No Team Like Our Team

To experience what a real family is like, observe:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_rdCRXEDNiM

So much love. Too much love.

Egg Nog 800

Following the mile trials, the Egg Nog 8-hundo commenced. There were 14 participants in the eggnaugural race (P. Thiele, "Famous Quotables" 247). The rules are simple:

1. Drink approx 6.5 oz of egg nog before you start to run a 200
2. Repeat until you've ran a total 800 meters
3. Don't barf until you cross the finish line

Some girls dropped out after a lap, but props to them for running at least that far on tired legs and an nog filled stomach.

Palmer Thiele took an early lead with his strong chugging skills, and pulled ahead continually. He won the race in 2:51, a scorching time, and possibly a world record (at least to my knowledge.) Andrea Johnson also had an incredible race, finishing in 3:15 or so to claim the women's title, and still beating some of the men. Joey Nunes ralphed after the 4th cup.

Overall, it was a great race, a test of will, spirit, mind, and stomach. We'll see you next year, for the second Egg Nog 800!

A December to Remember

Tom Selleck as "Thomas Magnum" of "Magnum P.I." filmed at Kaiser HS track, Honolulu, HI.




It was a beautiful day (running wise) and a terrible day (weather wise) as the Warriors took the track for the Mile Trial and Egg Nog 800 this past Saturday, Dec. 5. It was about 45 degrees, medium to strong bitter cold wind, and completely overcast and grey. But, it's track time baby!

The men were the first to start, toeing the line in their High School jerseys. Escalon, Pittman, Sierra, Turlock, Kaiser, King City, and Stagg were represented in a technicolor dream mile. Kaiser's Dawson Vorderbruegge was the first to cross the start line again, leading the team through a blazing first lap of 61-62 seconds. A bit quick, but in his defense, he felt good. The pace slowed considerably for the next two laps, and then picked back up in the final 400. Dawson "Kaiser" Vorderbruegge led wire to wire and finished in 4:21, followed by Jose "King City" Morales in 4:24, and Joey "Redshirt Jersey" Nunes in 4:34. Some pretty impressive times for early December, if I do say so myself.

The women, after watching the wacky pacing of the men, took out their 1500 in a turtlish pace of 87 for the first lap. But, they picked it up after that and turned it into quite a nice time trial. Denali "She-Beast" Foldager led wire to wire as well and finished in 5:07, followed surprisingly closely by Marina "I'm Yo Daddy" Ghabbour in 5:11.

Following the mile festivities, the Half Mile Heroes (HMH's) took the track. Terrance Ellis ran an impressive 2:03, followed by Igor in 2:07 and Robert "Eric Matson" Brockert in 2:08, a great run for all three of them. April Montgomery ran a 2:22 and Rubye went 2:33, both decent times for a low period in training. The spring holds exciting things for this years HMH gang.

Final '09 Festivities

Hey folks, December is here, which means several things:

1. It's getting balls cold outside.
2. Finals are rapidly approaching
3. Jesus' Birthday is coming up
4. No school for a while!


Unfortunately, #2 and 4 mean that we can't hold organized practice for a whole month! Boo, NCAA and your sanctions. So, for one last time, the Warrior Distance Crew will gather together for a final organized meeting, and lay it all on the line. That's right, it's time for the

MOUSTACHE MILE!


The annual December time trial has been renamed this year to reflect the facial hair stylings of Stanislaus men's XC crew. However, don't expect too many actual moustaches, since we are all just growing our beards out and don't want to slow down the process. (Shane has proposed we call it the 8 Furlong Facial Hair Race) Nevertheless, it should be a fun show to watch as the men and women duke it in the brand new Warrior Stadium. Bragging rights include:

1. December's Fastest Man/Woman
2. Warrior Stadium's Unofficial Mile Record

Also amongst the madness will be an 800 time trial for Bret, Terrance, April, Rubye, and anyone else who would like to become a Half-Mile-Hero. This race will be one to keep your eyes on, as the pace will go out fast, and I think Bret might pr...

Once the serious stuff is over, the real fun begins. This year, we are holding the first annual

EGGNOG 800!

That's right, similar to a milk mile, the Eggnog 8 involves drinking 8 oz of Eggnog every 200 meters of a 2-lapper. If you ralph, automatic DQ. My money is on Terrance to break 2 minutes and set a new world record in the event. Why? Because he's Terrance.

Okay folks, I hope to see you there. The events kick off at 3 pm on Saturday Dec. 5.

Turlock Turkey Trot 2 Mile

Today, Saturday Nov. 21, several of the Warriors ran in the local Thanksgiving classic road race here, the Turlock Turkey Trot. It's a two mile race held at Donnely park in Central Turlock (home of the coolest wood castle playground in the Central Valley, as pictured above). The course is two laps around the square mile park, really flat and on asphalt.

It was bitter cold this morning, in the mid-40's and very windy, but sunny. After the one mile kids fun-run, the Warriors stripped down to their spandex, singlets, and bandanas, taking their place at the front of the starting line. After a rousing chorus of "The Yellow Bird Song" and some half-hearted striders, the starter blew the go-ahead whistle and the race was on.

10-13 minutes later, it was all Warriors as they pulled into the finish chute. Here's some preliminary very unofficial results:

1. Dawson "Dan Lord" Vorderbruegge 9:56
2. Jose "Josie" Morales 10:00
3. Larry "Australian Mosquito" Blaylock 10:23
4. Shane "Escalon HS Singlet" Brookshire 10:34
5. Palmer "Thiele" 10:50
6. Stephen "Freshie" Lenz 10:53
7. Terrance "Unattached" Ellis 10:55

Tyler Thiele didn't register, so he only ran part of the race and helped us draft and pace, thanks Tyler. Big Props to Isaac, a freshman from Livingston who wore flats and broke 11 minutes, a very impressive time for late November and a 15 year old. Also to Joel "Emil Zapotek" Bernard, XC coach at Hughson HS, who ran a great race and helped fire up the Warriors, as well as his young son, who ran in the one mile!

Denali Foldager won the women's division in about 12:30, and was followed closely by April Montgomery and Lindsay Garcia. Congrats ladies!

However, the highlight of the day was not the race itself, but the awards. Following tradition, the awards are as follows:

Age Division 1st: whole Turkey
Age Division 2nd: Cornish game hen
Age Division 3rd: Flat of eggs

Overall Winner: Large pumpkin pie

So, we swept the pies, and won all the awards for the 19-29 age division. Then, they held a raffle to get rid of the rest of the Turkeys that were donated, and we won 4 more turkeys and another chicken, bringing our total haul to:

6 turkeys
3 chickens
60 eggs
2 pumpkin pies

To celebrate, we held the first annual XC Thanksgiving feast at the track house. It was glorious, it was victorious, and it was consumed by the Warriors. Have a great thanksgiving everyone, remember all your blessings!

Regionals Recap

It was an excellent weekend of racing at Golden Gate Park in San Francisco as the Warriors represented Stanislaus well at the 2009 West Regional Meet.

For the Women, Denali Foldager was 25th overall, once again proving that she can run with the best in the West. She was followed by Rubye, Chelsea, Mary, Alyssa, Lindsay and Andrea. The women finished in the 12th spot as a team, scoring 306 points. They were 7 points away from 9th place in an incredibly close finish as follows:

9. BYUH: 300
10. WOU: 303
11: Humboldt: 304
12. Stanislaus: 306

I've certainly never seen a big race finish that close, especially for those coveted top-10 spots. The women fought hard and showed what they were made of though.

For the men, the Warriors placed two in the top 25. Senior Joey Nunes went out with a bang, finishing 23rd overall in a time of 32:23. He was directly followed by Dawson Vorderbruegge in 24th place, 32:26. These two roommates have been training together and beating up on each other for the past two years, and it was finally nice to see them finish together and work off of one another, especially at such a large race.

Shane Brookshire was next for the Warriors, finishing in the 54th spot, a placing pr at his 4th Regional meet. Ivan Bojorquez with Freshman Kanwar Dhaliwal, both of them placing 73rd and 79th. Good races for both of these men as Ivan has suffered from some minor injuries of late, and Kanwar was in high school 6 short months ago. Tyler and Palmer Thiele also ran hard for the Warriors, bringing in the 6th and 7th spots.

Congratulations to the men and women from WWU, Anchorage, and Chico, as well as the Seattle Pacific women on qualifying for Natinals. Good luck in Indiana, rep the Left Coast well.

You can view the Men's Results here:
http://www.sfstategators.com/documents/2009/11/7/Men_s_10K_Results.htm?id=827

Women's Results here:
http://www.sfstategators.com/documents/2009/11/7/Women_s_6K_Results.htm?id=828

West Region Preview

Alright XC fans, it's that time of year, Regionals time! This year the race is held at Golden Gate Park (GGP) and hosted by SF State.

