The Pats returned to Apalachee Regional Park, located in the state's capital, for the NJCAA / FCSAA Region 8 Championships. Making school history, the Pats went into the race very mentally tough. 

Hours before the race, the hotel's fire alarm had led to six teams occupying the lobby as student athletes looked around wondering if sleep would be possible.  From midnight to 2:25 a.m. the alarm went off five different times. The Patriots held their focus and ran together to make school history for the fourth time this season.

Led by veteran sophomore Brianna Carey, the Patriots ran with teammates to lower their team average from a 25:03, in Tallahassee less than a month ago, to a 24:25.  Each Patriot ran the course faster than in September leading to 4 PRs and 4 SBs. Carey set the pace with a season best of 23:16 (7:29 mile splits). Freshman Magda Barcia also hit a season best in (24:07) and Iraly Faria ran a new PR of 24:15 dropping 1:27 from her best at the last meet on October 13. Sophomore Heidi Kearney raced to a season best of 24:18 followed by Simone Hamilton with a 26:08 PR to round out the top five. 

Sophomore Madison Strickland (26:45) ran a season best while sticking with freshman Jensen Plante who ran a 26:57 PR making the CF All Time Top 10 Performances List.  Caitlin Perusse also PRed by a minute with a 31:15.   

As the Pats prepare for Nationals, they find humor in Coach Lumley's remark, "Now, having raced so well today, just imagine next time when a fire alarm doesn't interrupt your sleep." The Patriots know that there will always be challenges but how one reacts to those challenges is linked to the outcome. In just under three weeks, the Pats are off to Huntsville for the NJCAA 5k and Half Marathon Championships in Alabama.