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Archive for the ‘Cross Country’ Category

Don’t stop me now, the trail calls me

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , on August 16, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Helen Strelow is a key member of a pack of young, talented Coupeville cross country runners. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Wolf harriers put in summer work on Coupeville’s trails. (Photos courtesy Araceley, Strelow, and Wasik families)

They ran strong until the end.

Coupeville cross country runners have been pounding the trails all summer, piling up mileage under the watchful (virtual) eye of CMS coach Elizabeth Bitting.

Wrapping up the final week in which they can work with coaches — the WIAA’s no-contact period kicks in between Aug. 18-Sept. 27 — 11 Wolf runners combined to put in 87.96 miles.

That ran the final summer total out to an impressive 891.96 miles put into the books.

“Great job! We didn’t hit the 1,000-mile mark but you all came SO CLOSE!,” Bitting said. “It’s amazing to see the miles add up from week to week and you all put in that hard work! Good job!!!”

Coupeville runners capped their official summer workouts with another virtual meet, this one the 1.98-mile “Pretty Pratt Run.”

Results:

 

High School:

Reiley Araceley (1st) 14:03
Tate Wyman (2nd) 15:59
Helen Strelow (3rd) 16:09

 

Middle School:

Jack Porter (1st) 15:37
Thomas Strelow (2nd) 16:33
Ayden Wyman (3rd-tie) 18:38
Johnny Porter (3rd-tie) 18:38

 

“In true (virtual) running suspense we had ourselves a pretty awesome race for 3rd place!,” Bitting said. “That race ended in a tie!!! A VIRTUAL TIE. These runners amaze me!”

While Coupeville runners can’t work with coaches again until the end of September, that doesn’t stop the Wolves from continuing to work on their own.

As the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the normal fall sports season has been bumped, with activities such as cross country moving from a September start to March.

As she departed into the official “cone of silence,” Bitting offered her runners a final challenge, with a suggested run complete with hill repeats, and some words of wisdom.

“Thank you to all who participated in any or all of the virtual races!,” she said. “I know this isn’t how you were hoping our Summer Fun Runs would look like, but you continued the hard work, enjoyed some virtual runs and stayed active.

“We are in unprecedented times right now. Be sure you continue to do things that give you peace and happiness.

“I am hoping when we reconnect, in about six weeks, things will look a little different and we could get together for some small group runs.

“In the meantime be safe, stay healthy, and ‘Be Polite & Run On’!!!”

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Rising star has bright future

Posted in Basketball, Cross Country, tagged , , , , on August 11, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim played on the first-ever Coupeville Middle School boys soccer team. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

Simpson-Pilgrim goes strong to the hoop. (Morgan White photo)

​Quinten Simpson-Pilgrim is ready to mix things up a bit.

As he heads into his freshman year at Coupeville High School, the promising young student/athlete plans to stay with one longtime favorite sport, while trying another for the first time.

Simpson-Pilgrim, following in the footsteps of older brother Jacobi, who graduated this spring, is already a veteran on the basketball court.

“Basketball is my favorite because it’s fun, and I have stuck with it throughout my whole life,” Simpson-Pilgrim said.

​”I think my strengths are stamina and my physical strength,” he added. “I’d like to work on rebounding.”

While he was a member of the first-ever Coupeville Middle School boys soccer squad this past fall, Simpson-Pilgrim has his sights set on a different sport for his high school days.

He plans to turn out for cross country, which has been bumped from September to March along with other fall sports, as the world deals with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Regardless of when he gets to compete, Simpson-Pilgrim plans to be ready to take full advantage of his opportunities.

“I always have something to focus on getting better at and have something to do.” he said. “My goal is to make varsity (in my sports) before my junior year.”

A big fan of his math and PE classes, Simpson-Pilgrim enjoys playing games, listening to music, and hanging out with friends when he’s not pursuing his athletic dreams.

While he strives for success, the young Wolf is quick to give credit to those who are helping him on his journey.

“The people that have the biggest impact on me are my previous (basketball) coach, Greg White, who has been my coach since 2nd grade, and my mom, because she is always a part of my team and helping plan stuff.”

