It’s a good day for a run
By Jill Pearson
“Diego said it’s a good day for a run,” as he dashed past me on his cool-down, flashing a thumbs up. In typical understatement, the freshmen meant it was a perfect day to try to beat The Dalles’ 5k school record: 15 minutes and 35 seconds.
Juan Diego Contreras finished in first place, with 15:36.
He wasn’t wrong, though- it was a good day for a run at McMinnville’s Flat and Fast Invitational on Friday. Sunny, cool, and two loops on bark paths and grass- it delivered on its promise. Of 24 TDHS runners, 14 finished with season bests, and 10 with their all-time personal record. Racing against larger metro area schools, like Grant and Union, as well as fellow IMC school Hood River, the Riverhawk squad had the chance to run with strong competition.
In the boys’ JV race, senior Alex Nipko and sophomore Gabriel Castillo-Quintana placed sixth and seventh out of 158 runners, both few seconds above the twenty-minute barrier. Together with their teammates, this gained them a fifth place overall. In the varsity race, TD was edged out by Hood River for fourth, with impressive PR’s for junior Kayden McCavic (19:14) and freshman Trey Hodges (19:28).
No race, however, had quite as ecstatic of a finish as the varsity girls’. Junior Caitlin Frakes improved her time by over a minute, finishing at 25:39, while teammates Alaina Casady and Caitie Wring finished just above 21 minutes. Fiona Dunlop, upon learning her all-time best of 22:22, started jumping up and down with her team, music blasting from a portable speaker. In a year where celebrations are still subdued, there is something absolutely magic and right about a runner jumping for pure joy in the late autumn sunlight. What’s a coach to do, besides mask up and jump up and down right beside her?
It was, after all, a good day for a run.
Jon Keyser
This story is sponsored by :
The Dalles Iron Works
Welding, Machining & Fabrication Since 1905 at 720 E. 2nd St., The Dalles.
Jon Keyser and his crew can solve your problems big or small, ranging from the manufacture of ornate iron gates to repairing heavy equipment. His team includes wife Holly and son Jon Jr. who have spent years dedicating themselves to community good, most notably on the Dufur Volunteer Fire & Ambulance.
You can see the rest of the Riverhawk Times here (https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/meet/192732/results)
The Riverhawks and TDMS Wildcats both race at Heppner next Thursday. See the rest of their schedule here (https://www.athletic.net/CrossCountry/School.aspx?SchoolID=160)
