The Footlocker Cross Country Championships happily returned to San Diego and its challenging route through Balboa Park. Racing fans were treated to two masterful front-running performances. In both the girls’ & boys’ races dominance was on display rather early and the winners were really never challenged.

At the end of the boys’ race Brian Sullivan of the South team gushed: “I can’t really believe that Solinsky ran that fast!” And in so doing he expressed the feelings of many. The championship race of 2002 was a much anticipated one, as this year’s crop of runners seemed especially strong. The West sported the services of Oregon’s ‘big three’ of Lauren Jesperson, Galen Rupp, & Alec Wall plus the California duo of Tim Nelson & Michael Poe. From the South Bobby Curtis & Matt DeBole as well as Ryan Deak presented a formidable trio. The East was headed by NY champion Michael Fennell while the Midwest could tout Nef Araia & Wesley Smith. In spite of the overall depth of the field Chris Solinsky was the most respected runner and the distinct favorite.

The race began amidst pleasant weather and no one seemed all that interested in taking the lead. As they crested the rise less than 100 yards from the start Galen Rupp could be seen nervously glancing from side to side to check out his opposition, which is par for the course for him. The course winds down a slight hill to just above a bluff where viewers are unable to see the progress and then curls its way back up the grade into spectator vision once again. In spite of this effectively the viewers missed nothing, for little had happened in the interim. Cresting the up-grade an unbroken phalanx of runners raced en masse so closely bunched that the race announcer simply expressed: “Pick em!” For my part even taking notes all I could jot down was Solinsky, BeBole, Jesperson & Trafeh but everyone was there. They were so tightly packed that as they rounded the turn only ten yards later Alec Wall had garned a slight lead – if it had been a horse race it would have been by a nose. It was near this point that they reached the ½ mile in 2:20.

Flowing past the start around 150 meters later they headed down another hill with Bobby Curtis holding a slight lead over Lauren Jesperson. Closely behind, as they rounded the turn, there was such a large group still, that it was a bit like watching the waters flow over Niagara Falls, dizzying, if you looked too long.

Winding along the flat as they approached “the hill” the race began to take shape as the Midwestern group of Solinsky, Smith, Araia & Stephen Pifer began to assert itself to hold about a seven yard lead over a second group headed by Bobby Curtis with Jesperson & Rupp a bit behind. Reaching the steep hill Mohamed Trafeh of California really pushed the pace and Chris Solinsky not only covered it but forged a lead.. The mile was reached in a reasonable 4:43 but the hill had taken its toll and the race seemed to have assumed some sort of its eventual order. Solinsky could be seen in the distance at the top with a lead over Trafeh, Nef Araia & Bobby Curtis with Bobby Mack of NC & Kevin Tschirhart of NY in the mix as well.

The Balboa course allows the runners a brief respite of around 200 flat meters after cresting the top of the hill, but then there is a sharp turn and a mad dash down a long yet steep hill ensues to challenge the hamstrings. It was here that Solinsky grabbed a distinct lead.. A bit behind Nef Araia maintained his hold on second while Wes Smith now moved into third place. Following in arrears was still a modest-sized pack which included Jesperson.

The Wisconsin runner raced past the mile and a half mark having widened his lead over Araia with Smith still trailing him. The time was 7:07 for the leader and it was near this point that Steve Pifer of Illinois forged his way ahead of Bobby Curtis to make it interesting. They continued on in this manner with Solinsky passing the two mile post in 9:37 but, although the order remained the same, the lead grew to find Araia, Smith, & Curtis even further behind. Kippy Keino surged into fifth place and was engaged in a duel with Pifer, Matt DeBole and Mohamed Trafeh.

Retracing their steps back at the start the racers maintained their positions until they reached the major hill for the second time. At this point any pretense of a race was gone as Solinsky was flying & the hill did not seem a factor to him. The lead grew to at least 50 meters. Wes Smith made a move too and was now in command of a ten yard lead over Araia. Bobby Curtis could be seen making his own charge up the hill in the distance to challenge Araia but the race was already in hand for the winner.

Solinsky, who will run next year for the University of Wisconsin, roared past three miles in a time of 14:15 & became the 2002 Champion in a fast time of 14:51: a time equaling that of Adam Goucher and one of the fastest Foot Locker wins ever. Wesley Smith added to the fine tradition of Ohio runners at Footlocker with a solid 15:01 for second. Bobby Curtis, despite noting that his legs “felt mulched” after the hill rallied with a surge up the final grade to catch Nef Araia & garner third place.