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They’re running on sunshine

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , on August 9, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Hank Milnes recorded the fastest time of any runner in Coupeville’s third virtual cross country meet. (Photo by JohnsPhotos.net)

The open trail calls to runners of all ages. (Photos courtesy Porter and Farrell families)

The official summer workout season is coming to a close for Coupeville cross country runners, but the Wolves continue to pile up the miles.

CMS coach Elizabeth Bitting, who is currently overseeing things for both high school and middle school harriers, has to step away, by WIAA rule, between August 17 and September 27.

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the regular school cross country season has been moved from the fall to next March, as well.

None of that means the Wolves can’t keep up their summer activity on their own, however.

With Bitting still able to keep an eye on things, nine Coupeville runners teamed up to record 98.62 miles this past week, pushing the team summer total to 793.41 miles.

Included in that was the third of four virtual races, as the Wolves participated in the 2.89-mile “Don’t Get Lost in the Kettles Run.”

The official summer season wraps up this coming week with “The Pretty Pratt Run,” a 1.89-mile trek, which will take them up around the cemetery.

Runners have until next Saturday, Aug. 15 to record their best times and submit them to Bitting, who will release the results to the media the following day.

 

Results of the Kettles Run:

 

High School:

Hank Milnes (1st) 18:43
Reiley Araceley (2nd) 18:44

“Though the participants in the high school race were a smaller group this week what a great race I can envision in my mind!!!,” Bitting said.

“Running a race virtually is hard enough, but these runners had no idea how close they were to one another.

“Impressive race Hank and Reiley!!! Great job!!!! Woot! Woot!!”

 

Middle School:

Jack Porter (1st) 20:15
Nic Wasik (2nd) 21:47
Ayden Wyman (3rd) 23:53
Johnny Porter (4th) 24:30
Lillian Stanwood (5th) 25:18

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And miles to run before I sleep

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , , on August 2, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The Porter boys (and their mini coach) get a summer cross country workout. (Photos courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)

Another week in the books, another chunk of mileage on the odometer.

Coupeville cross country guru Elizabeth Bitting has been tracking the work put in by Wolf harriers this summer, and the numbers continue to soar along with the heat.

In the latest count, 11 CHS/CMS runners piled up 94.19 miles over the past seven days, pushing Coupeville’s summer total to 694.7 miles.

Next up for the Wolves is their third virtual race of the off-season, the “Don’t Get Lost in the Kettles Run.”

Runners will have a week to run and record their best times on the crisp 2.89-mile jaunt, with results to be posted here on Coupeville Sports next Sunday.

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Wolves burn up the trails

Posted in Cross Country, tagged , , , , , , on July 26, 2020| Leave a Comment »

Wolf runners use their summer time wisely. (Photos courtesy Elizabeth Bitting)

It was a busy week for Coupeville cross country.

Continuing to put in off-season work, runners from the middle school and high school combined to rack up 112 miles, pushing their summer total to 600.6 miles.

But it wasn’t all grit ‘n grind, as the Wolves also participated in their second virtual race.

The Rhodie Roadie Run, set up by CMS cross country guru Elizabeth Bitting, was a 1.98-mile affair.

 

Results:

High School:

Hank Milnes (1st) 12:35
Alex Wasik (2nd) 13:02
Reiley Araceley (3rd) 13:53
Tate Wyman (4th) 14:20
Helen Strelow (5th) 15:26

 

Middle School:

Jack Porter (1st) 12:24
Thomas Strelow (2nd) 14:05
Nik Wasik (3rd) 14:16
Ayden Wyman (4th) 15:45
Johnny Porter (5th) 16:40

 

The Wolves have two more virtual races set for this summer, but will take next week off, focusing on just putting in some mileage at their own pace.

Bitting has set up two runs for her proteges, a 3.4-mile jaunt and a 5.5+-mile workout.

Regardless of which run each Wolf chooses, their coach also wants them to include some “fartleks” in at least one of their workouts.

“The most fun of all run names, “fartleks” — the Swedish term for “speed play” — are similar to intervals in that they vary between intense and moderate effort, but they do so in an unstructured manner,” Bitting said.

“Essentially, you run hard for a time or distance that seems appropriate, follow this spurt by a short recovery.

“Fartlek runs are great for simulating races, because they force you to increase your speed unexpectedly, as you do when passing an opponent.

“They train your body to recruit more muscle fibers even when you are tired.”

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