The men's rankings are currently as follows:

1. Chico
2. Western Wash
3. Pomona
4. Anchorage
5. Western Oregon
6. Humboldt
7. NW Nazarene
8. BYU-HI
9. Stanislaus
10. UCSD

The men are shooting for 7th, hoping to knock off BYU and NW Nazarene. If all goes to plan and the pack running is strong, this is definitely achievable. Senior Joey Nunes is looking for an All-Region Performance, hoping to make a statement with his last collegiate XC race. Dawson Vorderbruegge and Shane Brookshire are gunning for big prs and hoping to make up for sub-par performances at CCAA's two weeks ago. Ivan, Palmer, Kanwar, and Tyler are looking ot help the team as much as possible with their placing.

For the women, Denali and Rubye are expecting great performances after their all-CCAA runs last week. The women are currently ranked 10th, and look to maintain or improve that spot this weekend against fierce competition.

CCAA Recap

Sorry for the late update folks, but here's the results of a great weekend up at CCAA Champs in Humboldt.

All-CCAA Performances:

Joey Nunes, 8th overall, 25:32, 2nd consecutive all-conference performance
Denali Foldager, 10th overall, first All-CCAA run
Rubye Foldager, 12th overall, first all-CCAA run

Coach Taylor had the highest finishing teams in her coaching tenure at Stanislaus, with the men placing 4th and the women 5th, each a spot better than last year.

The men edged out UCSD by ONE POINT! Big props to hard finishers Shane Brookshire, Kanwar Dhaliwal, and Dawson Vorderbruegge, who combined to pass 6 UCSD runners in the last 400 meters to help secure the victory. They finished with 118 points, behind 3rd place Humboldt who scored 75 points.

The women ran very well and finished 5th as a team. The beat Humboldt by 4 points, 142-146, an excellent demonstration of strong pack running.

You can see the women's results here:
http://warriorathletics.com/custompages/season_stats/xc/ccaa_wxc.htm

And the men's here:
http://warriorathletics.com/custompages/season_stats/xc/ccaa-mxc.htm

Warriors Set PR's at Golden Gate

This past Friday, October 9, the Warriors ran in the San Francisco State Gator Invite at Golden Gate Park. The course is the site of the 2009 West Regionals in November, so the race served as a preview of the championship course. It was by far the largest and most competitive race the Warriors have been in this season, sporting 118 Men and 164 women. The field included some of the best D2 schools on the West Coast, including:

Alaska Anchorage
Chico State
Humboldt State
Western Oregon
San Francisco State
Sonoma State
Academy of Art University
Notre Dame de Namur
Cal State Monterey Bay

As well as D1 teams from Cal Berkeley, Santa Clara, UOP, and San Jose State. Obviously an impressive field for a mid-season race.

And, as always, the Warriors fared well against strong competition, representing the Greater Turlock Metropolitan Area with dignity and pride. In the Women's 6k, Denali Foldager placed 10th overall in 22:31. She maintained strong positioning in a very strung out race (2 minutes between 1st and 10th place). Her sister Fubye Roldager was next for the Warriors, crossing in 27th place in 23:26, a good finish for Fubye who showed mental toughness in the midst of a large pack. Next was Dreamweaver in a personal pr of 23:53, dipping below the 24 minute barrier for the first time in her career. Mary Courtright and Alyssa Thiele rounded out the top 5, finishing in the mid 24's. The Lady Warriors finished 7th as a team, just 15 points behind conference foe Humboldt State, but totally dominating peak rivals Sonoma and San Francisco State.

The Men's race was a Kenyan affair, with all kinds of Kenyans from Alaska and Academy of Art running in the front of the pack. From the gun, the Speedy Africans formed what was affectionately known as the "Great Wall of Kenya," controlling the race by running 7 wide around the polo field loop. It was beneficial to everyone though, as the top 20-30 runners rolled through the mile in about 5:05 - 5:10, a conservative start for a flat 8k. As the race progressed, the pack strung out and developed into minor packs of 3-4 as well as separated strings of runners. Sophomore Dawson Vorderbruegge consistently moved up throughout the race and finished 11th overall in a 25 second pr of 25:53. Senior Joey Nunes was 36th in 26:44, exhibiting his yearly "Azusa Revisited" race. Captain Shane was next for the Warriors, crossing in 27:17, good enough for 52nd place. Palmer and Kanwar were next, closely finishing in 66th and 71st in respective times of 27:43 and :50. The men finished in 6th place as a team, beating out peak rival San Francisco State.

Overall, some Warriors ran well, some struggled, but it was good for all to get on the Regional course and race in Bay Area conditions.

Men's Results:
http://www.runnercard.com/runner/data/512/2200/Result/Mens_8K.htm

Women's Results:
http://www.runnercard.com/runner/data/512/2200/Result/Womens_6K.htm

2009 XC Media Guide

The 2009 Men's and Women's XC Media Guide has been uploaded onto warriorathletics.com, you can view it here:

http://issuu.com/warriorathletics/docs/09_xc_media_guide

Sweet Brian Sell Interview

A little inspiration for all you runner freaks out there, roadsmillslaps.com has recently posted an interview with Brian Sell, one of my all-time favorite runners. An average high school runner, Sell walked on to a D3 team for college, and several years later qualified for the 2008 Olympics in the Marathon. Incredible story of hard work, here's a teaser:

"But luckily with the marathon, it’s not so much whether you can break 4:00 in the mile or run an 11-second 100m dash, it’s more like going out and pounding the miles, not skipping days, and just getting out there and getting it done."

Check it out at:
http://www.roadsmillslaps.com/RML/Brian_Sell.html

Golden Gate Getaway

This past Saturday, the men and women Warriors took a trip to San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, and yes, they wore some flowers in their hair. The site of the 2009 D2 West Regional race, Coach Taylor thought it might be a good idea to become familiar with the course that is hosting the pinnacle meet of the season. The day trip, well, morning trip, was quite an experience, to say the least.

We all piled into cars at 6 a.m. on Saturday and made the 2 hour drive into the Windy City. Once inside the City that Never Sleeps, we drove straight to Golden Gate Park, the most famous recreational area in the Twin Cities region. The City of Angels was just stirring from it's Friday night slumber as we rolled in at about 8 am. It was a glorious affair to be running in the Mile High City, or what some might term the Birthplace of the American Revolution.

Once arriving at GGP, Captains Joey Nunes and Shane Brookshire led us on a wild goose chase to try and figure out the course, which is quite tricky when it isn't marked at all. After a few minutes of wandering, the women finally gave up and left out on their own, because women obviously have a superior sense of direction (Cat's words, not mine.) Needless to say, the men figured out the course about 2 minutes later, while the women still searched.

Finally, after all the course was figured out, the workout began. Run an hour. Hard. Continuous 2k loops of the course. However, there was a catch. Block part of the course with giant stages, gates, fences, and mobile golf carts. Fill the rest of the course with dirty hippies and bearded bluegrass enthusiasts who are too stoned out of their minds to coherently get out of the way when a runner comes busting through the sidewalk, and you're getting a good picture of what the tempo looked like.

Yes, it was the annual Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival at Golden Gate, a yearly event featuring free live music by some of the best bluegrass bands in America. This year the set list included such greats as the Austin Lounge Lizards, Dr. Magpie, and Poor Man's Whiskey! Nothing pumps up a runner for a hard workout like some blaring banjo and mandolin!

All sarcasm aside, it was nice to get out of Turlock for awhile and get on the Regional course. We got a good view of the course, and I think it will produce some fast times this weekend and again in November. Our next race is this Friday, October 9th, the SF State Gator Invite, on this course in GGP. Stay tuned for a preview of the Gator Invite, and don't forget to put some flowers in your hair!

Stanislaus Invite Results

Lead bike, lead bike, lead, lead, lead 'em in! The Stan State Invite was a smashing success this year in all aspects. Men dominated, women won, logistics were great, and crowd support was incredible. At the biggest home meet in recent history, (7 men's teams and 9 women's teams), the Warriors ran some impressive times Saturday in Turlock.

The men's team scored 32 points for the victory, finishing 2-3-11-12-13 overall with lots of unattached runners mixed in that group. Warrior Alum Jose Morales won the race in a time of 25:43, just out-kicking Joey "Man-o-War" Nunes by 6 seconds. They were followed by Dawson "Stache-Dash" Vorderbruegge, who crossed in 26:18. Both Joey and Dawson had pr's of more than 30 seconds, despite training through the race and having virtually no one to pace with. Ivan Bojorquez, Shane Brookshire, and Kanwar Dhaliwal were next for the Warriors, finishing in 27:34, :37, and :42, a close pack indeed. Kanwar and Ivan had great breakout races, moving up in the squad and posting strong times.

