneer

Coach Mac from Friday: "If each sport will get one or two parents to come to the meetings each month, that sport will be put in a pot for a substantial monetary reward for our budgets.  The meetings are the 3rd Monday of each month.  If there is anyone that could attend these meetings each month, please let me (Coach Mac) know.  They generally start at 7pm and last 30 minutes to an hour."  Or sign up on Sign Up Genius.

NC Runners recap of last Saturday's races

NC Runners has photos and description of what was going on at the front of each race Saturday.  Take a look. There are some minor inaccuracies: Wangler came from behind in the last kilometer to win the Junior Girls  race, and Wiswell led the Freshman Boys most of the way, losing only at the end.

NC Runners also has their Week 1 in Review post, if you really want to get into XC deeply.  A couple of "What did we learn this weekend?" notes:

• "Megan Sullivan, Darby Middlebrook, and Bakri Abushouk are in great shape coming off summer training."
• "Don't put much stock in the times the Watauga senior boys ran; they actually did three 3000m repeats, and the race was the middle one.  Michael Holland might make the difference for them."

Was it 2 miles or 3000m?

Hendersonville

Let Coach Mac know by Monday if you are not going to Hendersonville.  The team will leave Friday afternoon, race Saturday early, and return Saturday afternoon.  It will cost $20 for room and meals.  There is also a call for snacks and supplies.

1200 runners last year on a narrow course.  It can be a little rough in the woods.  The course includes a very steep but short climb.
Many good teams and runners:  Chapel Hill, TC Roberson (the host), Providence Day, Charlotte Latin, and Asheville School. 
Race webpage and NC Runners page.

Looking back-- Go Blue Ridge: WHS XC Dominates Clash of Classes

Results Clash of the Classes -- Complete

Honea has the Watauga times, with splits.  NC runners has the complete results here.

Watauga had 73 participants, despite some (minor) injuries and illnesses.  It was a beautiful day.

A few highlights:
The Bhalla sisters of Lincoln Charter won the Freshmen and Sophomore Girls races.
Freshmen: Josh Hall of West Wilkes kicked to pass Joe Wiswell, 11:15 to 11:19.
Sophomores: Kathleen Mansure won 2nd in 12:19 and Michael Holland 1st in 10:25.  Shelby Hickernell 3rd in 13:00.
Juniors: Lynde Wangler won, coming off last year's injuries, and denied Hannah McBride a 3rd straight win here.
Seniors: West Stokes' Jason Barber, 10:03, beat Josh Anderson, 10:18.  Middlebrook, Harman, Kosmala, 1-2-3.

NC Runners has 993 photos, from all 8 races:  Happy senior.  Focused freshmen, lots of 'em.  Freshmen Boys 1st and 2nd, 3rd and 4th -- Best finishes of the day?

Overnight trip to Hendersonville

From Coach Mac:

"I will need to know by Monday the runners who cannot go to Hendersonville next weekend for the Carnival.  It will be an overnight trip.  The cost is $20 for the room and meal money.
If I do not hear from them, I will assume they are going and will need to pay for the room."

Parking again

There will be parking at the end of Dale Street, if they open the gate.  That's the rectangle that says "Parking" on the map in Wednesday's post.  That's on asphalt and close to the course.  Those spots should be full by about10:30am.  Coach Mac has directed Watauga families to park by the swim complex, on the gravel lots.

There are several thousand cars in the ASU State Farm lot this morning.  (These freshmen cars were not there Friday morning.)  And there will be a few thousand more student cars driving into town today.

How to Watch a Cross Country Meet  -- Page 1 is not relevant for today.  I especially like the last (3rd) page on "How to Cheer for Distance Runners," with good and bad examples.  Also, if you yell the runner's name, make sure you don't get it wrong.

Previews of Saturday's races

NC Runners previews the races, excluding the 2 freshmen races.  Here are results from last year, with many of the same teams.  Of the 8 races last year, Watauga had the 1st place finisher in just 4 of them.  Hannah McBride, of North Stokes, has won her event two years in a row.

Some NC Runners comments:
Sophomore Girls -- "Pay particular attention to (Kathleen) Mansure." 
Junior Girls -- "Linde Wangler . . .  could join the front group."
Junior Boys -- " Keep an eye on Jacob Soulé."

Sophomore Michael Holland had a high finish on that run up Grandfather Mountain in July.  It's also likely that Watauga has several strong freshmen.

Teams expected tomorrow.  Welcome!

Alexander Central

East Wilkes

Freedom

High Point Central

Lincoln Charter

North Davidson

North Stokes

Watauga

West Stokes

West Wilkes

McDowell The Charlotte Observer's "Area High School Runners to Watch" includes Peter and Josh.  We knew that.  No girls' list there yet. Great job on volunteering and supplies!

More on Saturday parking

We still need volunteers and supplies.

From Coach Mac: "ASU will be returning this weekend so we will not be able to use the ASU parking lot.  Everyone needs to park in the gravel lots near the swim complex (do not park in the Burnley/Clawson parking lot)."  The Burnley/Clawson parking lot is the one closest to the river, along Hunting/Hunting Hills.
Gravel good.  Asphalt not good.

This is not the high school site.  Here's a map centered on the swim complex.  Parking for the meet is in the gravel lots along Hunting Hills or Hunting Lane: (1) across from the swimming pool and playground; and (2) past the swimming pool and playground, across from the Armory.  (If you're really looking at the map, Anne Marie Drive and Elizabeth Drive no longer exist.  There are softball fields and a pond there now.  Extra points if you can guess why.)

Coming west on Hwy 421 (from Winston-Salem), take a left onto Hwy 105, take a left at the first stoplight (State Farm Rd), go 1 mile to Hunting Lane (by the fire station) and take a left. The Greenway trail is at the end of the parking lot behind the fire station.

From Blowing Rock, come north on Highway 321, take a right at the first stop light in Boone (Deerfield Rd), go 0.3 miles and take a left at the 2nd stoplight (State Farm Rd). Take State Farm Rd. to Hunting Lane (by the fire station) and take a right. The Greenway trail is at the end of the parking lot behind the fire station .

From these parking lots, walk along Hunting/Hunting Hills Lane until you reach a paved trail to the left.  Take that paved trail past the (not-very-full) pond.  The trail on the other side of the bridge on Hunting Hills goes to the course also.

Map of Saturday's races UPDATE on Parking

Saturday's Clash of the Classes races will go something like this.  The green curve is the approximate course for the 2 mile course.  Starts and finishes will be by the covered bridge ("You are here" on this map).  The race usually starts by following the big loop along the New River and finishes on the "Clark Curve."  Heustess Hill is the only climb.  Go clockwise there.


Red curve at bottom is Dale Street, which is an extension of Shadowline Drive.  There is parking off Hunting Hills Drive nearby, on either side of the swim complex.
Coach Mac: "ASU will be returning this weekend so we will not be able to use the ASU parking lot (the P on the map).  Everyone needs to park in the gravel lots near the swim complex (do not park in the Burnley/Clawson parking lot)."
It's a hike from the parking area to the course.  The restrooms at the bottom of this map will probably not be open, but there will be portable toilets.

(Thanks, Blue Ridge NC Guide)

Also see Google Maps and NC Runners coverage.