It was an impressive win for Solinsky against a strong field. It also was a victory for prudence, as he had intended to push the entire race until he saw the course for the first time the day before. Realizing that “the hill” would have to be climbed twice he opted to wait a bit before blasting off. Sometimes things still go quite close to the plans you make.

Girls

The girls’ race may have been more of a “coming out” party rather than a coronation for the winner, Zoe Nelson, is only a sophomore. For sure there was the crowning of a new champion but Ms. Nelson had not only been to Footlocker as a freshman, but she was expected to win as well. Zoe noted afterwards that she did not want to get caught up in all that was going on and just wanted to focus on her own race. She obviously did it quite well. I had noted that during the introductions and ensuing jog to the starting line that everyone was smiling and simply happy just to be there except for one exception: Zoe had an almost stern look and was obviously determined, which I immediately scribbled into my notes: ‘focussed – determined.’ Her facial expression made it appear as if she were on a mission and, once the race started, that was obvious.

With the sound of the gun the throng was off, although Zoe appeared slightly ahead. She maintained her pace but a group of runners from the Northeast moved around her & into a slight lead as they passed the ½ mile in 2:40. The pack was making an effort to stay with her but by the time the runners had made their way back to the start, having completed the short loop of the figure-eight course, Zoe had a distinct lead of about three yards.

Then the Northeast pack pressed again. To say that no one could have predicted this eventuality would be an understatement, yet the Northeast contingent led by Sara Powell, Caitlin McTague, Nicole Blood of Harrier #1 Saratoga, & Laura Cummings pushed the pace. As they headed for the hill Megan Kaltenbach, the Midwest Champion from Colorado, joined the fray.

It was at this point that Ms. Nelson made her move. It appears that she truly believes the old running mantra that ‘hills are our friend’ and she put her head down and charged. . She crested the top with a distinct lead, which quickly became greater, as Kaltenbach soon replaced by McTague tried to stay with her.

The mile had been reached in 5:22 and it appears that much had been held in reserve up to this point at least for Ms. Nelson. Super frosh Nicole Blood remained close too but Zoe had just begun her move.

Racing down the hill she broke the field. An ill Ari Lambie seemed to join the chase pack at this point but she along with many others was working too hard for this early point in the race.

At the half way point Zoe maintained about a three yard lead over a gutsy effort by Kaltenbach & Laura Cummings, who seemed to be struggling. McTague & Blood had fallen back a bit now and were being challenged by Kathleen Trotter of NJ. The cast of followers was beginning to change as Zoe reached two miles in 11:18 followed by Trotter, McTague, Kaltenbach and Jamie Geissler from Mead HS in Washington.

There was much jockeying for position in the ranks but there was little question about the champion. Little Zoe the dynamo had built at least a thirty meter lead and it was growing.

By the time she had reached the peak of the hill a second time the lead had grown so large that the fans watching began counting the seconds (1,000, 2000, 3000 until they reached 15 seconds) just to approximate the lead. Katy Trotter maintained her position as did Caitlin McTague and sophomore Laura Cummings also but the ensuing cast was all new: Amber Smith, Heidi Magill, Katelyn (“I love this course” & younger) Kaltenbach, & Meghan Owen. Nicole Blood struggled a bit but held ninth position. Behind them Amber Harper, an outstanding runner in her own right, struggled in 13th, and Megan Kaltenbach (the strain evident on her face as she pushed herself up the last rise) placed twentieth. Further back an ill Ari Lambie was in 22nd position.

To the vanquished among the young men & women this day I can only advise that there will be other and better days. I recall an inconsolable Deena Drossin, who in 1990 continued sobbing during the bus ride back to the hotel and hope that those, whose performances displease them, think about all that Deena has accomplished since then. Of course a trip to San Diego and a stay at the Hotel Del Coronado are great awards in their own right not to mention one great consolation too.

For many this was one grand event and many had fine runs. Chris Solinsky ran a time that was one of the best ever. Kate Trotter and Wes Smith showed that the biggest names do not always place ahead of you and Katelyn Kaltenbach proved that you can sometimes beat your big sister. Somehow, this day, however, belonged to Zoe Nelson, who shows signs of being a great one. This could be the first of a nice collection.