Cross Country Prepares for State Meet

Building an Overlake runners’ legacy.

It’s what Coach Micah Orr is instilling in his young runners who are making a trip to the State meet this weekend in Pasco.

On the boys’ side, the team is making a repeat appearance as a team at state.

Expectations for the team are different this season. “For the first time ever, we targeted our training to be our very best at State as opposed to Districts,” says Orr. “We’re not just happy with making State anymore. We want to target a top half finish, and hopefully be in the mix for one of those top four trophies they hand out.”

That can happen on the strength of the team’s top three runners Spencer A. ’18, Zach F. ’20, and Esteban S. ’19. “Last year, I was just happy to be there,” says Spencer. “There’s a lot of good competition out there and runners I’ve never raced against, but I think as long as I stay with the pack, I’ve got a shot for the winner’s podium.”

Spencer’s teammates understand the importance of the Overlake running legacy and the team’s strategy is key for finishing in the top half of the field. “It’s good to know your target speed, but, more importantly, know where I stand among the pack,” says Zach. “It’s good to know who you will running with and who you want to pass and beat in the last mile.”

On the Girls’ side, Overlake is sending two runners to state. It’s a first for Coach Orr in his eight year history at Overlake.

Anya S. ’21 and Maggie N. ’20 make their first state appearance. “We came close to sending the team this year, and I’m glad to see two runners making it. They’ve got each other to lean on, and they’re going to be great leaders with experience next year,” says Orr.

Maggie says that coach pushing the team was key to her success as she didn’t even expect to make it to State at the beginning of the season. “My goal was to constantly improve. Coach encourages us to do better every single day,” says Maggie.

Weather conditions are not going to be pleasant. With temperatures forecast below freezing at race time, Orr knows that a runner’s mindset can play a crucial role in the challenging elements. "If it snows, it snows. If it’s cold, it’s cold. Everybody’s got to run in the same conditions,” says Orr.

Friday morning the team travels to Pasco, and they’ll check out the Sun Willows race course. The Girls’ race begins at 10:30 Saturday morning, and the boys team runs at noon.

Click here to hear from Coach Orr and his runners about this year's season.

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