For once Raptors do not dominate!

Post date: Nov 21, 2012 6:49:25 AM

May 2011

If a little humility is good then today was great! For the first time in Raptors history, virtually no one came away with a medal or even a ribbon in today's Running Rebels youth meet. Well, yes, one medal! Chamren, sporting new spikes, put them to work and simply buried the competitors in his heat of the 80 meter hurdles. Even though the second heat was a faster one, Chamren's time held up for a third place medal. That is no small potatoes in a meet this big and rich with talent. He backed this effort up with a 14.2 100 meters and a huge PR in the long jump of 12' 10"!

Chamren lands a good jump.

Chamren's victory in the hurdles (he's practiced them maybe twice?) was so overpowering that once our jaws stopped dropping, all of the Raptors took off running to go congratulate him! I'd say Chamren took top "Raptor of the meet" with ease.

As mentioned, this was not a podunk meet. Every club between Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa must have been there. There were many large clubs that none of us had ever heard of before and they all brought their best runners. So, our crew didn't win but they were pulled to some very good times. The first major race was the 3000 meters and Annabel and Nikhil found themselves in an unaccustomed position: toward the back of the field. Undaunted though they hung in and both emerged with strong PRs in the event, 12:02 for Annabel and 12:28 for Max.

Annabel in the 3000 meters. What a kid!

Annabel was slated to run the 800, but we had mercy on her since she going to arise early and run yet another tough race tomorrow, a 10K (her first) Brazen race at Hellyer Park in San Jose. But Annabel can't sit still for long and there she was in the 100 meter hurdles. She followed an excellent run by Max (26.05) and Nikhil (23.27) with a stellar race of her own. . . she was in second place until the last hurdle! Along with Chamren, I think a potential hurdle star was born today.

Max and Nikhil in the hurdles.

Annabel approaches the first hurdle. I am so bummed I didn't get a shot of Chamren's victory, but I somehow don't think that will be my last chance.

And speaking of upcoming stars, Danny, our youngest member (he just turned eight) had a good long jump, where he finished 7th with a jump of 8' 8.5" and fast 1000 meters, run in 19.22. But it was the 400 meters where Danny shone. Never having having run the race before (this was his first track meet ever), he came within a whisker of winning his heat, finishing second with a 1:24.26.

Danny flying. Doesn't everyone jump with a number stuck to their mouth?

Max and Nikhil were also in the long jump and, in a fairly noteworthy turn of events, Max beat Nikhil, 10' 10.5" to 10' 5." Nikhil got his revenge, however by beating Max in the hurdles.

Altogether a a super-fun meet. Wonderful weather, great parents to talk to, cheerful, peppy, uncomplaining kids (we were there close to seven hours and I heard not one complaint). Man, what a great club. We are hoping to get more Raptors to run the meet in a few weeks at James Logan in Union City, since the more kids in the races we know, the more fun the races are to watch.