US News
Cross Country
National Finals
12/14/02 at Balboa Park, San Diego CA

Ricky's Notes and Quotes - Girls

by Ricky Quintana

The girls were the first to start. After the lengthy introduction, the runners were given just a minute or so before the gun went off.

The start begins with a slight up hill on a grass surface. The runners then funnel into a three person wide wood chip covered path. The runners could run outside the path in some parts, but the wood chips were thicker in that area.
Once the runners settled into this area, some runners, including Katelyn Kaltenbach, could be seen being bumped around pretty good. It was enough that it knocked her off the path. Heidi Magill, the sensational 800m runner from Utah, took the early lead.

The runners made their way down the path which then curved back up the hill towards the half mile mark. The pack stayed tightly together with no one taking the lead. Most of the runners chose to sit back during the first half mile.

Caitlin McTague was not in awe of the field and approaching the mile mark had a five meter lead. Behind her was a chase pack of four including Zoe Nelson, Megan Kaltenbach, Laura Cummings, Nicole Blood and Ari Lambie. At the mile, hit in 5:20, McTague was still the leader, but it was to be short lived. Zoe Nelson, who has a knack for running hills, powered her way up into the lead. Megan Kaltenbach covered the move as did McTague, Blood and Cummings. Another 3 meters back was Amber Smith, Katy Trotter and Sunni Olding.

The race made a long gradual ascent towards the start/finish area and then started the second loop. The two mile was hit in 11:19 and Nelson continued to lead over Kaltenbach opening a little more daylight. After the two mile, the runners began to descend before tackling the hill for the second time . Kaltenbach was five meters down and losing ground with a chase pack led by Trotter bearing down.

Nearing the hill, Nelson continued to pour it on. She charged up the hill, head slightly cocked, seeming to gain strength with every step. Trotter caught Kaltenbach on the descent and in turn was passed by Cummings and McTague who led Trotter up the hill. Olding was next, followed by Geissler, Katelyn Katenbach, Megan Kaltenbach, Blood, Owen, Smith, Sikes, Magill and Harper.. Kate Niehaus stumbled off the course just before beginning the hill and did not finish.

Nelson barreled down the hill and then used the long ascent toward the finish to gain even more on the field. She won handily. Trotter, with her twin sister, Amanda, cheering her on was able to pass the surprising duo of McTague and Cummings on the last ascent. Smith and Magill rallied best after the hill and were able to collar fifth and sixth place.

Here is what they said after the race:

Zoe Nelson
"I never expected this to happen. I was hoping it would happen. I really didn't know what to expect. I'm just really happy"
On breaking away so easily
" I didn't think so [being able to break away so easily]. I took the lead and I thought they were going to come back up on me. They never did. With about half mile left, I started thinking that I probably had it, but I still didn't quit. I just kept going just to make sure."

Katy Trotter

"It was really hot. I'm not used to this weather, but it turned out just they way I wanted to. I followed my race plan exactly. I don't think it could have gone better."
On her sitting back early
" They  did go out pretty hard. At northeast regionals, everyone went flying out. I just hung to the back. I realized  that if I focused on picking off one person at a time, it would go my way."
On the last half mile
" I guess I just wanted it more. Laura Cummings pushed me. They're great girls and great runners. I'm just so honored to be here."

Katy Trotter (green singlet) is congratulated by her coach and Suzy Favor
as both Katy and twin sister Amanda (yellow jacket), who cheered from the sidelines,
are shedding tears of joy for Katy's great second place showing.


Ari Lambie
" I didn't feel 100% coming in. I didn't want to really tell anyone that. I thought that would get my spirits lower. I felt a little faint and queasy doing strides, but I still wanted to give it my all and I think I did that. I'm still faint. I gave it everything. That's what I came here to do."
On being sick
"I was throwing up two nights ago. I rested all yesterday. I think it's a bug that I caught back east, but it just started two days ago so that's pretty frustrating. I'm normally pretty lucky when it comes to injuries and health. But, these are the things that you have to deal with."

Amanda Trotter

"Oh my gosh, she made me cry. She made me so proud. She ran a great race. It feels great to be part of this. I'm really proud of her."
On her feelings for her sister during the race
"Yeah, definitely [felt what she was going through]. I know what was going through her head. I just tried to cheer her on and everything.
"Yeah, she can hear me. I'm really happy for her."

Nicole Blood

" It was all right. It's been hard. I've been kind of sick. I felt better today. I had a pretty good race."

On being a freshman qualifier

"
It's an awesome feeling. To make it here is awesome, let alone  to come in the top ten is an awesome feeling. I just can't even explain it."

On her finish

" In the end, I just pulled everything I got left."

