What do you call it when...?

What do you call it when the top three runners on your team run faster than the previous two weeks and yet it seems that you might not win the meet? I don't know either, but it is not any fun to look those runners in the face and try to explain it. Thankfully, you sit around eating snow cones and wait for the results to be announced. The top three Raa runners this week were "on their game." However, BelleVue, Cobb and Fairview all "came to play" this week. Not-to-mention Swift Creek had once again brought some of their swiftest: Scott Fortier and Trevor Touchton.

Below is nearly all, if not all, of the

2008 Raa Boys Cross Country Team and Coaches.

The Everhart Owl Run is held in the West quandrant of the city at the Gretchen Everhart School. Before the starting bells ever clanged, I had the privilege of meeting and working with a couple of the students who are associated with The Alzheimer's Project. The Owl Run begins with a category just for the students of the school and it is so inspiring to see them run a small portion of the middle school competition course. All of the middle school competitors, the coaches, and parents line the course to cheer the Everhart runners across the field, around the turns, through the playground, down the hill and into the finish chute. It genuinely warms the heart and soul to see all of those mainstream middle schoolers cheering for those they may never again lay eyes on. I am glad they had the opportunity to see someone outside their circle of friends and social life that enjoys the same thing they do: running in the cool of the new come autumn, and enjoying the splendor of God's world around them.

Raa, with 5 or 6 girls in the top ten, had some punch this week. Unfortunately, they sacrificed first place to Deer Lake's CeCe Williams who flew down the final hill for a sub-12 minute finish. Then Rachel Givens (Raa) came in for 2nd after having battled what appeared to be cramps and then getting sick in the finish area. Camille and Ursula were right on her heels, and then along came Lia Lombardi (Deer Lake), Jessica and Lindsey for a couple more top ten finishes.

"Wonderful" Will Henderson and Cameron "The Amazin' Blazin' Asian" Wong (complete with his Oriental Power) took the 1-2 place finishes again this week. Hey, at least they are consistent. It seems to me that Will was 11:55 or better and that Cameron was not far behind him as he powered up the hill and around then bend then back down the hill to the finish. Colin finished in 10th Place with a 12:39; dropping time again from last week's 12:47 in Tom Brown Park.

Colin as he comes up hill towards the water stop and

turn around for the half-way point.