Speaking of tiaras, earlier in the week I had mentioned to our resident “Warrior Princess” Maya Weigel that perhaps it was time to leave her princess days behind, given how well her recent training had been going. After all, when our stalwart leader Allison Sturges graduates, someone’s going to have to try to fill that gaping hole in the program.

When I saw the leaders of the girls race cresting the hill just before the mile mark, I knew that Maya had taken my suggestion seriously. She was right with Allison (5:58-5:59), tucked in with the lead group that was wisely a few seconds behind perpetual flash-in-the-pan Abbey Blake of Westmont.

Melissa Reed was several strides back...

...then Laura Reynolds and –whoa, could it be? – Emily Andrew running side by side in 6:16. She’s had so many ups and downs this year: having to sit out Stanford with a bad back, barely able to breathe at SCVALs, flaming out often but always somehow able to resurrect herself like a Phoenix rising from her own ashes. She also asked me what time I wanted her to run, which is usually a good sign. When she asked me this once before it was before Lowell and she went out and nailed the time within 5 seconds.

...our stealth runner Emily Schneider, who has perfected the art of starting conservatively, and saving her energy for some mid-race stalking and late-race passing.

Lisa Lacampagne was next over the hill and passed the mile mark in 6:24

Usually the second mile tends to string out the competitors, but on Saturday a tight lead pack of 7 or 8 passed the 2-mile pole with Lauren Croshaw of Aragon in the lead, but all the other top Division 2 runners either along side or close behind. Allison was in that group, with Maya falling off the back a bit but staying close. Croshaw had the best time of the group going in to CCS, but with Allison, Laura Vasquez (Presentation), Kylie Goo (Westmoor), and Kendall Hacker (St. Ignatius) in the group, it looked like it might turn into a kicker’s race.