| Ryan Deak is the most mobile high school runner in the country.
For three years in Florida, he changed high schools three times in
the Tallahassee area. Then he made the biggest change of all -- moving
thousands of milies to Denver, Colorado to train at altitude. He settled
in Aurora to run with the Kaltenbach sisters on Greg Weich's great
Smoky Hill HS team. So far, it looks like a great move. Deak ran
14:59 5k, fastest in the US this year, when he won the big Liberty
Bell Invitational, breaking Olympian Adam Goucher's course record
by 7 seconds. Then he came back South to North Carolina and won
the Great American's Seeded Invitational with ease in 15:26, fastest
time of the day.
Uncharacteristically, Deak led from the start. "I usually
stay in the pack and see what's going on and take off with a mile
to go," Deak said. "[This time] I got out really fast
and got the lead in the first 400 meters. I decided to stay in the
lead so I could keep my footing in the woods. Then I started to
relax and cruised through the first mile. I really wanted to relax
the first time up the hill, because it's long. I surged at the top
of the hill and opened a little gap. But Gavin (Coombs) stayed right
beside me. I was surging constantly throughout the race. He reacted
to some of them and some of them he didn't. I flew around one corner
and looked back and he was falling back. So I thought I had to work
hard because it was going to make or break the race."
Deak was impressed with Tennessee junior Andrew Bumbalough, who
rallied for second place. "He ran an awesome race," Deak
said. "He got 42nd at Foot Locker South last year and now he
got second in this. He's going to be competitive."
Deak said he is in really good shape. "I've done some great
workouts, and I'm just starting to get fit. I'm not doing any mile
repeats yet. I'm just doing tempo work. I tapered for this meet
because I knew I could build back up. Our state meet isn't until
October 25 and then I have nothing until Foot Locker regionals.
Then hopefully I can move on to Foot Locker nationals."
Deak said Colorado is working out well for him. "It's a great
program. Greg is such a great coach. He knows exactly what to do,
and I couldn't ask for anything better right now."
Deak's past performances:
2003 Cross Country
15:26 5k 1 @ Great Am Seeded Inv NC 9/27/2003
14:59 5k 1 @ Liberty Bell Inv CO 9/12/2003
15:48 5k 1 @ Pat Patten Inv CO 8/29/2003
2003 Indoor
B-Mile 4:09.51 3/16/2003, NSIC NY, # 1
B-Mile 4:11.65 2/9/2003, Gator Invitational FL, # 1
2003 Outdoor
B-3000 8:20.92 4/12/2003, Gatorade Inv FL, # 5
B-1500 3:49.01 3/22/2003, FSU Relays FL, # 3 |
Katelyn Kaltenbach looks like the prototypical little sister to
Megan, who is bigger, better known, more vocal, and 2 years older.
For 2 years, Katelyn ran in the shadow of Megan, the 4-time Colorado
cross country champion and winner of big races on the track all over
the country. Katelyn's coming out party was last December in San Diego
at Foot Locker national finals. Senior Megan was one of the favorites
to win, and wasn't it neat her cute little sophomore sis was along
for the ride, both having qualified at the Midwest Regional in Wisconsin
2 weeks earlier. But Katelyn was the first Kaltenbach across the finish
line in Balboa Park, finishing a strong 7th as Megan faded to 20th.
This year, Katelyn is undefeated. After winning early invitationals
in Colorado with ease, she came down to North Carolina and won the
Seeded Invitational at the Great American. Determined to "run
smart," Katelyn ran a patient race -- almost too patient. She
still trailed Jennie Barringer, another improved runner from Oviedo
FL, by 5 seconds with 400 meters to go. But Kaltenbach moved quickly
on the short hill entering the stadium and the two runners entered
the stadium neck and neck. They stayed that way for the last 200
meters on the stadium grass until Kaltenbach prevailed by 0.4 second
in the most thrilling finish of the day. Kaltenbach and Barringer
had the two fastest times of the day. .
Big sis Megan, a freshman now at nearby U. of North Carolina, was
out on the course cheering for Katelyn. "It was cool having
Meg here yelling for me. She was going crazy. I was like, 'I've
got to do it. I've got to win for Meg.' It helped having her here.
It was like old days. "
Katelyn feels optimistic about her chances to keep the Colorado
title in the Kaltenbach family and return to Foot Locker finals.
"I'm a lot fitter than last year. I've been training more.
I've got a really good coach and we're on a great track."
Kaltenbach's past performances:
2003 Cross Country
18:05 5k 1 @ Great Am Seeded Inv NC 9/27/2003
17:43 5k 1 @ Liberty Bell Inv CO 9/12/2003
18:22 5k 1 @ Pat Patten Inv CO 8/29/2003
2003 Outdoor
G-2Mile 10:30.53 6/14/2003, AOC Raleigh NC, # 4
G-Mile 5:02.1 c 5/17/2003, 5A State Meet CO, # 2
G-2Mile 10:41.4 c 4/12/2003, Arcadia Invitational CA, # 6
2003 Indoor
G-2Mile 10:49.69 3/16/2003, Nike Indoor Champ. MD, # 3
Kaltenbach family reunion at Great American
Kathleen, Bob, Katelyn, and Megan |
