Tri State
Lowery eeks out win at Footlocker South Region meet
Cabell Midland freshman Thornton places seventh in combined frosh/sophomore event
By Kevin Spradlin
TriStateRunnur.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 28 Two weekends. Two races. And less than two seconds combined made the difference between victory and defeat for Stafford (Va.) High School freshman Hannah Lowery.
On Saturday, Lowery worked her way to a one-second win over Florida sophomore Anne-Marie Blaney in a combined freshman/sophomore race at the Footlocker South Region cross country championship at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C.
Lowery finished in 18 minutes and 30 seconds. Blaney stopped the clock in 18:31. Runners three through nine finished between 18:48 and 18:59. Cabell Midland freshman Jorden Thornton, who finished fourth in the West Virginia Class AAA state title meet on Oct. 31 and was the only freshman to earn all-state honors, placed seventh overall in 18:58.
One week prior to Footlocker, Lowery placed second to Team Virginia teammate Kaitlyn Davis (Mountain View, senior) at the Battle of the Potomac in Gaithersburg, Md. Both were awarded a time of 19:09.
This time, the 1-second difference made all the difference in the world.
It was a really close race, Lowery said as she and her family began the car trip home from North Carolina. It came down to a sprint at the end. It was a really nice course, a fast course. I wasn't feeling very well as I was running.
Lowery said a slight change to her race-day diet eating closer to the start of the race might have played a role in her stomach ailments.
Normally, when I run, I don't cramp up, she said. Today, I had a really bad cramp and I felt like I had to throw up which isn't a good feeling to have.
Lowery showed she was a contender from the start. After the front pack thinned out early in the first mile, she was one of three competitors vying for a shot at the title. Her first mile was in 5:42 and the next two miles, Lowery averaged 6:00 apiece, which is a little off what I normally run.
In the middle stages of the race, I was really feeling the pain, Lowery said. I think the last mile I was able to settle in and get on a more steady pace.
Despite being nervous before the start of the race, Lowery said she didn't believe those nerves were a factor in her tightening up.
It was kind of like, mind-blowing, Lowery said. I'm at this huge event. I started to calm down when I got up to the line, (telling myself), 'this is a race like any other race. They say 'on your mark,' and, of course, your stomach is going to flip.'
Email Kevin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org.
Cabell Midland freshman Thornton places seventh in combined frosh/sophomore event
By Kevin Spradlin
TriStateRunnur.com
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Nov. 28 Two weekends. Two races. And less than two seconds combined made the difference between victory and defeat for Stafford (Va.) High School freshman Hannah Lowery.
On Saturday, Lowery worked her way to a one-second win over Florida sophomore Anne-Marie Blaney in a combined freshman/sophomore race at the Footlocker South Region cross country championship at McAlpine Creek Park in Charlotte, N.C.
Lowery finished in 18 minutes and 30 seconds. Blaney stopped the clock in 18:31. Runners three through nine finished between 18:48 and 18:59. Cabell Midland freshman Jorden Thornton, who finished fourth in the West Virginia Class AAA state title meet on Oct. 31 and was the only freshman to earn all-state honors, placed seventh overall in 18:58.
One week prior to Footlocker, Lowery placed second to Team Virginia teammate Kaitlyn Davis (Mountain View, senior) at the Battle of the Potomac in Gaithersburg, Md. Both were awarded a time of 19:09.
This time, the 1-second difference made all the difference in the world.
It was a really close race, Lowery said as she and her family began the car trip home from North Carolina. It came down to a sprint at the end. It was a really nice course, a fast course. I wasn't feeling very well as I was running.
Lowery said a slight change to her race-day diet eating closer to the start of the race might have played a role in her stomach ailments.
Normally, when I run, I don't cramp up, she said. Today, I had a really bad cramp and I felt like I had to throw up which isn't a good feeling to have.
Lowery showed she was a contender from the start. After the front pack thinned out early in the first mile, she was one of three competitors vying for a shot at the title. Her first mile was in 5:42 and the next two miles, Lowery averaged 6:00 apiece, which is a little off what I normally run.
In the middle stages of the race, I was really feeling the pain, Lowery said. I think the last mile I was able to settle in and get on a more steady pace.
Despite being nervous before the start of the race, Lowery said she didn't believe those nerves were a factor in her tightening up.
It was kind of like, mind-blowing, Lowery said. I'm at this huge event. I started to calm down when I got up to the line, (telling myself), 'this is a race like any other race. They say 'on your mark,' and, of course, your stomach is going to flip.'
Email Kevin at run@mountainMDmarathon.org.
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