Senior recognition night for Marissa

I can't believe my little girl is growing up so fast... here we are with another reminder that she is a Senior in high school.

Tonight was Senior Recognition Night for the girls Cross Country Team.  They were recognized at the boys high school varsity basketball game during half time.

Betsy was responsible for the festivities.  She bought two cakes, got Marissa flowers and had fuzzy fleece blankets for each of the 11 seniors.  They were escorted by their parents out to the middle of the basketball court one at a time in alphabetical order.  Christina, Emma, Kelsey Hall, Marissa Lowe, Makenzie Mullins, Mallory Price, Jesse Sanders, and Katie Walker.  Caroline Butler, Erin Olsson and Kelsey Wohlgetmuth were not able to make it.

After they were introduced we had a small celebration in the lobby of the gym with cake for the girls, their friends and family.

we love her so much!

Marissa flanked by her parents

Girls take 3rd at State

It's a perfect day for the state cross country meet.  We are so glad that Jessica came home earlier so that we weren't rushing from the Philippines to get here to see Marissa run in her last state meet of high school.  It's so hard to believe she is a senior.

The girls race is at 11:30 am.  Marissa and the girls are in new uniform shirts and we have a hard time identifying them at first.  

Marissa had a good start to the race and maintained good positioning and pace throughout the whole race.

the start line

Marissa got a great start - looking strong

Marissa rounding the corner for the first mile

Marissa approaching the finish line - up hill

She can in 35th place - 3rd for the team.  Erin came in 8th place (7 points), Avery was 12th (10 points), Marissa 35th (32 points), Caitlyn 55th (46 points) , Christina 72nd (57 points), Jesse 86th (no points), and Emma 91st (no points) for a total of 152 points.

It was a close race between NOHS and CAL but CAL beat us for 2nd place. 

The NOHS girls still take the podium and receive the bronze trophy as the third place finishers for this year!!!  What a great year.

Boys take 1st place at State - 6X State Champions

Trenton Fryman:  2nd place

Alex McClarty: 3rd place

David Terkula:  12th place

Logan Otter:  18th place

Nick Bierne:  19th place

Aaron Kay-Anthony: 22nd place

Adam Zimmerman:  92nd place

6x STATE CHAMPIONS

Robert Shines in JV Regionals

It is Wednesday right after school.  Betsy had to pick up Robert and race him over to Seneca park to get ready for the JV regional championship!  We have plenty of time.  The boys and girls are running a combined race where the girls will start first and the boys start 3 minutes after them.  I feel this is a disadvantage to both teams as the boys will have to run through all those girls and the girls will continually be passed by boy runners - both ways - not the heat of situations!!!

It's a good temperature today.  Hopefully Robert can have a great race!!!

Robert got a good position and a great start.  He is determined to beat Nolan ruggles in this race.  Nolan also plays soccer for the JV team but he has been attending XC practices as well as soccer but not on the same day.  Nolan beat him at the Hardin county meet so Robert wants to beat him today.  It is always good to have a goal.

The boys run the top loop and then head down the hill, they will loop around at the bottom and return up the same hill and retrace their steps to the finish.  Robert is making great time until he hits the wall of girls (all the boys had to adjust).  When he came up the hill he is third for the team, go Robert!!!

Robert at the finish

He has a great race finishing third for the team -  the first two runners are varsity - with a time of 18:11.  

I know he wanted to PR and could have if the girls were not there.

Way to go Robert - I'm so proud of you!!!

Robert Runs in Central Kentucky Meet of Champions

Now that the NOHS soccer season is over, Robert can now run cross country without conflict.

Today Robert ran in very hot (82 degrees) for the last week of October.  He ran at the Hardin county fair grounds.  We have run here before when he was in 7th grade.  That was the year he had a torn ACL (but we didn't know it).  

Robert was unhappy about running - I don't know why but I assume it is because he doesn't know the team that well since he spends most of his time with the soccer team and that he doesn't get to condition as well as the other runners.

Robert did a great job in this race.  He didn't know it (neither did I) but it was a VARSITY race.  3.1 miles is a long race ... Especially in this heat.  He has to run the perimeter of the fair grounds twice.  He finishes 4th for the team.  He finished with a time of 19:12 in 23rd place - making top 25!! Way to go Robert!!!  The team took first place in a Varsity race!

The team took 1st place!!!

Rough Run at Regionals

Saturday morning at 9:30 AM the girls load up the bus and head off to the Regional Meet at Collins.  Marissa had her regular routine of grilled peanut-butter sandwich for breakfast with a banana, but she feels tired.