Women-wise, Denali Foldager continued to lead the team, placing 2nd overall in a behemoth pr of 23:22. She ran much more conservatively and used her finishing speed to her advantage in a well timed attack. Andrea Johnson really stepped it up this week and finished 4th overall, bumping up a spot in the lineup, just ahead of Rubye Foldager, who also had a great race. Mary Courtright and Chelsea Deerinck came in together and looked strong the whole race. They were followed by Lindsay Garcia and Al-Face Thiele. Liz LaMadrid finished her first collegiate race; she's been battling injuries all season, so it was nice to see her out there competing. The women had strong pack running, just several separate packs instead of one united pack. If they can join up and run together as a unit, they could really surprise some people come the end of the season.

As well, unattached runners Marina Ghabbour and Stephen Lenz raced well in their second race of the season.

Many thanks to all the spectators who came out and supported us at this meet. It was great to see people dressed up, fired up, and pumped up to watch a local XC meet. It's a fantastic representation of school spirit, and it really encourages all the racers to have a loud fan base.

Finally, thanks to all the teams who came and competed, especially to the Warrior Alumni, who helped pace and push the men.

The Warriors will have two solid weeks of training before they compete again at the San Francisco State Gator Invite. The 8k race in Golden Gate Park is a preview of the West Regional race scheduled for November 7th. There will be plenty of competition at the Gator Preview, including schools from all up and down the West Coast. We'll see ya in SF!

Stanislaus Invite Preview

This Saturday, September 26th, the Warriors will stay in Turlock to compete in the annual Stanislaus Invitational Cross-Country Race, sponsored by Adidas. The course is on the CSUS campus, starting by the ancient dirt track and looping around campus several times, with the finish just across Warrior Bridge. It is a flat, fast, and hot course, about 50% grass and 50% road, so good times are in order from all competitors. Men's 8k race starts at 9 am, followed by the women's 6k at 10 am.

The field should be an interesting one, with teams from D2, Naia, D3, and Junior College levels in the mix. Simpson, Cal State Monterey Bay, Las Positas College, Fresno Pacific, Holy Names, UC Merced, and of course Stanislaus will be lacing it up for the men's race, as well as Sonoma and UOP for the women's race.

Looking for her second collegiate victory, and her second of the season, Denali Foldager is the Vegas favorite to win the women's race, though it won't come easily. Foldager won the CSUMB Invite 3 weeks ago, and was the top Division 2 finisher at the Sac. State race two weeks ago.

The Sophomore Stud Selection of Andrea, Rubye, Chelsea, and Lindsay Garcia hope to tear it up on Saturday, moving as a pack to keep the team score low. Freshmen Al-Face Thiele and Liz LaMadrid are both anticipating good races as well. This will be Liz's first race as she has battled injuries thus far into the season. Mary Courtright and Elena Gardner are prepared for big races on Saturday, and are gunning for pr's.

For the men, two questions remain:
1. Winner?
2. Best individual race?

Front-runner Joey Nunes and Kick-master Dawson Vorderbruegge will be duking it out for the win on Saturday. They've been training well together all season, and have split the top spot for the Warriors in the first two races. It will definitely be fun to watch what these two do on Saturday, and to see who crosses the line first. Besides finish place, each is expecting a huge 8k pr, so keep an eye on these two.

As for best individual race, 4 men are vying for this title, hoping to have the breakout race of the season and post a big pr. Palmer Thiele has been having excellent workouts, but has struggled in races this season. Look for him to gun after the top two men and make a name for himself as a young sophomore. Shane Brookshire had a rough summer of training, but is getting back in top shape and looking to use his 5 years of experience as his secret weapon. Ivan Bojorquez is still getting into good shape after only a few weeks of summer running, and has been closing the gap in practice; the rest is up to him on race day. True Freshman Kanwar Dhaliwal has been adjusting to college workouts, but handling the mileage well, this could be his day to make a break to the front of the pack. This is a crucial race for the secondary pack of Warriors, and should prove to be a great test to conclude the first half of the season.

Terrance Ellis has been terribly sick all week, so whether or not he competes will be a game time decision. Also, Tyler Thiele has been dealing with some calf and shin injuries, so his race status is undecided as of now.

Redshirts and Alumni will also be running this weekend. Bret Young, Steve Lenz, Jose Morales, and JD Bhatia will toe the line on Saturday, hoping to help the team to a fast finish, as well as individual pr's. Marina Ghabbour should have an exciting race as she lines up alongside the women, also with Tomara Hall and April Montgomery in the race.

You can find a course map and additional info here:
http://warriorathletics.com/sports/2009/9/9/MXC_0909094236.aspx?path=wcross

See you at the races!

Sac. State Results

Sorry for the late update Warrior fans, but here's the recap of the Sacramento State Hornet Jamboree of Sep. 12, 2009.

The course was fantastic, I was a huge fan. All on dirt, several decent hills, long smooth trails that were wide enough to pass people. Good spectator viewing, well marked miles, good crew and officials, I just can't say enough. Well done Hornets.

The men lined up for a 4 mile alongside the D1 likes of Berkeley, Davis, Sac St, Santa Clara, USF, and Saint Mary's, along with D3 William Jessup. Dawson "Karl Marx" Vorderbruegge was first across the line for the Warriors, finishing in 20:26, good enough for 13th place overall. Joey "Flava Flav" Nunes was next in 20:35, rounding out an impressive top-two for the Warriors, putting 2 in the top 20 at a D1 meet. Shane "Denis the Peasant" Brookshire and Terrance "Rally-Do" Ellis were third and fourth for the Warriors, finishing together in 21:43 and 21:44, good enough for 59th and 60th overall. Ivan and Palmer also crossed consecutively in 22:16 and 22:25, followed by Kanwar Dhaliwal in 23:01.

As a team, the men were 6th of 8, beating out Saint Mary's and William Jessup, and only losing to USF by 30 points.

The women raced a 5k, and Denali "She-Beast" Foldager crossed the line first for the women in 27th place with a time of 18:50, a great time for her. She was followed by Rubye in 19:28, and then Andrea in 19:50. Mary, Chelsea, and Al-Face all finished together consecutively in 20:01, :05, and :07, exhibiting some excellent pack running technique. Lindsay Garcia crossed in 20:24, followed by Elena in 22:11, rounding out the Lady Warrior crew.

Besides the official team, Turlock Elite sent some runners to the meet, and had an impressive showing. Jose Morales, Mosquito Blaylock, Martin Ramos, and Stephen Lenz ran in the men's race, and all helped pace the Warrior men. Marina "Crazy Face" Ghabbour ran unattached in the women's race and helped pull the Lady Warriors to some impressive times.

Suck State XC Hornet Jamboree Preview

This Saturday, September 12, the Warriors will make the drive up to Sacramento to compete in the Hornet XC Jamboree, hosted by Sacramento State. The course is at Sacramento Granite Regional Park. This is the first time CSUS has been up to the Hornet Jamboree in a few years, and we aren't too sure what the course will entail.

The day involves Varsity and Freshman High School races, as well as men's and women's Collegiate Open races. The Women's 5k race kicks off at 9:15 am, followed by the Men's 4 mile at 9:45 am. The Jamboree will be the premier NorCal XC race this weekend, featuring teams from Sac State, UC Davis, UC Berkeley, USF, Fresno State, San Jose State, Sonoma, UoP, and Nevada. Stanislaus will be the only D2 school in the men's race, and one of two D2 teams in the women's race. Thus, the competition should be fierce, and there will be a lot of hard runners there to push us along.

For the women, Sophomore Denali "She-Beast" Foldager is looking to follow up her win last week at CSUMB with another impressive performance this week. She will most definitely have some girls to push with, which will force her to respond and hang tough if she wants to show she can compete outside the D2 level. Her twin Fubye will also be looking to have an breakout race, as she has had some injury trouble the last few weeks. Newcomers Mary Courtright, Al-Face Thiele, and Liz "808" LaMadrid are anticipating a big pr this weekend, as their heavy summer and altitude training should be yielding early results. Returners Andrea Johnson, Lindsay Garcia, and Dreamweaver Deerinck should have good races as well, using their experience to guide the team up towards the front of the secondary pack in the race.

