NORTHFIELD, Minn. — This was supposed to be Hunter Bailey’s redemption race.
This five-kilometer race was the Winona Senior High School junior’s chance to redo 2012’s state race, when an iron deficiency diagnosis two weeks prior to the meet held him back.
The St. Olaf College course was his opportunity to come out from under the radar and prove his preseason No. 7 ranking. However, this MSHSL State Cross Country Meet — where he entered ranked No. 10 — didn’t turn into his eraser.
It became another permanent mark.
With less than a mile left, Bailey was sixth place in his favorite part of the course, the pines, when he felt a pop followed by intense pain right above his right knee.
The trainer in the medical tent said he either tore or pulled a muscle near his knee. Bailey planned to have an MRI Saturday night on his knee, something he has never injured previously. He pulled a right calf muscle in seventh grade and was out for the season, but that was his most recent injury.
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This time, Bailey fell to the side and watched runners pass him. As the a medical cart came up to him, he hopped in and was forced to use three letters country runners hate — DNF or or did not finish — on this day.
Bailey was able to walk to the medical tent with help from his dad, Brent, and limped to the athlete area on his own.
“I stood up and it hurt to walk, so I got in the cart,” Bailey said. “I was feeling good at that point. I was feeling a little more tired than I would have liked but I was there.
“I feel cruddy. I just feel pretty cruddy now.”
Bailey’s high hopes were dashed in an instant. Last season’s diagnosis came too close to the state meet and Bailey didn’t have enough time to correct it.
“I wanted to come back and redeem myself,” Bailey said. “I’ve had solid races all season. I was hoping this was my chance to break through. It was my chance.”
Many of us believed him.
Bailey placed 19th in the 3,200-meter race in May’s state track meet. He won the Big Nine Conference race in October. The next week, he was third at sections and was ranked No. 10.
For those of us standing at the finish line, the first 10 runners, crossed with no Winona runner in sight.
No one thought Bailey would have fallen lower than 15. He was ninth at the two-mile mark. The kid is more lion than lamb on the race path. He doesn’t allow — nor like — anyone to pass him.
This was another blow to a humble athlete that always says “thank-you” after an interview, says yes sir to race officials and offers to bring a spare set of headphones for a teammate, just in case they forget.
But, sometimes life isn’t fair. Sometimes your boss yells at you for being too chatty at work. Sometimes you don’t get the last piece of chocolate cake and sometimes your body gets hurt at the most important time in your cross country race, when your making your move toward the front of the pack.
It will be all about perspective from here on out. Bailey has one more cross country season and two in track and field. I’ve watched Bailey’s brain battle his body as he worked through that iron deficiency last season. He made enough of an impression to be ranked by the coaches association. Others believe he belongs on the podium and will eventually get there.
“There are things to be done still,” WSHS coach Jed Reisetter said. “You can learn more from disappointment than success sometimes. He put himself in great position to be All-State, but it just didn’t happen. He was sad, mad, everything as we neared the finish line in the cart.”
As Bailey’s dad, Brent, rushed to his side at the finish line, Bailey’s tears were replaced with a look of disappointment.
“He kept telling me he was sorry,” Brent Bailey said. “He has nothing to be sorry about. He has next year.”