The weather is terrible - 40 degrees and with a wind chill at 31 degrees.  The boys race first - NOHS looks amazing!  We are front runners by far.  The finish goes:  Alex McClarty - 1st (yes, he beat Trenton), Trenton - 2nd, David Terkula - 3rd, Logan Otter - 6th, Aaron Kay Anthony - 7th, Mason Beard - 10th, and Adam Zimmerman close behind at 18th.  It was awesome!  The boys swept into 1st place with ease!!! 

NEXT UP:  The girls run next - Marissa has her regular meeting with dad just before the race, but something just doesn't seem right.  I thought it was because she is wearing ankle to neck Underarmor - I'm just not used to seeing her like that.  The girls all look excited for the race to start but for some reason it took a long time for them to fire the gun - off they go!!!  Erin is up front as expected, followed by Avery, then 2 CAL runners with Marissa closely bright behind them.  Then there were 2 more CAL runners then our pack of 4 runners.  We need those 4 NOHS girls (Caitlyn, Emma, Jesse and Christina) to get infront of the CAL girls.  As the race continued you could see Marissa was giving it everything she had, but she was losing ground.

staying ahead of the competition

going strong

As the race drew to the finish line Erin Edmundson was in 3rd place but was passed just at the finish - she took 4th at 20:08 (I don't think she's ever been in the 20s) and Avery took 6th with a time of 20:51.  Then  Marissa comes around the corner with a CAL runner in front of her and a CAL runner behind her.  She is fighting to pass the CAL runner in front of her but then just 10 feet from the finish her ankle buckles (I saw her sway) and the CAL girls both took advantage of that one second delay.  Marissa finished in 10th place with a time of 21:21 - but what was so concerning is she COLLAPSED to the ground the second she crossed the finish line.  She was spent - exhausted - gave absolutely everything.  She couldn't get up!  

Marissa was exhausted and sad after her run 

Mark rushed over to her and helped her get up.  She was in tears!  She felt she had let her team down.  She felt terrible!  I rushed over after the other 4 NOHS runners crossed the finish line.  Christina Ausley was 18th with a time of 22:30 with Caitlyn Roberts right behind her in 19th place.  Emma Brazeau was in 22nd with Jesse Sanders immediately behind her in 23rd.

They were hopeful that they took 1st place, but in their hearts they know it didn't happen today.  They were all great sports accepting 2nd place in the region.  I'm so proud of all the girls.  They advance as a team to STATE - I hope they all get well rested and prepared for STATE!

Even though they took 2nd in the Region - they did GREAT!!!! 

Lexington Catholic Invitational - GREAT DAY!!!

It was an early morning on Saturday, October 18th, to catch the bus, but then the girls could sleep while on the hour and a half long bus ride to Lexington.  This race is run at the Kentucky Horse Park - it's a famous place ... very easy to get to but very busy and crowded.  This is a huge race - is a mock up of the state championship!

It's also a big day for the boys.  Robert will be running JV (but he doesn't want to - very verbal about not wanting to run - we aren't making him run but we are making him go to the meet and support the other runners on his team if he chooses not to run).  He wasn't happy about running.

The Girls race started at 10:15.

The Varsity girls cross country team took off with a bang - they got a great start!!!

 I was able to get around the race field easily with the camera.  Each position the girls were in a great spot - especially Erin, Avery and Marissa.

Marissa just before the mile mark

Erin Edmundson finished in eighth place running a 19:48.39 quickly followed by Avery Fryman 20:14.77 in 14th and Marissa Lowe and 23rd with a 20:49.68 – all three runners before the 21 minute mark.

Marissa on the back stretch

Marissa at the finish

Avery, Maddie, Grace, Christina, Marissa and Coach Sykora

top 3:  Erin Edmundson, Marissa Lowe and Avery Fryman

Seniors:  Christina Ausley and Marissa

My amazing runners:  Erin, Marissa and Avery

Caitlyn Roberts, Jesse Sanders finished next for north to be the top five. Closely finishing right behind Jesse was Christina Ausley, Erin Olsson, Kendall Lemons and Madilyn Priddy.

As a team they took 4th place took fourth place overall against a very competitive field.  It such an important race because it is run on the state course and many schools that are going to be in the 2A state race will race today.  Two of the top four teams were single A, so they will not race against us at STATE - which means we took second.  We need to work on this - there is a chance we could take 1st, most likely 2nd or 3rd - the race is soon close.


To our surprise Robert decided to run with his team.

He got a great and I mean great start to the race and lead the way up the hill.  He stayed in the top 50 the whole race.  First for the North Team was Luc Brazeau and then Robert.