For the He-Man-Woman-Haters, Joey Nunes and Dawson Vorderbruegge are prepared to make a name for themselves among the ranks of Nor-Cal's best D1 XC teams. They both hope to hang onto the back of the lead pack for as long as they can and then finish strong. Shane Brookshire is hoping to close the gap between he and the front runners as he gets into better and better shape with time. Palmer, Ivan, Tyler, Terrance, and Kanwar are looking to run as a strong pack and move up the ranks, picking off many runners by working together and pushing as a unit. Overall, the goal for Saturday is to post some fast times, and prove that D2 ain't a joke.

Besides the current team members, Stan is sending some unattached runners to the race. Stephen Lenz and Jose Morales will make their 2009 XC debut, both itching for a fast race after a summer of hard training. Also, freshman redshirt Marina Ghabbour will be running with the women, and she should place well for her first collegiate race.

We'll see ya in Sac-Town!

Monterey Bay XC Invite

Before you continue reading this recap, realize just one thing. It just doesn't matter. Even if we won, even if we lost, even if every runner got mortally injured, even if every runner qualified for world XC championships, it just doesn't matter.

That being said, it was a fascinating day as the Warriors lined up for their first race of the year on Saturday September 5 in Monterey, CA. The weather was great, cool but sunny, and the Warriors were ready to get back in racing form after training all those long and lonely miles over the summer. CSU Monterey Bay, East Bay, Notre Dame de Namur, Sonoma State, and San Francisco State were all there to see where they are at this early in the season as well.

This was the first time CSUS had traveled and competed at the CSU Monterey Bay Invite, so we had no idea what to expect from the course. As it turns out, not much. I'll list a few pros and cons I observed from the course and let you make the call:

Pros:
1. Almost exclusively dirt or sand. In other words, no concrete.
2. All on trails
3. Well marked and maintained

Cons:
1. A lot of very thick and heavy sand, so it was hard to get good footing on a lot of crucial turns and coming off big downhills
2. The trails were narrow, nearly impossible to pass people in most spots.
3. The trails were very twisty and winding between mile 2-3, very hard to go fast in such a technical twisty trail
4. Turn a corner and finish 20 meters onto cement with no time to react or initiate a kick. The finish line wasn't visible before this, so it was hard to judge how much of the race you had left.

Anyway, I can complain more, but I'll leave it at that. To CSUMB's credit, it was a very traditional XC course, which is fun in an age where XC races are becoming more and more like road races with a bit of grass thrown in. They did a great job of organizing and running the meet, there were no problems I observed, and it would have been an accomplishment to go the wrong way or miss a turn, as they had great volunteers and directors. It just wasn't a course made for speed, which is actually nice every now and again.

Moving on, the Lady Warriors had a strong showing despite a few injured or redshirting runners. Denali "She-Beast" Foldager won her first collegiate race, coming in ahead of the field in the 2.75 mile race. She looked really strong down the stretch, and is showing she will be a force to be reckoned with in the CCAA. She was followed by teammates Rubye, Mary, Al-Face, Andrea, Chelsea, and Lindsay Garcia to round out the top 7 for the Lady Warriors. All had a good first race, and there are more exciting things to come.

In the men's race, Joey "Portuguese Man-o-War" Nunes also won his first collegiate XC race, coming in first for the men's 4 mile in a time of 22:05. Joey took the lead at mile 3 and brought it in strong to hold of a SFSU runner and teammate Dawson "Man-Beard" Vorderbruegge for second and third places, respectively. Palmer, Shane, Ivan, Tyler, Kanwar, and Terrance brought in the rest of the points for the Warriors in that order.

Overall, the times were slow on a junky course, and nobody really felt like they ran the best they could, but it's freaking September 5th! Unlike a lot of schools, the Warriors are exclusively concerned about peaking and running our best on October 24 and November 7, when it matters. It was a good tune up race, and provided a fun day of racing for everyone involved.

But remember, it just doesn't matter!

CROSS COUNTRY SEASON BEGINS

THE FIRST RACE OF THE SEASON BEGINS ON SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 5TH AT MONTEREY BAY, STAY TUNED FOR RESULTS.....GOOD LUCK WARRIORS!!

CONGRATS JOEY NUNES

11th Place Finish at Wharf to Wharf 6 mile race. Official time of 29:46.

4th of July Racing Report

Several of our Warriors raced on Independence Day this year, and posted some pretty impressive times.

First, Joey Nunes won the Run San Ramon 5k in the Bay Area in a time of 15:20, a fantastic time for mid-summer race in the midst of strength training. Joey said, "I felt really good and smooth. It felt like leftover speed from track season." Congrats Joey!

Dawson Vorderbruegge placed second in the Ka'ena Point Firecracker 10 miler, a trail race on the North Shore of O'ahu, Hawai'i. Dawson ran the flat but technically challenging course in 65:10. "It was hard to get good footing on the rough trails, but it was a fun race."

Results here for Ka'ena Point: http://www.hurthawaii.com/

Rubye and Denali Foldager ran their traditional mid-summer classic, the Mount Marathon race in Seward, Alaska. It is an up and back race to the top of Mount Marathon and back down to the sea port town. Denali was 23rd out of the women, and Rubye was 81st. Congrats ladies! Also, kudos to Patty Foldager, who was 30th!

Results can be found here: http://www.sewardak.org/index.asp

P.S.- Seward wins the award for coolest freaking website ever for a tiny little town.

If I missed some, let me know, and happy running...

Summer Interview #4: Jaydeep Bhatia

For our next summer interview, WXCD caught up with team manager JaaDeePoo Bhatia.

WXCD: Hows your summer going?

J: It was going really well, but some stuff happened with our family that kind of blew it off track, but it's getting better.

WXCD: What are you looking forward to this upcoming XC season?

J: Basically seeing the team placing at Regionals. A lot of fresh faces and a lot of laughs. Also an obscure trip somewhere cool.

WXCD: So, you are going to be the manager this season, what are your duties?

J: I'm probably going to be timing, just for the sake of timing things. I'll be writing a lot of numbers, I won't even write times, I'll just write down some numbers so coach thinks I'm writing stuff. I'll be passing out a lot of cold towels, runners need cold towels. I've got a sweet idea to make a t-shirt. It's a really cool design, it has a hawk on it. Even though we are the warriors, I wanted to incorporate a hawk. A warrior killing a hawk. And later in the year I'll be attending the Annual Managers Meeting in the Mountains (AMMM), doing managerial things, like tabulating how many cold towels I passed out.

WXCD: Sounds like you've got your hands full?

J: Yep, that's the name of the game.

WXCD: Your friend and former teammate Kanwar Dhaliwal will be trying out for the Stan State men's team this year.  Tell us about Kanwar?

J: He's definitely a good kid.  He has really clean teeth and he's pretty fast.  He and I have ran a lot together.  He runs kind of like an antelope or an ostrich sometime.  But seriously he's a good runner and he'll fit in well with the team.  I love that kid.  And I'm going to try to keep him away from Palmer and Tyler, because they will literally eat him alive.

WXCD: What was the highlight of this past track season?

J: The day I almost caught Eric in a 300, when he ran a 46 and I ran a 48.  Even though that's not even close to catching him, I had no idea my legs could run that fast.  It felt like I was on a spaceship.

WXCD:  You are a self proclaimed movie buff.  Favorite movie, actor, and genre?

J: Favorite movie is "Almost Famous" which is about a young journalist.  My favorite genre is comedy, I love a good laugh.  And I love comedies, I love a good laugh.  And I like George Clooney.  Fun fact, he is also a spokesman for the U.S. to the United Nations, and he has a masters degree.

WXCD: What do you want to be when you grow up?

J: 1. I want to write the theme songs to short lived sitcoms.

    2. I want to be a war journalist.

    3. I want to have some type of job in the White House.

    4. If all else fails, I'll sell crack.  But I won't be a mean crack dealer, I'll be a nice one and say, "Hey, you, want some crack?"

WXCD: Final question: Who is your hero?

J: My hero is my father, who went from working at a gas station for $3.15 an hour to owning a multi-million dollar gas station.  And George Clooney.

Summer Interview #3: Captain Shane Brookshire

For interview numero trois, WXCD got to know Shane Brookshire, 5th year senior from Collegeville, CA. He's the returning Captain of the men's team.

WXCD: Shane, how's your summer training going?

Shane: So far it's been ok. I don't have any food really. I'm poor right now so I'm rationing all my food. It's hard to do long runs and recover for the next day, so I'm doing mostly 7-9 mile runs.

WXCD: Where are doing most of your runs?

S: On the canal. The most glorious canal in the entire Western Hemisphere.

WXCD: Who are you living with right now?

S: With Mark Rivera and Amy, in the former Freyer apartment.

WXCD: What is Mark like as a roommate?

