26th Foot Locker
Cross Country Championships
 
National Finals Dec 11, 2004 at Balboa Park, San Diego CA

GALLERY OF FINALISTS
Pix, past performances, biographical notes
NE Boys - NE Girls
SO Boys - SO Girls
MW Boys - MW Girls
WE Boys - WE Girls


Donna on the Side

DONNA ON THE SIDE AT FOOT LOCKER FINALS
Part 1 - the scene
Part 2 - race day
Part 3 - girls
Part 4 - boys
Part 5 - athletes, parents and fans
Part 6 - awards

The Scene
San Diego, Coronado Island and Balboa Park

While San Diego is the host city for the meet, the meet hotel is the Hotel del Coronado on Coronado Island.

Coronado is an island city connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land and the San Diego-Coronado
Bay Bridge, with its distinctive high arched span. While just across the bay from San Diego, Coronado has a slower
tempo, perhaps back a bit in time except for the North Island Naval Air Station at the far end of the island with its
"top gun" jets coming and going over head. The Hotel del Coronado or "The Del" is one of the distinct features
of the island.

"The Del" as it is called is a classic historic hotel built in 1888. Today it is a National Historic Landmark.
With its Victorian atmosphere, the Del offers a romantic, time warped atmosphere. USA Today calls it
"one of the top ten resorts in the world." But during the second weekend in December, it is the scene of the
Foot Locker finals when the place livens up and high school fans are treated to one of the best of cross country
weekends.

In case there is any doubt, Balboa Park was named after the explorer, Vasco Núñez de Balboa to
celebrate the first European to see the Pacific. The Park got its name through a contest conducted
by the city of San Diego to rename City Park as it was known at the time. The park was established
in 1868. Early on, horticulturist Kate O. Sessions was given 30 acres for a private nursery. In return
she planted 100 trees a year in the park and 300 trees and other plants throughout San Diego.
Sessions became known as the "mother of Balboa Park" because of her many plantings and exotic
plant introductions to the area (From www.balboapark.org). Today the park is a cultural complex filled
with numerous attractions and activities including museums, exhibits, gardens and many activities. As the park proudly
proclaims, "There's Something For Everyone at San Diego's Balboa Park!

Balboa Park is loaded with history, art, culture, sports, fun and much more.
Foot Locker finals are held at Morley field.

After the Meet Fun

Ice Cream.....Yum Yum!!!!!!!!

More Competition?

Game Time!!!

The telephone call home!

After the Meet in Little Italy

It's a small, small, world!

After the meet, we headed for Little Italy for lunch where the air smells of good and tasty food. We
picked Zagarella's on India Street because of it's menu, the outside seating and because of the friendly
invitation from the waiter standing at the doorway. After getting settled, John started working on pictures
,from the meet which caught the attention of our waiters, Sarah Mattinson and David Hokola. Sarah proceeded
to tell us that she had been to a cross country meet in Balboa Park that morning along with five others from
the restaurant. One of the runners was from her home town in Warwick Valley, New York and a family friend of
her mother. Yes, the runner was Aislinn Ryan. Sarah's mom, asked her to get a few friends together to
cheer for Aislinn on the side. All ended well when Aislinn won. Sarah's mom is the Ryan's postmaster in
Warwick Valley. And Coach Furst, Aislinn's coach was one of Sarah's teachers in high school.
Talk about a small world....!

As far as the food, John had Veal Scallopine al Limone and I had the special of the day which was
Swordfish with lemon caper sauce. The food was very good, tasty and just enough. I happened to have
enough room left for Sarah's own New York Cheese Cake, which was nice and creamy and oh so delicious.

Zagarell's on India Street
Our waiters, David Hakola and Sarah Mattinson

 

DONNA ON THE SIDE AT FOOT LOCKER FINALS
Part 1 - the scene
Part 2 - race day
Part 3 - girls
Part 4 - boys
Part 5 - athletes, parents and fans
Part 6 - awards

Foot Locker Finals index page

 


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