Robert and Luc Brazeau right up front

Robert leading the way for North

Mark Scherer just passing Robert to lead for North, with Robert right on his heals

The weather was chilly but that didn't seem to deter Robert.  He was driven to do well.  He stayed up in the front of the race with about another 50 boys.

 As he came to the last 800 meters of the race he continued to stride, and pass others.

Robert finished the Lexington Catholic with his best time of the year so far on the hardest course of the year so far.  He finished 40th with 18:43 finishing 2nd for our team, just behind Mark Scherer at 33rd.  WAY TO GO ROBERT!!!

Oldham County Championship Meet

Finally, Marissa has had some time to rest and sleep.

Today's meet is on a Wednesday after school.  I wish Robert would Run this race - it's a great night - but he said he had too much homework.

Marissa has a smile on her face.  I think that is the first time she has looked happy in a race this year.  She, Erin and Avery run together the first mile - they look great.  She looks strong.  The course is a loop that the girls run twice and then end on the track.  Marissa runs her second best race of the season finishing in 6th place with a time of 20:42.

She, Erin and Avery received trophies.  

It was so good to see her happy again!!!

The team took lots of fun photos after the race because it was the last race for some of the JV runners.  Too fun!!!

Greatness at Greater Louisville Classic Meet

The Greater Louisville Classic is a very congested race that attracts a lot of top schools (hence why it is so congested).  The day started early but and it was a chilly day.

I feel so bad for Marissa - she has had such a taxing week with homework which has led to a lot of late nights, when she should be getting a good night's sleep.  UGH

love this guy - he starts the races

The NOHS Lady Mustang runners woke to find a very CHILLY morning.  The Varsity race started at 12:30 pm at only 49 degrees.

warming up

The runners winded their way around the course at Tom Sawyer Park.  Erin Edmundson was the first for the NOHS team finishing in 13th place with a time of 19:36 followed closely by Avery Fryman in 26th place with a time of 19:58.  The next three runners were under 22:  Senior, Marissa Lowe finished 3rd for the team at 21:13, Senior, Christina Ausley finished in 21:37 and Junior, Caitlyn Roberts was the 5th runner for NOHS finishing at 21:58.  Freshman, Lucy Weidmar finished at 22:04 and Senior Jesse Sanders finished at 22:09.  They did a great job – finishing in 6th place in a very competitive race!

around the first mile

 Somewhere between the first mile and the second mile she took off her gloves.

just before the second mile

at the finish

The JV race was much later in the day – at 3:00 pm.  The weather had warmed up and the runners were well prepared.  Leading the JV race was Emma Brazeau finishing in 15th place with at time of 22:03 closely followed by Erin Olsson in 18th at 22:08.  The remaining NOHS runners were:  Madilyn Priddy 27th at 22:46, Kelsey Hall 31 at 22:52, Rachel Scherer, Katie Walker 72nd 24:21, Makenzie Mullin 104th 25:40 and Kelsey Wohlgemuth at 29:59.

Marissa ran hard but was disappointed with her time.  We have to get her to bed earlier.  Sleep is a major factor this season.

St. X - High HEAT - tough MEET

Immediately following Robert's game, Mark and I drive north to Cincinnati to see Marissa race in the St. X invitational.  Typically this is a very fast course - fast race equalling fast times; however today will not be the case because it is a scorching 84 degrees with no wind.

The race starts at 12:25.  For starters Marissa has not been getting the sleep and rest she needs to run at her best.  Second, the temperatures are very high and there is no shade in this race.  It is all open around a football and baseball fields.  The course repeats itself three times so there is lot of opportunity for spectators to witness and cheer on the runners.

Marissa doesn't get a good start this time - very unusual, but she makes it up as the course continues.  She runs hard the whole race and finishes just past 21 minutes at 21:03.  I thought she made it under 21 but she must has slowed right at the end.  Everyone ran a slower race than normal - everyone's times were about 20 seconds slower than last weeks races.

Erin 19:36
Avery 20:28
Marissa 21:03

Marissa had to leave right after the JV race to get to work on time.

There was a very SAD moment for Betsy at the race.  She loves to take photos of Marissa running, and since she is taking photos of her, she also takes photos of the other runners - well, it was after Marissa's run that she realized that the photo chip WASN'T in her camera for the whole Varsity race (and Robert's game)!!!!  BUMMER!!!!

There isn't any way to get those photos back.  I felt so bad!!!  After the JV race - I got some cute ones of her and her friends.

Top 3 runners for NOHS

Marissa is so cute