S: He's been pretty interesting. We stay up many early hours in the morning playing MLB 2K9. Till like 4 or 5 o'clock.

WXCD: Who wins most of these baseball battles?

S: Currently were doing a co-op franchise, I'm the A's and he's the Giants. Overrall I have a much better record, but head to head we are 1-1 in the Battle of the Bay series.

WXCD: How do you feel about the real Oakland A's performance this season?

S: They have exceeded my expectations. I didn't think we'd be 8 games out of first right now. All is not lost this season yet. We're a second half team that'll come alive in August and September. They're doing good, but they could be doing a lot better.

WXCD: Back to running, what are your goals for XC season?

S: It's my final season, so I hope to finally have a good season to where I can run in the 26's consistently. I want to help lead this team to a possible national birth. But I just want to run in the 26's and show that I still have it in me to run that fast, as fast as I did my sophomore year.

WXCD: Any predictions about the team?

S: I believe we'll be much better than the 10th at Regionals we got last year. We're bringing everyone back, and we're gonna surprise a lot of people. All the freshman are coming back, and they have more experience, so that'll help a lot. I think we'll get top 6 at regionals, easily. We'll be in the running for the third spot to Nationals. It will be Chico, Anchorage, then WOU, WWU, UCSD, Pomona, and us will be fighting for the number 3 spot.

WXCD: What are you looking forward to about camp this August?

S: Well, I just found out that Larry will be coming with us to camp.

WXCD: Hahahaha!

S: So Larry and I are going to continue our excellent adventures up in Soda Springs. And Coach John is coming too.

WXCD: You had a race earlier today, tell us about it?

S: It was the Turlock Summer 5k series, June edition. So it was a normal hot summer day in Turlock, and we were at Crane Park, located by Turlock HS. There weren't very many people that showed up. The top two were myself and a young high schooler. I ran 5:22 for the first mile, and I was hurting a little because it was my first hard summer workout. I lost the lead a little bit, but caught the kid with 500 meters to go, then he passed me and eased up, and I caught him and out kicked him in the end. Finished in a 17:17 for the first place. I felt kind of bad because the kid lead most of the race, but then I caught up to him and slowed down. I believe when you get tested in the final mile, you either have to pick it up or just give up, and this kid gave up.

Then I went on a spending spree at Runner's Feet. I got a book called American Miler about Glen Cunningham. I got a T-Shirt that says "Keep Running" and I got a pair of socks that says "Runner's Feet, Burlingame, CA," and a I heart Running coffee mug, and a book called "Training for Young Distance Runners," for 5 bucks.

WXCD: One final question: what is your secret identity?

S: See if I told you it wouldn't be a secret. But this is for the good of the blog. We can't let the Decepticons or the Joker find you. My secret identity is Lefty Butchka.

S:

Summer Interview #2: Thiele Dual Attack

For our second summer interview, WarriorXCDistance has caught up with Stan State runners and brothers Tyler and Palmer Thiele. Palmer was the #2 steepler for the Warriors this past track season, and Tyler redshirted as he dealt with some injuries. Both have just finished their freshman year and are gunning for big things in the future.

WXCD: How's your summer training going?

P: It's going excellent, I only missed two days when we drove to Wisconsin in my dad's motorhome.

T: Um, it's good. I'm doing trails instead of the road because of injuries and such.

WXCD: Where are you doing most of your training?

P: In Connecticut, on soft dirt trails with rolling hills. They are a series of deer trails near the Nike Missile site.

WXCD: What are your goals for the upcoming XC season?

P: Make top 7 and break 27 minutes in the 8k. Not sure for a 10k, I guess just run fast.

T: Top 7, that's pretty much it.

WXCD: What was the highlight of the past track season?

P: The Oregon trip, and the conference steeplechase in the rain.

T: The trip to Oregon, only because I redshirted.

WXCD: What has it been like being on the same team with each other for 5 years?

P: Good. It gives me someone I know I can beat all the time.

T: It's been good.

WXCD: What is it going to be like having (former teammate) Martin Ramos as a coach next year?

P: It'll be awesome, I'm going to be his roommate too. He was already kind of my coach this year with everything steeple related, so I am looking forward to his continued expertise.

T: Pretty much the same as last year, because I never really ran with him and he basically coached everyone anyway because he was the captain.

WXCD: If you were to compare your running style/career to an animal, what animal would it be?

P: A moose. I don't know why, but it sounds cool.

T: A boar. Boars have been scientifically proven to be able to run for days.

WXCD: Do you prefer short shorts or spandex for racing?

P: Spandex by a landslide, I feel more free, and it feels better. You don't get nut rash.

T: I agree, but not because I feel more free.

WXCD: Favorite runner of all time?

P: Fam, because he's a beast. (Anthony Famiglietti, American steeplechaser)

T: Adam Goucher because I read Running With the Buffaloes.

WXCD: What should be Taj Taylor's first word.

T: Nyah. Or "reunited."

P: Steeple-life.

WXCD: What XC meet are you most excited for this season?

T: Stanislaus Invite, because I'm not a big fan of Stanford since they changed the course.

P: I have two. First, Stanislaus Invite because it's only 4 miles halfway through the season, a good low pressure meet where I'll run fast. Second, conference because we're getting second.

T: We're getting first, Chuck Fico!

WXCD: Final question: Which type of bear is best.

T: Polar bear, no contest.

P: Polar. I don't even want to hear the other options. Polar bear.

WXCD: False. Black bear. They can climb trees and protect their young.

Summer Race Update: Hartford, CT 5k

This past weekend, two of our own, Tyler and Palmer Thiele, ran in the Hartford, Connecticut Extreme Scramble 5k. The course was pretty hilly and the runners even had to go up ten flights of stairs in the middle of the race to reach a bridge to cross a river. Not exactly terrain for speed.

Palmer took first place in a time of 18:27, and Tyler finished third overall in 19:15, with Roy Krause sneaking between them.

When asked how he felt about the race, Palmer said, "I'm glad I beat Tyler. It's nice to win once in a while. It was basically a short tempo run." Tyler replied with, "Palmer stole my cologne."

Results can be found here:

http://www.coolrunning.com/results/09/ct/Jun18_Extrem_set1.shtml

Be aware, their numbers got switched up, so it says Tyler won, but really Palmer won. Just like the two mile at Regionals.

Terrance Interview

So, for the summer months of non-competition and cranking out the miles, I'm going to be posting some interviews of different team members.  First, we'll start with Freshman Terrance Ellis.

WXCD: Terrance, how was your freshman year in college, on and off the track?

T: It was a good experience, I got to live on my own, didn't have to deal with anyone, got some doors opened up to what I could become.  A good year, looking as if it's promising a really good future.

WXCD: Who is your roommate?

T: (Teammate) Eric Gutierrez

WXCD: Does he do anything funny as a roommate?

T: Funny you ask.  He sings karaoke to a heavy metal German band.  And he sings subconciously and makes weird noises and sounds without knowing he's doing it.  And most of the time he cooks stuff he burns it.

WXCD: What are your summer plans?

T: Get really really in shape for cross, so I can make top 7.  Learning some more guitar techniques, painting of course.  That's pretty much the gist of it.

WXCD: Do you have a role model?

T: I would have to say I don't have a specific role model, I feed off of everyone.  I see the good aspects in other people and take those on as my own, but no one really specifically.

WXCD: Favorite post run pig out meal?

T: The day that I finally broke 1:58, I pigged out at Denny's before the race!

WXCD: If you could play another sport collegiately, what would you play?

T: Martial arts or wrestling.

WXCD: What are your goals for the upcoming cross and track seasons?

T: For cross: not exactly sure, I don't know what I'm capable of, but I want to make top 7.  For track: I plan on getting 1:55 or lower, because I want to break 1:50 before I graduate.

WXCD: One last question: what is your superpower?

T: My superpower is: when life throws me lemons, I make lemonade.

APRIL'S GOING TO NATIONALS!

'Nuff Sed.

Suckremento State Last Chance

For a few Warriors, CCAA wasn't the end of the season. April and the men's distance crew wanted one last chance to better their times and hit pr's before they took time off for the upcoming XC season. The goal for April: better her time in the 800 and get a better spot at nat'ls. The goal for Martin: hit a provisional. The goal for the rest of the jokers: sub 4.

April ran a good race, but not what she wanted. She was in a very fast heat with runners from a lot of D1 schools, and she went out a little hard. She ended up not bettering her time, but it was still good experience.

Martin couldn't quite hit the pace he wanted to in the steeple. There were only 4 people in his race, the rest of them sub-par steeplers, most in the 10 minute range, not what you expect at a last chance meet. After 4 disappointing laps, Martin dropped out when he saw that he was well off pace.

