KVAC's 2011

My race was not stellar. In fact, it was my most poorly-run race of the season. It was caused by a mixture of things. In the end, the biggest contributor was my mental state; remembering my awful race here last year, deciding halfway through the race that I felt the same as I did here a year ago.. I cruised by the first mile in a 6:12 nestled within a pack of girls; Abby Mace, Brittany Bowman, Willow Parker, Bethany Brown and Erzsebet Nagy. After that crucial landmark they began to drop me, and I remained only a few short steps behind them, but couldn't catch up. Once girls started to pass me, I completely lost it, saying to myself "It's just another B girl, it doesn't matter." What I should have said was "OK, the next person who makes a move I'm going to go with," because with the passing B girls eventually came the passing A girls. One reason I love the sport of cross country so much is the support you receive out there from girls on other teams. Once you've been running in high school a few years, they're all so familiar; Maine doesn't have a running community, it has a close-knit running family. Katie McMahon (Bruns) caught up to me mid-hill, and encouraged me to pass one of the runners up ahead with her. Molly Schassberger (Winslow) breathed "C'mon, Ad, you got this girl.." as she went by. So I extend my thanks to everyone out there who continued to encourage me. After the race, I was given a nice pep talk by a family friend whose kids go to Maranacook, and by and by my spirits lifted. All that there is left to say, is that I truly, honestly am very thankful that I shall never race on Cony's course again; too many horrid racing memories (my first time racing that course was in 8th grade for USATF; my mom and I didn't know the course and were doing a preview before my race and got lost. I got all worked up because we had to cut through the woods to the start, where my race was on the line almost ready to go. We can joke about it now, at least :). Mt. Blue girls ended up third behind Brunswick and Mt. Ararat, while the boys came in a rather disappointing 8th.. Regionals next weekend @ Belfast, and I'm ready for redemption.
KKNW, Addie


Madsy Schneider: "Darn, I've never made it onto the wood!"
Me: "Quick, step up on here for a second!" :)

Maryam Norton and Alex Luchini... The "onion" was a motivator for our JV girls team


Sam Wood (whom I've always secretly wanted as a little brother.. wow that sounds pretty creepy), a Hampden boy, Sully Jackson and Justin Tracy as Andy R-P hugs someone else during Class A awards.