At 10:15 a.m. Tuesday, November 15, 2022 the Patriots began 13.1 miles on an overcast, drizzling Tuesday morning in Tallahassee, Florida at the Meadows Soccer Complex. For one Patriot, it was her 20th birthday and with rolling hills, light rain, and teammates it was quite the way to celebrate.
Coach Lumley describes the race as one of the most inspiring portrayals of pure athleticism from her team. Two days prior, the team enjoyed time at FunStation Tally where they went go-karting, played laser tag, and hit at the batting cages. Coach says the ability of the Pats to pick up a bat and make contact is similar to the manner in which these ladies so easily jumped into a cross country season with only three of ten ladies having former cross country experience. "The fact that I met them in June over the phone and in person late July shows the drive each member of this team has had in being a part of the program's start. By each Patriot giving her best, together we become better."
During the four days in Tallahassee the team discussed race strategies, the workload of being a college athlete, and a little bit of everything around the dinner table. The amount of laughter and the shared experience of running the National 5k on Saturday followed by the National Half Marathon on Tuesday only grew this bond.
The team finished 14th at the NJCAA National Half Marathon. Heidi Kearney averaged 8:42 pace and crossed the 13.1 mile finish line with a time of 1:53:57 to set a CF Program Record. Next was Brianna Carey (2:00:03), Madison Strickland (2:04:52), Kalyn Sitterson (2:25:27), and Christal Best (2:32:42).
Lumley states the team had made a joke on the van ride home about some things being optional so she followed that up with, "The half was optional but yet we had 5 of you run which I am so beyond proud of you for!" Brianna Carey, feeling the burning sensation common after traveling 13.1 miles by foot, responded while giggling with, "Yeah Coach let's not talk about that." At the rest stop when the ladies had a moment to walk around Sitterson questioned Best, "Do you hurt anywhere?" The team laughed as Coach admits that going along parts of the course even she could feel it. This was the first half marathon each of the 5 Patriots had run and none had previously run that lengthy of a distance.
Saturday's 5k brought 3 new PRs. Carey set a new program record by beating her previous time for the third race in a row with a 22:30. Kearney ran a 23:31, Strickland a PR of 26:12, Bonner 27:57, Sitterson 28:55, and Best a PR of 29:05. The Pats look to next fall with even more enthusiasm for what the team's future holds.