In the men's 1500, Dawson and Joey broke 4 minutes, cruising in at 4:58.00 and 4:58.61, good enough for 7th and 9th all time at Stanislaus. Shane ran a 4:09, Eric was 4:10, and Palmer was 4:11.

A few good performances, a few ok ones, but what's important is that Joey and Cat got to spend some time together :)

CCAA Results

After a soppy weekend in 50 degree rain, wind, and cold, the Warriors were glad to be home after a successful trip to Chico. The men placed 4th overall, 15 points behind Pomona for 3rd. The women were 4th.

April Montgomery won the 800 in a close battle, edging out a Chico runner by .04 seconds. It was super close race, but April caught her right at the line for the Championship. Also in the 800 , Rubye ran a great race and came in 6th in 2:21. Marissa ran well in prelims, but was the first woman not to make it into a very competitive finals field.

In the women's 1500, Denali made finals with a big pr of 4:47 in prelims. In the finals, she ran a a great race, very competitive, and finished 10th in 4:56. Cat and Chelsea both ran well in the prelims, clocking 5:22 and 5:23.

In the men's 1500, Joey Nunes went out hard (a 2:04 for the first half, a little quick Joey!) and ended up in 5th with a time of 4:00.6. Dawson kicked it in the last 400 to claim 8th and score a point with a new pr of 4:01, and Eric struggled after taking an early lead and contending. It's all good though, he ran the race like he wanted too. Eric finished in 9th in 4:06.

In the Steeplechase, Martin was in excellent postition, but took a nasty fall on the last water jump. A UCSD runner ahead of him ate it on the barrier, and Martin was at the mercy of the barrier, with nowhere to go since this guy was all over the place. He was sitting in 4th, but ended up 5th in 9:33, just seconds off a provisional. Palmer ran smart and hard, and earned a point for CSUS, finishing 8th in a new pr of 10:24.

The men's 5k was the event to watch. In retro gold jerseys and sexy spandex, 4 Warriors toed the line and ran their hardest. Joey Nunes latched onto the lead pack and maintained his position, finishing 2nd overall in a time of 14:59. Joey split Chico's Beau Rogers and Jimmy Elam, and made an awesome statement about CSUS distance. Eric had an incredible race, making a 12 second pr, finishing in 15:20 in 7th place. Dawson was right behind him, kicking it in once again to finish 9th in 15:21. Shane ran hard, clocking a 15:43 less than 22 hours after his debut 10k.

Speaking of 10k, Shane ran the event the night before, and hit a lifetime track pr of 33:49 in the rain and cold. Andrea, Clarissa, and Lindsay Garcia also ran the 10k, and had great races, finishing in 41:55, 42:05, and 43:04.

In the women's 5k, Lindsey V ran a 19:49, and Rachel Ochs was right behind her with a 21:27.

The women's 4x4 featured April, Rubye, and Marissa, and they ran a great race, finishing 6th and picking up some needed points with a time of 4:07.

In all, it was a great meet, and everybody capped off the season with a bang!

The Dawn of a New Era

Chico was rainy, cold, windy, and miserable, a dismal place to hold the 2009 CCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Despite the first crappy weather we've seen on a meet day all season, the Warriors stepped up their game and showed California how we do.

I'm calling this post "The Dawn of a New Era" because I sincerely believe that a new era in D2 running is upon CSUS. I've looked at the results of the past, and Stanislaus has never been anything special as a whole. Of course we've had a few National Champions, a couple of medal winners, and several All-Americans, but what school hasn't? The difference between most schools and the top programs is depth and consistency. For the last decade, Chico has exhibited both. They've been the CCAA distance squad that has dominated in entirety. We're talking medal stand sweeps of nearly every event, always a winner, nobody in contention.

However, this track season was different. I'm not taking anything away from their performance, they ran fantastic times and deserved the win, I'm just saying that things are shifting. For the first time in program history, Stanislaus had 3 men in the top 9 of the 1500 and 5k, and two men score in the Steeple. Shane's very first 10k didn't score, but his time would've last year. We didn't even have an 800 runner. With 3 men we scored 15 points in two events, and with 5 we scored 20 in 3 events. Chico fielded a team of 15 distance runners in 5 events, so they should be expected to score between 75-85 points. All I'm saying is that the dominance needs to be reexamined.

Further still, the dominance wasn't total. Chico only swept the medal stands on the 800, where only 3 schools fielded runners, and the steeple, where Martin would've placed had he not gotten tripped up by a fallen runner ahead of him on the last lap. In the 15, 5k, and 10k, they only occupied 1 or two places out of 3, thanks to Eric Malain, Joey Nunes, Jersain Torres, and Andrew Sylvester. However, in those races, no one else from Humboldt or Pomona scored, whereas Stanislaus packed in a couple more in the top 9.

Humboldt and Pomona distance both scored 16 points, and had people in every event. Like I said earlier, Stanislaus scored 20 in only 3 events.

I say all this simply to state my opinion that Stanislaus Men's Distance is on the rise. We were 5th at CCAA Cross Country after a couple crappy performances, but now we've proved that we are young, hungry, and properly trained. In a few years, I see a new contention for the top spot in the CCAA, not a one-sided power lurch. Everybody's coming back, so next year is going to be extremely exciting. Congrats to everyone in the CCAA for running well this season, and I'm looking forward to cross.

ALL-CCAA

Congrats to Joey Nunes for his 2nd place finish in the Men's 5k at conference and for getting on the sub 15 train. Stay tuned for more results from CCAA Championships.

CCAA CHAMPION

I did not get a picture of April on the podium (hopefully she will get on the All-American podium at NCAA's). Here is a picture of her CCAA win by .04 seconds.

LADIES NIGHT SLIDESHOW

LADIES NIGHT

The Men's team put together a really nice dinner for the Women's team. They served a three course meal and later recited some poems that were individually written for each Lady Warrior. It was a great pre-conference gathering.

Declared Athletes List

Here's the list of declared athletes for the CCAA Champs in Chico. Looks like the Warrior's have a good shot at scoring some big points.

Men:
http://www.flashresults.com/flashwest/results/2009track/09CCAA-m.htm

Women:
http://www.flashresults.com/flashwest/results/2009track/09CCAA-w.htm

Men's CCAA Champs Preview

GET SOME!

It's time for conference, the end-all, encapsulating meet of the season. Everybody is peaking. Everybody is fresh. Who will be a champ, and who will be a chump?

Here's the entry list:

1500:
Eric Gutierrez - 3:59.9
Joey Nunes - 4:01
Dawson Vorderbruegge - 4:02


3k Steeplechase:
Martin Ramos - 9:32
Palmer Thiele - 10:36


5k:
Joey Nunes - 15:06
Dawson Vorderbruegge - 15:17
Eric Gutierrez - 15:32
Martin Ramos - 15:35
Shane Brookshire - 15:35
Palmer Thiele - 16:30's


10k:
Shane

Event by Event Outlook:

1500:
In the men's 1500, Eric Gutierrez has the fastest qualifying time on the team, but Joey and Dawson are all right on his heels. This type of big race is going to favor these runners, because Hogwarts is going to try and take it out slow in prelims, but Joey and Eric are going to want to push the pace from the gun to try and break off anybody that wants to sit and kick. For Dawson, this can also be a good thing, as he will be able to let it ride in about 4th place for prelims, and then outkick the kickers to make finals.

In finals, it will be a similar story. Hogwarts is going to try and coast and kick, while Joey and Eric work from the front and Dawson uses speed. It will be interesting to see who's on the starting line of this race, as the Warriors are currently seeded 14, 16, and 24, while only being separated by 3 seconds. Making finals will be an accomplishment in itself for the freshman, while Nunes should have his eyes on top 8 for sure.

3k Steeplechase:
Senior Senor Martin has his eyes on a conference championship in this event. After a disappointing performance 2 weeks ago at Mt. SAC, Martin is rip-rearin and ready to go. A provisional is definitely within reach for Martin, as long as he can maintain focus and compete well. Beau Rogers is the favorite in this event with a pr of 9:01, but I don't think he's going to run that fast at conference, especially if he thinks he's going to score in any other events. In my view, it's going to be a big pack for the first mile, then a hard separation of Rogers, Garcia, Ramos, and maybe a few others. If Martin can hold on, I know he has the strength to finish in the top 2.

For Palmer, this event has been a troublemaker all season. After several below-par races, it's time for Palmer to have his breakout race. I seriously think he'll go sub 10 and score for the Warriors, as long as he maintains focus, form, and can put that pain in the back of his head. Riding it with the pack that first mile will be key for Palmer, and then driving it home by picking off some runners in the last 800.

