Diego Contreras crushes TDHS Cross Country record by 10 seconds
Leo Lemann and Juan Diego Contreras stand amidst the records of legends past. Contreras added his name to the board on Saturday. For legacy, the pair raced in the colors of coach Mandi Williams, who ran for UO in the early 2000s.
Records were made to be broken
Story and Photos By Jill Pearson
As of last Saturday, Juan Diego Contreras can finally claim the title as The Dalles’ fastest distance runner.
Ever.
Since 1997, Scott Limbach’s record of 15:35 had stood like a challenge - or a taunt - on the high school wall. Diego Contreras was one second from matching it at McMinnville earlier in the season. But, he finally broke it at Lakewood High School on Saturday, Nov. 20, coming in 20th place at 15:25, beating the 24-year-old Limbach record.
Fellow Riverhawk runner Leo Lemann also had a fantastic race, shaving 21 seconds off his all-time best, 16:20 at 63rd place.
The race came after the regulation cross country season was over. And a few weeks of extra training paid off immensely for The Dalles High School at the Pacific Northwest Regional Cross Country Showcase.
The race featured dozens of top-notch teams and individuals from across Oregon, Washington, and Idaho. It was similar to a combination invitational, garnering top teams of all sizes featuring strong runners.
Juan Diego Contreras and Leo Lemann dig in early on at the 5k invitational Pacific Northwest Regional Cross Country Showcase held on Saturday Nov. 20 at Lakewood High School near Tacoma.
Oregon 5A champion Tyrone Garza from Crater won the boys’ elite race in 14:43, followed by five runners posting times in under 15 minutes. For those unfamiliar with 5-kilometer races, that means that every mile they ran would’ve been well under 5 minutes- a sprint pace for most.
In typically understated fashion, both Juan Diego and Leo gave a thumbs up and “thanks!” after their race. Along with a Thanksgiving fun run to stay in shape this week, they will race again on December 4th- training along the trails and side streets of The Dalles in the meantime.
Knowing them both, I don’t think the new record will stand for long.