On her season

" Yeah, very long, but now indoors is starting so it's going to be really nice. "

Caitlin McTague

" It went really well. I was just planning on setting my pace. I figured, I'd be in the back of the pack because usually the girls with longer legs out stride me so I was in shock when I was in tenth place in the first 100 meters. It was really great because usually I'm in the back of the pack and have to pass her and her. It's nice when to start out well because I didn't have the pressure of just passing people. It takes more energy to pass people because you have to change pace. I just tried to keep a steady pace and focus on the race and my form. Usually, I try to listen to my breathing because that calms me down and I can zero in."

On hanging out with Nicole Blood most of the week
" We  were trying to not actually talk about it [the race]. Last night when we were watching the regional races, we were getting butterflies in our stomachs.
We just had a really fun time, We just went around the hotel. It was really awesome, We went out to shop and stuff. We went to the beach and stuff. We just tried not to think about it."

On her result

" Oh no. I was going to be so proud if I finished in the top half. I was fourth in my region. I figured I wasn't going to be in the top ten, let alone the top five so I'm so happy. No one in Niskayuna is going to believe this I'm just so happy. I feels like a dream. My dad's laughing over there. My mom's crying. It's just so amazing. I  can't believe it's happening. It's like a dream."

On her future

"  I try to look at one year at a time. I'm kind of disappointed because my ninth and tenth grade years were cut really short with stress fracture. I'm so grateful that I'm healthy. This season, I tried not to think about it.  I was healthy and running. I love running so much. The past two years have been depressing because I knew I could do well. I just went out and was just happy I was healthy."

On changes that made her healthy

" I've taken a lot more rest. I always thought it was quality and my coach is always saying it's quantity, not quality so I really cut down the mileage. I would take a lot of Sundays off. It's such a long season. It starts August 19th and it's December 14th. You just have to pace yourself. Take rest just to stay healthy."

Katelyn Kaltenbach

" It was a good day. I ran how I planed on running. My last mile is the best part of my race. I just kept picking off people. I had a good kick in the end and that got me seventh. I'm really excited.  I wanted to get top  fifteen and I got top ten, second team All-American"

On her slow start

" I was a little worried, but my coach  was like 'don't freak out, you're in fine position.' The front pack was like four seconds ahead of me so I just kept moving up."

On track and how it effects her future performances

" It just gives me a lot of confidence that  can run at this level. Before I wasn't confident about that. It gives me more confidence."

 

Laura Cummings

"I wasn't really expecting to do that well. To come in fourth is really exciting. It's a lot better that I expected to do."

On the northeast's performance

" These hills all didn't seem like much compared to sunken meadow and Van Cortland The hills were our advantage. We're used to it."

On her performance

" Coming here, I wanted to get in the top half. The whole race I was like "Where is everyone?" I was expecting a huge pack that would suddenly pass me. I just tried to hang on."

On her successful race

" I'm happy that I'm doing this good."

Megan Kaltenbach

"  That was bad. That was real real bad. It's ok though. I was really crushed afterwards. It was really sad. Now I get to run track. That's my favorite thing any way. Coach was telling me that no NCAA cross country champion has ever won here.
I just choked pretty much."

Amber Smith

" I went great. I was in last in the beginning. I kept stumbling a little bit. There were so many people around me. I just tried to keep working my way up. With a half mile to go, I was in tenth. I just kept kicking really hard and ended up in fifth. I was real  happy. I felt really good."

On her pre race prediction

" No. I was hoping for All-American, top fifteen so when I found myself in tenth, I'm like "OK, this is where I want to be." When I was passing people and took fifth, I was really happy. I was kind of surprised."

The reason she did so well

" I think this course is better for me than Florida was because Florida's was so flat with rolling bumps. I'm used to running on hills. That hill wasn't too bad for me. The weather here was warmer than where I'm from. It was better than Florida because it wasn't so humid. I think overall all the factors were better for me."

On all the underclasswomen

" I want to make it back first. When I get here, I'd like to improve my position. See how ell I can do."

On her clutch performance

" It will definitely give me confidence to run better times. My PR's aren't that impressive in track because I run four events for each meet. It will give me more confidence to run in big meets. I'll see what I can do in track."

Meghan Owen

" I was really excited. People were falling in the beginning, but I tried to remain confident and just enjoy it out there."

On her strong finish

" I kind of used the hill to my advantage because in the north east we're used to running hills. Going up the last time, I picked off a few people on the hill that actually helped me a lot."

On her placing

"
I'm really excited. I  didn't really expect to do this. I was shooting for top fifteen, but getting top ten is awesome."

 

Heidi Magill

" I didn't really feel very good. I think I raced smart. That's the only way I placed as well as I did. My legs felt like crap. The second mile was death. I hated it. But the first mile was OK.
Knowing that I can finish strong...... it was ok. I knew I could catch them. That's about it. "

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