Tour De Mountaineer – The Trial of Truth
The summer has been brutal. Droughts across the west and the north east have plagued farmers for months now. Meanwhile the south east face catastrophic flooding and record temperatures are being recorded in Europe. The cross country course is baked dry and the corn which should be as high as an elephant's eye languishes at the shoulders of men. A year ago it was under water and the mosquitos were so thick the runners could barely stop.
The heat and humidity seemed unrelenting, until it wasn't. Who knows what butterfly flapped its wings just right to set off a trend where cool Canadian air flowed south carrying with it a few days respite but the returning Mountaineers didn't complain.
The "Trial of Truth" we call it. A 3K run to test fitness for returning runners. It's a cross country staple – all across the country – coaches are with their teams nervously awaiting the outcome of their trials. The Trial of Truth is an exercise in revealing the unseen. It shows who has done their work and it can shine a light one who has potential. Mostly though, it reveals the inner character of the athletes as they strive to take the first all important steps on their 12 to 14 week long journey the PSAC and Regional Championship to be held on our own home course – the first time ever both hosted by the same school.
So that optimism of a good summer of training, an excitement for a return to normalcy met the cool dry weather under the lights at the hallowed Maxon Track.
Senior Christian Tanner jumped out to an early lead with Seth Neal close behind. A little back was last year's PSAC 10k runner Abraham Calderon running with freshman Derek Simpson. A familiar training group began to form in Isaac Showers, his brother Owen Showers and Simon Richards. The three fast friends and trained regularly all of last spring and were reunited once again.
A tight group of women formed by the 400m marks. Senior Carly Daniels leading alongside Senior Bailey Morgan and hot on their tails were super sophomore Angelina Colon, Anna Duncan and Carrie Claypool and the brave lone Freshman Anissa Lyttle.
Tanner cleared the first kilometer in 3:10 comfortable and controlled with Neal in close pursuit in 3:18 Then Calderon and luring a ways back the freshman Simpson.
The women got to one kilometer in 3:51 with no gap between them all looking exceptionally relaxed.
Over the next kilometer Tanner and Neal elevated the temp slightly and Calderon was gapped but Simpson with great focused moved to 3rd and began to pick the tempo even more.
The women stayed on their rhythm working together while the Lyttle was the first to fall off the pace a bit. Through two kilometers the top 5 women could not be separated. At the 2K mark, Tanner through down the gauntlet and began reeling off 70 second 400's and it became clear that the hard charging Simpson would close on Neal. The veteran Calderon remained cool and collected as he stayed steady though out.
It was just after 2k the women's group fractured just a bit and Claypool began to fade ever so slightly, but the main group of women stayed on course pressing to the finish.
Tanner would close the last kilometer in 2:55 for a time of 9:16 and the hard charging Simpson would finish 2n in 9:31, Neal would cross in a near PR effort of 9:34 followed by Calderon in 9:40. It would be Owen Showers who separate first from his group followed 10 seconds later by Richards.
For the women it would be last year's surprise steeple chase qualifier Bailey Morgan covering the last kilometer in 3:45. For a time of 11:31. Daniels, Colon and Duncan finished each just 1 second apart and then a mere 20 seconds by Claypool.
The Maillot Jaune went to Tanner and Morgan each scoring 11 points for the win plus a bonus for Morgan for running a personal best. Simpson and Lytle will now wear the white for the best freshman. The night was not over as the Green Jersey for the best sprint finish went to Daniels and Calderon. Then the Cardiac sprint waited. A 400m 128 foot climb with an average 9.9% grade up the back side of "cardiac hill" lived up to its name. It was Colon and Neal who walked with the Gray Jersey for the best climbers, And for good measure a contest of pushups to earn the right for the Blue Jersey went to Dixon and Duncan.
The 2nd Stage of the TDM will take place tomorrow evening. Athletes will short for and over all time for an easy run. The one closet to their overall time will be the winner.
Original source can be found here.
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