The Sahara has relocated to Farmington.

This has been one of the most challenging first weeks of school in the history of my education. The courses I'm taking as a Junior are a bit more strenuous than last year, but that's not the reasoning for my awful feelings toward the week. First of all, Mount Blue has zero air conditioning (oh wait, they do have it in guidance). Secondly, the student body was enlightened by the fact that neighboring districts canceled school due to the high heat. Lovely. Art class today was spent perched on a stool in the parking lot trying to draw Mt. Blue (the mountain!) while sweat was literally streaming down off my knees (ok, maybe that image seems a bit funky, but those guys are serious sweaters). All in all, our team was totally pumped for our home meet this afternoon! The thermometer read ninety, and the course was dryer than a new pair of shoelaces. The boys ended up winning with 31 points, defeating Boothbay and Messalonskee who tied for second with 58. Harlow Ladd (Mess) was off of the course record (set by my brother, Kelton, last year) of 17:17 by a mere four seconds. Throughout the course of the race (pun always intended :), the lead pack of girl's mile splits were faster than the course record holder, Melody Lam's. I just barely missed the final time, running a 21:47 while the record set the previous season was a 21:45. I never got the chance to see Meaghan Collier (Mess) or Gwen Beacham (MTB) cross the line, because I was whisked away from the chute, and declared very clammy and pale by a "mother of the team" (who also helps our nordic ski team a bunch). Those symptoms were expressed as early signs of hyperthermia. So I was driven to the Trainer's room where my father showered me in a sink of ice water until I regained color and could feel the frigidity of the water. To sum it up, for the outrageous temperature the times run this afternoon were quite impressive on both sides. Lawrence next week should be an exciting, intense race, with the talent running closer together than the width of a credit card (for all of you who listened to the announcer at the New England Track and Field meet this past season :)
KKNW, Addie

11th Annual Scot Laliberte Invitational

The first race of the season was Friday the 27th (in which 23 teams competed) that honors the late Scot Laliberte of Cony. Mom and I didn't take the bus to Augusta because we had to move Kelton in to UMaine that morning. I was kind of freaking out that we wouldn't have time to walk the 4k course, but we arrived in decent time and only had to jog the first mile to catch up. The way the meet is scored is different from all the rest, boys and girls are combined. I was truly impressed with our team performance because we're a rather young one on both sides. Placing third was definitely a surprise to me after losing Melody Lam, my brother Kelton Cullenberg, Alex Luchini and Richie Brooks. Our top runner, Gwen, had her wisdom teeth removed the day before and is now clueless. Ha. (Sorry I'm a bit tired from frantically finishing my summer homework..nothing like waiting until the last minute!) I think one of the main reasons we did what we did was because of our brand spanking new uniforms. It had been a dream of mine and Melody's to get boy shorts for the team, and now that she's gone it has become a reality. The season is off to a good start!
KKNW, Addie



From left: Eliza Richard, Me, Louisa Stancioff, Abby Lochala, Amy Hilton, Maryam Norton and Emily Reed.

Camping is In-tents.

The team recently got back from our annual Acadia camping trip and the weather was GLORIOUS! We actually made it to Sand Beach this year (it was closed because of the hurricane last year) and some of our female athletes nearly got run over by a middle aged man driving a humongous car (from New York) who wanted to park in the spot we were saving for our food truck. Anywho, after he acquired the parking place he got out wearing khakis..and he didn't have a towel or anything! Other highlights were learning about owls at the amphitheater, doing team yoga and washing our hair under the faucet for cooking water. The 2 mile time trial on the carriage trails proved that our team is going to be an exceptionally strong one this year, especially with all the newcomers :)
KKNW, Addie


All of the girls got matching anklets!

The core helps...and so does chocolate milk :) (from left: Ellie Buckland, Me (Addie Cullenberg), Gwen Beacham, Emily Reed; bottom: Kayleigh Morin)

CORE! (And Filip?!)

Bar Harbor on the last afternoon. From left: Amy Hilton, Abby Lochala, Mali Obomsawin, Maryam Norton

Why Don't We Ever Host Home Meets? Part 2

This measuring tape makes it easy to grab and go! (no joke, its what we've got to use)



the infield



the storage is so old, we found leaf fossils in the floor..



toe the line.. and don't trip on the grass..



there are no fouls for stepping over the board at this shot put pit..
KKNW, Addie

Why Don't We Ever Host Home Meets? Part 1

the dead grass adds nice traction. so does the curvature.



hola shin splints!



The hurdles Melody used to run a 49 second 300m




the back stretch
KKNW, Addie

Maine Love Continues

Lake Willoughby in Vermont after our Wednesday afternoon run at Green Mountain Running Camp. From Left Kelley, Addie, Gwen and Maryam.
KKNW, Addie

A lot of our team raced in the Summerfest 5k last friday, this picture was taken a little after the start. For me (Mali), it was a really promising start to the season because I was only 15 seconds slower than last season's PR. The race was fun and stressless, pretty easygoing all around. In two weeks we leave for Acadia, our first full team event! :D
From left to right, Juliette Luchini, Janel Brooks, Mali Obomsawin, Maryam Norton.