Having arrived at the end of my high school career, it is with difficulty that I find myself writing my last Run, Write, Repeat article. It has been a privilege and a pleasure to get to share some of my stories, and the stories of other Minnesota runners for the past school year. For my final article I would like to reflect a bit on my own experiences this year, share some highlights of the year, and wrap things up by talking about what writing this column has meant to me.
My last year of high school competition did not go exactly how I had hoped. Of the goals I set, I accomplished none of them, and in every championship race I placed lower (or the same) than my junior year. I was unable to defend either of my State titles, and I only managed one PR in track by a few hundredths of a second. And yet, in spite of 'coming up short' in a lot of big events, I am not too disappointed with my year.
In the fall I managed to recover from illness and come within a few centimeters of winning the State championship. Shortly after I was honored to commit my future to the University of Minnesota. This spring was the first season of running where I had no injury that kept me out for more than a day. I did not miss a single workout, and I pushed myself as hard as I could in spite of a few exogenous and uncontrollable factors.
I saw my teammate, Yahya Mader, annihilate the school high jump record. Izzy Quam ran the fastest 800 from an MPA girl in something like 10+ years, Matthew Bourne and Henry Snider both finished third in the 1600 and 3200 meters at sections respectively, and Ellie Quam navigated an injury and minimal training to win a Conference title, and set herself up well for a potential State qualification next year in the 100 meter hurdles (and I could go on!). I managed to graduate, and now I find myself in the middle of a two week break before I open up the college chapter of my career!
Of course it was difficult to have, what on paper, seemed to be a very disappointing season, but I still enjoyed every second of it. I got to run at State with my friends, watch my future teammate, Khalid Hussein, sweep just about everything there is to sweep on the high school level, and I ended my high school career with nothing but fond memories (apart from my first race back from mono in Milaca last fall!).
To have walked away with faster times or more titles would have been a nice icing on the cake, but in the end I am eager to start fresh this summer and coming fall and see how far I can push myself and improve. Four years from now, I don't think running 7 seconds slower my senior year than my junior year in the 3200 will be of much consequence. I don't expect to even remember many details of this year other than the fact that I ran it amongst friends both from my school and others, and that I was fortunate enough to have incredible coaches, family, and friends supporting me along the way.
But enough about me. This year we were fortunate to see some truly incredible performances, and below (in no particular order, and primarily focusing on what I know best, distance) are some of my personal favorite moments of the year:
- Tierney's Electric XC Season: Tierney Wolfgram (who runs in the same Section and at a lot of the same meets as me) has been outstanding for a few years, and this fall she blew away the competition, handily winning the State XC tournament over the Ping sisters, then going on to win the Nike Heartland region, and a week later qualify for Foot Locker Nationals. Wolfgram already has an impressive resume that will only keep adding to it in the years to come!
- Two Triple Crowns: Matt Steiger and Khalid Hussein both completed the distance triple (xc, 1600, and 3200 meter titles in one year) their senior years. Steiger won the state XC title in a close rematch with myself, and then went on to convincingly win the two distance races at the State Track and Field meet. Hussein was undoubtedly the best runner in the state this year, placing tenth at the Nike Nationals meet in an absolutely stacked field. Both boys have big things ahead, Steiger at Augustana and Hussein at the University of Minnesota.
- Max Gifford's Rise: I have known Max for numerous years, running (and skiing) in many meets together as part of the IMAC conference. This past summer, Max had a pectus surgery, which requires the insertion of a metal bar beneath the rib cage, and includes a long and painful recovery. Max was unable to run for twelve weeks after the surgery, and in spite of all of that he had an outstanding junior year of personal improvement. He qualified for the State XC meet individually, going on to place in the top half. This spring, Max found his calling in the 1600 and 800 meters. After hours of hard work and recovery he ran a 10 second PR in his first 1600 meter race indoors, qualifying for the Hamline Elite Meet. Having never qualified for a State track meet individually, Gifford qualified and medaled in both the 1600 and 800 meters, running PRs in both events. Big things are to come for the Minnehaha rising senior!
- Covert's Spring Dominance: Emily Covert has been so good for so long it is crazy to think that she has another high school year remaining! She set the all-time 3200 meter record this year, was second at New Balance Nationals this weekend, and is seemingly untouchable at distances above or equal to 3200 meters. She won the class AA State XC title, and was a qualifier for both Nike and Foot Locker Nationals. No signs of slowing down from Covert.
- Kompelien Untouchable: Emily Kompelien was (I believe), the only distance runner to go undefeated in her individual events this spring. She won 7/7 800 meter races and 6/6 1600 meter races (a few of which were against Emily Covert). Adding two State title to her already impressive resume, Kompelien completed the tricky 800/1600 meter double this Spring. She will be a force to be reckoned with in the Ivy League over the next four years!
- AJ Green From Right Field: Green was a relatively new name on the Minnesota 800 scene this year (he had run mainly 400m in previous years), however, he wasted no time in collecting his first State title in convincing fashion over the rest of the class AA 800 meter field. The sophomore ran a blistering 1:52 and won his heat this weekend at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals (finishing __ overall). Green could be one of a select few high schoolers to break the 1:50 mark in the 800, and he has two more years to do it!
- Race of the Spring: Max Manley won the FloTrack Kick of the Week for his early season victory in the Hamline Elite Meet 3200 over Khalid Hussein and Joseph Minor. Manley showed excellent grit to stay in touch with Minor and Hussein over the last 400, and powered to the victory in the last 100 meters, running a nearly 10 second PR in his first 3200 of the season. Manley, only a junior, was the closest challenger to the dominant Hussein for the rest of the season, finishing with two runner up medals in both the 3200 and 1600 at State.
- Pierzinski Doesn't Need Help: Reid Pierzinski is in a class of his own. The Pequot Lakes hurdle/sprint star won three State titles this spring in the 110 and 300 hurdles, as well as the 200-meter dash. His incredible trio of victories secured him, and Pequot Lakes the class A team title, which is admittedly a testament to how poorly designed the MSHSL Meet is for determining a team victor, but also how incredibly dominant Pierzinski is!
