Great Way to Start the Season - Way to Go Marissa

Tonight was the first track meet of the season.  Betsy attended the track meet while Mark attended Robert's soccer game.  We both really wanted to be at both events but they happened at the same time.  Marissa's meet started at 5:30.

The sun is up and shinning but the wind is brutal.  It was 46 degrees with a wind chill of 41.  Marissa and her friends had to keep moving to stay loose and warm for their run.

None of the girls ran the 4x800 so that they could be be fresh to run an open 800 - the coaches need to see the top 4 for the 4x800.  It was a while before the 1600.  The events go in the following order:  4x800, 100 H, 100 dash, 4x200, 1600, 400, 4x100, 800, 200, 3200, 4x400.  Marissa's two events (all the distance girls) were the 1600 and the 800.

The girls wore their warm clothes to the in-field to stay as warm as long as possible.  Marissa's first event is the 1600.  She was in the middle of the start line, but when the gun went off she jumped to a great start.  She was in the lead by 10 feet, then 12 feet, then 20, 50, 100.  With each lap she looked strong and confident.  She finished her first mile of the season in first place with a time of 5:43 - just 4 seconds from her PR.  Way to go Marissa!!!

Marissa pulls out in front right away

Marissa has great form and composer as she comes around after the 1st lap

She looks great after the 2nd lap

Looking super good and strong after the 3rd lap

Her coach is there to congratulate her at the finish of the 1600

Now the trick is to keeping her loose while we wait for the 800.  The sun has set now, and the temperature has dropped by at least 5 degrees.  It is very cold.  They call the girls to the line.  

Again, Marissa is in the middle of the line.  The gun goes off and she doesn't get a good start.  She is stuck behind some runners so she has to get around them by going to the outside of two runners - ugh. 

 She gets past them, then quickly creeps up to the second place spot.  She is behind Maggie Fiorito, but she is catching up.  

At the 600 mark, Marissa and Christina Ausley pass Maggie.  Christina passes Marissa before the 700 mark, 

but Marissa fights back and sprints the last 100 for a grand finish in 1st place with a time of 2:41 - only 2 seconds from her PR.

WAY TO GO MARISSA!

She scored 10 points for her team - We left after the 200.  NOHS girls took 1st place with 130 points!