March 10, 2021 Hidden Valley Hosts 1st, Last XC Race of COVID-Shortened Spring Sports Season
The Cougars made a rare spring appearance on the Hidden Valley Park cross country course on Wednesday, March 10, in what was the 1st and last official cross country race of the bizzar, 2020-2021 school year.
Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, the Diablo Athletic League had suspended all sport competition through the fall and winter. Following a reinstatement of league competition in late January, the Campolindo harriers logged 5 weeks of training in preparation for the competition against Alhambra and Miramonte.
The open girls' 2-mile race was dominated by the Cougars as they swept the top 3 individual places and clustered all 7 of their scorers in the top 8. Angeni Lieben (22) provided the tip of the spear, finishing with a sub-14 minute performance. Her time of 13:46 is a 3-second improvement over her previous course record.
Most improved over the 2-mile distance for the girls was Erin Koziel (22), who knocked 22 seconds off her previous course best.
The boys' squad was equally proficient in its 2-mile race. Connor Naughten (24) took the tape while fellow freshmen Paulo Trento (24), Cale Anderson (24), and Alex Tomasson (24) were close behind. With veteran Ethan Cho (22) claiming the 5th individual finishing place, the Cougars scored just 15 points, the lowest point total possible.
Anderson's 3rd-place finish time of 13:04 was a whopping 1-minute and 58-second improvement over his course record set back in the summer of 2020. Also making big gains was Chase Kivelson (24), who dropped his time by 1 minute and 55 seconds.
The 3-mile girls' team competition was a tight battle, with Miramonte fueled by a historic effort from their top gun, Audrey Allen (21). The UCLA bound senior left the rest of the field far behind en route to an all-time course performance. Allen's winning mark of 17:37 is the 4th best ever on the frequently run course.
While the Matadors had the fire power up front, the Cougars countered with gritty late-race perseverance from freshman Daisy Penney (24), who worked her way past a couple of Miramonte scorers to place 5th overall. The move helped Campolindo squeak out a 1-point victory over their cross-town rivals.
While they lacked their typical depth, the boys' team benefitted from a 1-2-3 finish from Dylan Gunn (21), Rhys Pullen (22), and Owen Lekki (21). Gunn earned the victory with a new personal record on the course while Pullen finished a surprising 2nd with a 31-second improvement.
Alec Driver (21) topped the list of personal bests by knocking 64 seconds off his previous course performance.
November 7, 2020 Buckley, Lodewick Set Stadium Records at 1st-Ever 5000-Meter XC Track Trials
The Covid-19 pandemic may have wiped out the traditional fall cross country season, but it also offered an unusual opportunity for athletes participating in the the XC & Track Club sports camp to tackle the 5000-meter distance around the oval.
Saturday evening's conditions turned out to be perfect, with the temperature just under 50 degrees and little wind. The result was a festive evening under the lights which capped the XC & Track Club 12-week fall training program.
October 31, 2020 Mystery Fartlek Workouts Prime Runners
Newhall Park of Concord provided the perfect terrain for a competitive test as training cohorts executed mystery fartlek workouts on Saturday, October 17 and Saturday, October 31, in preparation for their final time trial opportunities of the fall club season.
October 24, 2020 Lekki Lords over Middle-Distance Fest; Underclass Girls Continue to Impress
After dropping below the 2-minute barrier for the 1st time in his career, Owen Lekki (21) doubled back from his 800m win on Friday evening to set a new personal best in Saturday's 1600m competition. The 4:25 clocking on Saturday evening topped the list of 4-lap performances from the members of the Moraga XC & Track Club.
October 10, 2020 Perfect Conditions Lift Harriers at Hidden Valley Park 2 & 3-Mile Cross Country Test
Air quality improved drastically over the 48 hours preceding Saturday morning's time trial on the rugged Hidden Valley Park 2 and 3-mile courses. By race time, wild-fire smoke had been pushed east by gentle on-shore winds and a thin cloud cover held temperatures in the 70s.
September 26, 2020 Early Heats Enjoy Cool Temps, Little Wind Under Lights at 3200m Time Trial Event
Saturday evening began with the sun dropping behind the hillside as winds calmed, providing outstanding conditions for the first 5 heats of 3200m races under the lights at Bob Wilson Stadium. Unfortunately, athletes in the final 2 heats faced a headwind on the backstretch that made consistent pacing a challenge. Nevertheless, the event allowed for some much needed competition during the ongoing Corona virus pandemic, and many enjoyed measuring their progress after 6 weeks of training during the fall club program. Plus: Pizza.
As part of our committment to educate and empower student-athletes to create positive change on matters of race and equality, we engage in instructional activities developed by Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality. Featured topics include identity, privilege, and racism.
Cougar Cross Country stands in solidarity with BLM against racial injustice. We are committed to equity work on our campus and in our community. Our athletes and coaches are actively engaged in these efforts both through regular team discussions, presentations and service projects, and in collaboration with Positive Coaching Alliance educational workshops and the campus-wide Diversity & Inclusion project.
Do you enjoy the majestic landscape of the East Bay? We do. We are grateful for the opportunity to live and train in this region, rich in both cultural heritage and natural beauty. We encourage participants and their families to consider a contribution to the Sogorea Te Land Trust as a gesture of gratitude for the privilege to use this land and respect for its indigenous inhabitants.
XCStats.com: This is our database for collecting athlete training and competition data as well as our tool for communicating to athletes and parents. All athletes must set up an XCStats.com account in order to participate in Campolindo cross country.
Facebook Group: The official team Facebook group is where you will find frequent announcements, notes about competition logistics, meeting times, helpful links to current articles and more. It is also a useful forum for asking questions!
Parent Volunteer Signup: We depend on parent volunteers to staff various positions throughout the season. Each family is expected to cover at least 2 positions each season.
HSU Distance Running Camp: This legendary week-long summer workshop is hosted on the Humboldt State University campus and provides an opportunity for athletes to learn from some of the top coaches and elite athletes in the sport today, all while enjoying the most spectacularly beautiful running trails in the world.