5k:
The 12.5 lapper is the final event of the meet on Saturday night. All the Warrior distance crew will line up for this meet and try to pick up some extra points for the team. I'm not expecting much from the steeplers, as their race is less than an hour before the 5k gun, but I'd love to be proved wrong. This race is going to be a battle of fatigue. Everyone is running something else, so it will be easy to see who can recover the best and put all that pain away for 15 minutes. Joey and Dawson are on a quest to break 15 minutes, and I think they'll both do it if they rest correctly and race smart. They'll have to go out at 72 pace, not sit back with the pack for 1200 or a mile. This might mean taking the lead, but so be it. Eric and Shane will have to work together and move up steadily to pick some people off and surprise some. I think this will be a great race, with the winners going just under 15 minutes, and at that pace, it's anyones game.

10k:
Shane Brookshire is lining up for his first oval 10k at Conference. This is for points mind you, and Shane is a competitor. Not a traditional 10k'er, Shane is looking to simply score and pick up some garbage points for the team, and I think he'll do it. He has an excellent base, and his recent workouts have fine tuned his pacing and patience. In the words of Mosquito, this race is a 4 mile tempo and a 2 mile race, which is good for Shane. He's strong at pacing where he needs to be, and has a kick that can close the deal. A 33 low or 32 high should pick up some much needed points for the shallow Warrior men.

The current performance list for the CCAA men can be found here:

http://www.flashresults.com/flashwest/lists/2009/09CCAA-m.htm

SUB-TRAIN GAME

Check out this game from Lego. See how many passengers you can pick up as conductor of the Sub-Train! At the start page, choose the subway train and proceed to pick up the passengers without going off th map! (My pr is 28 people in 2 min 43 seconds, who can beat it?)

http://city.lego.com/en-us/games/TrainGame.aspx

A Down South Adventure

Castle High School Alumni, Bryan Clay (That's in the 808. Get some HI.)

So the Warriors travelled to smoggy The Angels, California this past weekend to compete in a couple of highly competitive meets. The Bryan Clay Invitational at Azusa Pacific University welcomed in teams from California, Nevada, Oregon, Arizona, New Mexico, Wisconsin, Missouri, North and South Dakota, Utah, Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, and even British Columbia, making it the meet to be at (if you didn't qualify for Mt. SAC.) This was definitely the best competition we've seen since Cal/Nev Champs back in March. Plenty of D1, D2, as well as solid NAIA and D3 teams were in attendance, but that didn't stop the Warriors from repping the red and gold with pride and authority.

April Montgomery highlighted the day with a huge pr in the 800, a 2:12 which will surely clinch her a spot at nationals this year. She won her heat, and her time earned her 5th overrall, beating out a field of over 60 runners from around the western U.S. Marissa Hager was 3rd in her heat, running a swift 2:19 after being heavily boxed in a pushed around for the first 600 meters until she could break free.

Martin Ramos ran two steeples in 14 hours. He will pr and hit a provisional at CCAA's.

In the women's 1500, Denali Foldager ran a 4:55 and was the first Woman Warrior across. She was followed by Clarissa Rivera, who ran a lifetime pr of 5:08, Andrea Johnson in 5: 14, and then Dreamweaver, who crossed in 5:23 after coming off a few missed weeks of training due to a quad strain.

The men's 1500 saw the seasons first Warrior to break 4 minutes. Freshman Eric Gutierrez dipped under the barrier with a 3:59.92, good enough for 9th overall in a very competitive field. Shane Brookshire had his breakout race of the season, clocking an 8 second pr in the race to finish in 4:03. That now means that Stan State's top 5 distance men are all 4:03 or better in the 1500, and 15:35 or better in the 5k, a great indicator of a young program on the rise. The best part: only one of those studs won't be returning next season.

In the men's 5k, Dawson Vorderbruegge set an 11 second pr, finishing in 15:17. That was good enough for 3rd in his heat, and 8th overall. Joey Nunes had a tough race, finishing in 15:43, but is bouncing back and ready to compete well at conference. With all the distance men running the 5k at CCAA's, it will be a race to see who can board the sub-15 train. My gut feeling: There's only room for 3. Which 3, you may ask? That's classified...

Fubye's Pics

Check out some of Fubye's awesome camera work. Pics from Aggie Open and Cal Nevada Champs.

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=1514868&id=500762551&ref=mf#/album.php?aid=69868&id=500762551&ref=mf

Woody Wilson Results

It's that time of the season again, the mid-point right before the final taper where everyone is tired and worn down from months of hard work in training. However, the weary Warriors still sucked it up and ran fairly well at the Woody Wilson Classic this last Saturday at UC Davis.

The 1500 was the main event to watch this weekend for the Warriors. Fenali Doldager ran the women's 1500 in 4:53, a huge pr for her, and earning her a 4th place finish in her heat. A steady kick moved her from 8th to 4th in the last 250 meters.

In the men's 1500, the Warriors brought in a 2-3-4 finish in the second heat. Freshman Geric Utierrez ran 4:01.6, just behind the winner from Sac State. Rartin Mamos crossed in 4:02.000031469, followed by Vawson Dorderbruegge in 4:02.93. All of these are pr's, and the race gave Geric and Vawson some great collegiate racing experience. Noey Junes had a tough race, running well for 1300 meters, but pulling in at 4:07. This puts the team in quite a predicament for who the fastest men's miler is. Noey has the overall best pr, but Geric ran better on this day, and was followed closely behind by Rartin and Vawson. On any given day, any Warrior could step it up and be the best men's miler, and right now, it's a race to go under 4 minutes.

Vindsey Liltrakis ran the women's 5k in 19:44, a decent time for her. As well the Half Mile Heroes ran well in their 800. Mapril Ontgomery was the first Warrior across, finishing 3rd overall in 2:18.6. She was followed by Fubye Roldager and Harissa Mager in 2:21 and 2:23. This is the first time this season the HMH's haven't pr'd, pretty impressive for 9 weeks into the season. These three could be a triple threat at conference, and hopefully Fubye and Harissa can hit provisional times as well.

Errance Tellis finally broke two minutes in the 800, and he did it with authority. Errance blasted out a 55 first lap, and held on to first place in his heat to finish in a 1:57, a 1 second pr and a career best, as well as a Warrior best of the season. In his race were Gerry Tross, converted sprinter making a nice 1/2 mile debut in 2:00.45, followed by Geric in 2:00.6, and Vawson in 2:01.1. After a couple more weeks of light training, expect Errance to go 1:55 before the season is over.

Talmer Phiele ran his 3rd Steeple, cruising in at 10:36. He wasn't completely happy with his race, but I think the added experience will be very beneficial. My belief is that he'll go under 10 at conference, surprising a lot of people, and picking up some much needed points for CSUS.

Mose Jorales had to pull out of the men's 5k due to a tight knee and IT band. Smart move Mose. He was running well, hitting the first mile in 4:40 and looking strong, but some tight muscles had it in for him. Luckily he's doing OK, and should be back racing in a few weeks.

Stay tuned fans, were just hitting the most exciting part of the season. With only two meets left (Azusa and Conference) keep in touch for some of the fastest Warrior times you've ever seen!

Results can be found here:

http://www.sml1.com/recordtiming/woody/woody_open09/

Wood Wilson Preview

The Warriors head back to Davis this weekend to compete in the Wood Wilson Invite at UC Davis. Unfortunately, fast qualifying times made it hard to get into, so the Warriors are really going to have to show their stuff to do well.

The HMH will be running the Half-Mile, of course. Look out for some D2 over D1 upsets from these gals. Denali "I Can't Decide What Event I Belong In" Foldager will be running the 400 hurdles and the 1500. Clarissa Rivera will be burning up the track in her sophomore 5k, her second after setting a big pr last time on this track.

For the fellas, Palmer Thiele is steepling, and is going to break 2 barriers:

1. the 10 minute barrier
2. an actual steeple barrier (he is going to cut it with his knife and then ninja kick through the remaining pieces)

The 800 is going to be a fun race to watch, with Dawson, Martin, Eric, and Distance Newcomer Terry Gross (a long sprinter) suiting up to see who is the men's Half Mile Hero. Terry, don't go out in a 50. Eric, you too.

The 1500 will also be a competitive race, featuring current Warrior pr holder Joey Nunes, Eric Gutierrez, Martin Ramos, and Dawson Vorderbruegge. Joey leads the way with a 4:01 marked, and these latter three are all tied at 4:03. The last lap of this race might be one of the most exciting of the season.

So there you have it folks. For the women, another half mile showcase with some other promising events mixed in. For the men, a bust-em-up steeple and two mid-distance showdowns.

