The Holly Invitational is known for being one of the toughest courses around here. Many runners and former runners (often coaches now) despise the course. It not only has many inclines and declines, but they are all at a slant. The few times the spectators see the runners are when the course is flat, otherwise, their ankles and feet are at odd angles. The course is rated at a more difficult level because of this.
The past 2 years that Austin ran at Holly (looks like he didn't run it his freshman year), he had really good races, despite the fact that it was incredibly hot those two races. I remember because I was at Erik's soccer games both times and melting, worrying about Austin in those racing condidtions, and the soccer players as well. Even still, he got his first sub 17 his sophmore year and then a PR his junior year. This year, the tough course had to throw a different ball at the runners and Mother Nature decided to be a comfortable running temperature, but bring on constant rain. No matter for Austin. He somehow manages to pull it through at Holly. While it may be everyone else's least favorite course, I think it might secretly be his favorite. He not only came in first for the division one varsity boys, but he beat the 2nd place runner by 22 seconds! His time was 15:47. One of the guys he beat had a preseason rank of #12 in the state and the other #25. Austin was ranked 35. With the fastest time of Division 1 and 2, he also won Runner of the Meet. Someone interviewed him right after his win, so maybe I'll post it when I see it.
He wasn't the only one in our household with an amazing race yesterday. Erik also defied the mud and small streams, downslopes, and rough terrain. He ran a PR at 18:20, finishing 2nd for our team of the JV. He earned his varsity letter and a medal for finishing in the top 35. He said, while running down the first hill, (halfway sliding through the mud), that a teammate slipped and fell down, and continued down the hill sliding on his butt. That runner slipped and fell 8 times during the course!
If you copy and paste the link below into your browser, you'll see Austin's post from Instgram of someone's video of the runners yesterday right after they passed the opening crowds and narrowed down for the course, while running downhill, turning for the curve at the same time. I have a hard time finding Austin without him showing me, but you can see a runner that falls, and gets back up, after Austin accidantly bumped his arm. Austin even apologizes for that in his interview! (We'll see if thay keep that part in.)
https://www.instagram.com/stories/austinmer_xc/3989877578268727037?utm_source=ig_story_item_share&stkn=eGpnaXhiOXFhN2Ni
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| A spectator part that doesn't look too bad during Erik's run. |
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| Almost the exact same place for Austin, a few races later, after hundres more ran. The course was defientely worse by the time he ran. |
Austin's run through some mud after the above photo was taken. The little stream he went over wasn't there when Erik ran through there.
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| His interview at the end. |
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| Erik's bestie twins that he's been running against for all of middle school, still run against him, but still best of friends. |
Here's the awards ceremony.
Below is when they honored Austin for being Runner of the Meet. There was a female, too.
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| Some are muddier than others... |
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