Post by ag87 on Sept 17, 2016 10:15:05 GMT -8
www.osubeavers.com/news/2016/9/16/womens-cross-country-emily-weber-wins-bill-dellinger-invitational.aspx
I was shocked and amazed in a good way. Emily Weber runs with more courage than anyone on our roster. I was very proud and wanted to slip her a few onehundred dollar bills (except it would probably be against some rule and I had $25 in my pocket and needed a few groceries on the way home).
The meet was at Springfield Country Club and the women run 5000 meters. The OSU runners went out fast and were running about five abreast at the front of the lead pack after 600 - bad tactics in my opinion. By 1000 they were mixed into the lead group of about 20. Around 2500, the lead group was perhaps 12 and included Weber and Kristiane Width. Weber is small, maybe 5'3, and she was tucked in behind and looked comfortable. With 800 to go Weber had one step on two ducks and two runners from Northwest Christian. Then she was swallowed back up and ran in the group of five. The course circled the perimeter of a green at around 350 to go. From the start of the tight circle to the end drops about 10 feet in elevation. To use a football analogy, Weber put her foot down and accelerated through the hole. Over those about 40 meters she was clear by about 8 meters. I didn't think she could hold it at that point, but she was running for her life. The ducks were dropped and the NWC runners didn't have much left either. Weber won with an about 10 meter cushion.
To keep things in perspective, I know Oregon was not running their #1 and possibly others. But also, I don't think Weber is considered our #1. At this point I believe it is sophomore Juliana Mount. The coach also mentions freshman Sara Christianson. They have not ran yet this season. Weber did not run two weeks ago. This is typical in cross country in that you do not run your horses until bigger meets later in the season.
I'm generally down on our program and my biggest complaint is that our ladies dont run brave or even smart. The following makes more sense for a marathon than a 5000, but think of the race as something you have $1.00 to spend. You want to allot your pennies wisely, but you want to spend them. In theory, you can spend more than $1.00 but it never works well. If you spend your $1.00 at 4800 meters the last 200 are both extremely slow and painful. And it hurts a lot even spending that last nickel, but you can still go fast as your body is not overwhelmed with lactic acid. The woman I believe is our most talented, never spends more than 80 cents. I've seen Weber spend $1.02. Most of our ladies get in that 90 cent range. To my eye, Weber came very close to a dollar yesterday. Speaking of our $0.80'er, her Mom was yelling at her to not let the leaders go (somewhere near the half-way point).
The next meet is in two weeks at Notre Dame. I hope that we take some momentum and our women take heart in Weber's effort.
I was shocked and amazed in a good way. Emily Weber runs with more courage than anyone on our roster. I was very proud and wanted to slip her a few onehundred dollar bills (except it would probably be against some rule and I had $25 in my pocket and needed a few groceries on the way home).
The meet was at Springfield Country Club and the women run 5000 meters. The OSU runners went out fast and were running about five abreast at the front of the lead pack after 600 - bad tactics in my opinion. By 1000 they were mixed into the lead group of about 20. Around 2500, the lead group was perhaps 12 and included Weber and Kristiane Width. Weber is small, maybe 5'3, and she was tucked in behind and looked comfortable. With 800 to go Weber had one step on two ducks and two runners from Northwest Christian. Then she was swallowed back up and ran in the group of five. The course circled the perimeter of a green at around 350 to go. From the start of the tight circle to the end drops about 10 feet in elevation. To use a football analogy, Weber put her foot down and accelerated through the hole. Over those about 40 meters she was clear by about 8 meters. I didn't think she could hold it at that point, but she was running for her life. The ducks were dropped and the NWC runners didn't have much left either. Weber won with an about 10 meter cushion.
To keep things in perspective, I know Oregon was not running their #1 and possibly others. But also, I don't think Weber is considered our #1. At this point I believe it is sophomore Juliana Mount. The coach also mentions freshman Sara Christianson. They have not ran yet this season. Weber did not run two weeks ago. This is typical in cross country in that you do not run your horses until bigger meets later in the season.
I'm generally down on our program and my biggest complaint is that our ladies dont run brave or even smart. The following makes more sense for a marathon than a 5000, but think of the race as something you have $1.00 to spend. You want to allot your pennies wisely, but you want to spend them. In theory, you can spend more than $1.00 but it never works well. If you spend your $1.00 at 4800 meters the last 200 are both extremely slow and painful. And it hurts a lot even spending that last nickel, but you can still go fast as your body is not overwhelmed with lactic acid. The woman I believe is our most talented, never spends more than 80 cents. I've seen Weber spend $1.02. Most of our ladies get in that 90 cent range. To my eye, Weber came very close to a dollar yesterday. Speaking of our $0.80'er, her Mom was yelling at her to not let the leaders go (somewhere near the half-way point).
The next meet is in two weeks at Notre Dame. I hope that we take some momentum and our women take heart in Weber's effort.