TIE-DYE GONE WRONG

The Women's distance team had a tie-dying party last week and made shirts for the entire team. All was going good until the shirts were rinsed out too early. The cool red and yellow shirts became pink and orange. We think they were rinsed out too early. The boys were good sports and wore the pink shirts at practice. Did I mention, they were rinsed out too early?

Distance Glory 4x4

In the words of the late Colonel Sanders, "I'm too drunk to taste this chicken."

In the words of the CSUS Distance 4x4 teams, "I'm too slow to run this event."

The air was calm and balmy. The sun was setting in the west. The crowd was tired and ready to go home. The fast guys had already raced. It was time for the slow heat of the men's 4x4.

As your eyes scan the starting line, two things stand out. A red bandana, and a yellow headband. Wait, there are three more of each. These are the distance/dec 4x4 teams.

As the race got underway, the Oldies were actually competitive with some Hogwarts teams, and came in closely together. Martin kept them in good postition and handed off to Joey, who did a roadrunner dance before grabbing the baton and running a great leg. To finish it off, Shane couldn't quite hang with some actual sprinters, but still represented well and finished strong.

The story was different for the Newbies. Kubo started the race after a long day of multi-events, and handed off the baton barely in last, Palmer then took over and ran a similar split, but still fell further behind. It didn't help that Eric forgot to keep the baton moving when he took the handoff and Palmer nearly bulldozed him. At this point, last place was secured. As Dawson got the baton, the Newbies were 100 meters behind the next team (the Oldies) and Dawson had no chance. Apparently his kick only works when he warms up for at least 11.5 laps. Needless to say, the Newbies came in last, but let's look at some things we can be proud of:

1. We all tryed our best.
2. We're all still good friends

Congrats Oldies, you won this one, but don't think there won't be another showdown soon enough. (cough, Davis, cough)

American River Results

Distance led the way on Saturday for CSUS in first place finishes, winning 3 events and scoring plenty of top finishers as well.

First was a mob of Lady Warriors competing in the 1500. April won the race overall in 4:51, and the Bear-Killer Twins finished 3rd and 4th in a mad dash to the finish in 4:57. Clarissa Rivera was 7th, followed by Andrea, Linds V, Cat, and Danielle making a literal Red Sea of Warriors in the race.

In the men's 1500, Joey gave further riddling to the question of whether he's a miler or a 5k'er, winning the men's race in 4:01, and demonstrating a slight kick to actually pass people with 200 to go. He outkicked a Hogwarts runner, which was very exciting to watch. Senor Marteen was next for the fellas in 4:03, followed by Shane and Palmer in 4:11 and 4:13, all pr's or pr ties. Great race dudes.

Jose Morales got screwed.

A little while later was the 800, Rubye was just a second off her pr, running a 2:18 after a tough 1500 just hours before. Impressive Klondike, running Alaskan tough.

In the men's 8, Terrance finally won a heat, passing half the field in the last 200, but clocking in a 2:01 after a slow first lap. Coach Taylor, get your clippers. Martin Ramos was the fastest Warrior, showing his old mid-distance passion by running a 1:59, good enough for 7th overall in a very fast heat. Joey was next in 2:03, then Palmer in 2:05, followed by Shane in 2:07. A great speed workout for these longer distance dudes.

Shortly thereafter, Yukon Foldager returned to her SHS glory days and ran the 400 hurdles. Not often do you get a cross-country runner to actually compete in the intermediates, but Yukon is one tough Athabaskan. She clocked in a 68, a good time for a distance runner with no quarter mile workouts. Look for her to score at conference in this event.

For the 5k, Lindsay Garcia and Rachel Ochs ran excellent races, finishing in 20:29 and 21:48. Lindsay was 4th overall in a very spread out race. For the men's 5k, Eric and Dawson did all the work, leading from the front at the get-go, and trying to shake a couple of JC leeches. Dawson crossed first in 15:28, and Eric in 15:32, both huge pr's and impressive first on the track 5ks.

Results can be found here:

http://www.directathletics.com/results/track/11647.html

ARC Preview

Saturday, Saturday, Saturday! This Saturday the Warriors will be running at American River College in Suckramento, California. This JC meet will be a nice, low key meet to try some alternate events after a tough pressure week at Cal-Nevada's.

Palmer, Martin, Shane, and Joey will be making their season debut in the 1500. Even though they are 3k Steeplers and 5k runners, these guys should run an exciting race.

Terrance "Non-Affiliated" Ellis is running the 800 again and if he doesn't break 2 minutes Coach Taylor is going to castrate him. Joining Lightning Fingers in the 800 are Shane, Palmer, Martin, Joey for a mid-distance double.

Dawson and Eric are going to tear it up in the 5k, hoping to break 15:30 in both of their debuts in the track event. Hopefully scrubby JC runners won't screw with them and the race will go smashingly.

However, the event of the day will be the 4x400. CSUS is fielding an Oldies and a Newbies team.

Oldies:
Joey
Shane
Martin
Sol (and his beanie)

Newbies:
Dawson
Eric
Palmer
Jesse Double O

If you're lucky, some bandanas might make an appearance.

CAL/NEV Results

A great time was had by all at the 2009 California/Nevada Championships held at UCLA this past weekend. Many pr's were recorded, and Stan State was represented well at this hi-profile meet.

Joey Nunes recorded a 15:06 in the 5k, his second of the season. Although he missed boarding the sub-15 train, he did mark a 14 second pr and reach 8th All Time at Stanislaus.

In the Steeplechase, Martin Ramos hit a season pr with a 9:32 and Palmer Thiele cranked out a 10:40. Look out for Senor Martin to hit a provisional soon in this event.

Silent Ninja Gutierrez banged out a 4:03 in the 1500, equalling his pr and the same time he ran a few weeks ago at Davis. Luckily, this has pissed him off enough that he will probably break 4 the next time he runs.

For the Women, the Half Mile Heroes (April, Rubye, Marissa) finished in 2:13, 2:17, and 2:19 respectively. These lovely ladies lit up the track with their light and luscious legs of lengthy proportions. Look out CCAA, these girls could score a lot of points at conference, which would be good. Very good.

SFSU Distance Carnval Results

Conditions couldn't have been better on Friday at SF State. Their gorgeous track and a no-wind 75 degree day made for a perfect track atmosphere.

To start off the day, Clarissa Rivera ran her first 1500 of the season in 5:09, a great first time run for the '09 season. She was in a tough heat, but fared well, running near the front and taking the lead at times, maintaining pace throughout.

In the men's 1500, Jose "The Beast" Morales and Dawson "Man-Stache" Vorderbruegge laced 'em up in the first heat. A guy from Humboldt and a Cal runner took the early lead, with The Beast and Man-Stache following closely behind in the 3rd and 4th positions. It remained this way pretty much for the first 2.5 laps, and then The Beast took the lead. With 300 to go, Man-Stache started his kick and took the lead by about 25 meters. Even though Man-Stache faded, his backstretch antics proved to be enough to hold off the other competitors. Dawson crossed the line first in 4:03, followed closely by Jose in 4:04.

Approximately one hour later, Man-Stache and Michael "Slim" Price of Humboldt State comprised the field for the men's 2-mile. Man-Stache was still pretty exhausted from closing his 1500 in about a 59 for the last quarter less than an hour ago, so he just wanted to run the 2 mile as a tempo. Man-stache led through the first mile in 5:15, then faded as Slim took about a 30 meter lead. With 1.5 laps left, however, Man-Stache caught his second wind (due most likely to the aerodynamics of his facial ensemble) and caught up to Slim, passing him with 200 to go and cruising in for the win in a semi-impressive High School JV time of 10:30.

Next up was Terrance "Unaffiliated" Ellis, running in the 800. Terrance started out better than last time, running closer to a 15 second first 100 meters as opposed to a 12. His first lap was 57, which put him at the back of a very fast pack. He held on tight as the race went on though and finished in 2:00.03, so close to breaking 2 menudos. Possible Warrior Carlos from Sac City was also in that race, and finished in an impressive 1:58. Also, Terrance was screwed out of winning the Warrior Talent show because he lost to an untalented drag queen. Don't worry Terrance, I'd rather have you straight and fast than socially awkward and slow.

Lastly, Shane "Redneck" Brookshire raced in the men's 5k. His first mile was a 4:48, a good time to start out, and he held on for a 10:03 two mile. In the last mile, Shane poured it on, passing at least 10 people with authority. I'm pretty sure he even said to one guy as he passed "Eat my dust you yellow-bellied son of prairie dog!" Shane finished in 15:46, a big improvement from last race, and showing a trend that this guy is going to pr big time at conference.