Valley runners compete in Oregon

PALMER — It’s not unusual for Alaska cross-country runners to make the trek south in search of greener grounds and smoother trail. Last week, nine Valley runners ventured to Gervais, Oregon, to compete in the George Fox Cross-Country Classic at the Willamette Mission State Park. But what they found was some weather and trail conditions akin to something they might see in their home state.

Despite battling head wins of varying strength and a muddy course, Palmer senior Ruby Woodings and Houston sophomore Allison VanPelt each clocked times of 20 minutes, 19 seconds — finishing just a half-second apart — in the girls’ gold varsity race during the meet.

“I thought they ran well,” Palmer head coach John Bishop said earlier this week.

Bishop brought nine Valley runners to the meet. The group included seven Palmer athletes — Woodings, Sophia Nowers, Connor Owens, Amiquq Maclean, Julian Davis, Ethan Copp and Richard Harris — in addition to VanPelt, and her brother Elliasson, a Wasilla runner. The Valley athletes — who were spread out in three different races — dealt with tough trail conditions. But by the time Woodings and Allison VanPelt were ready to run in the girls’ gold varsity race, the conditions had worsened greatly. At some points, Bishop said, athletes were running in ankle deep mud. There were heavy winds the day before the race and on race day. Bishop said the area was even threatened by tornadoes for the first time in about 30 years.

Bishop said he was proud of the way the Valley runners approached the day, which featured less than ideal conditions.

“When we were sitting in the van, just before they were going to warm up, Ruby looked up and said, this is what we do,” Bishop said of Alaskan runners training, regardless of the weather. “She didn’t get frustrated. She was thinking go out and have fun with it. They weren’t scared of getting cold. They went in with a positive attitude.”

Woodings and VanPelt finished 37th and 38th respectively. Even though both were about a minute off their personal record pace, each finished right around where they were ranked coming into the race.

“The whole field was slow,” Bishop said.

Woodings and VanPelt were also the third and fourth Alaska runners to cross the finish line. West Valley freshman Kendall Kramer led all runners from the 49th state in the race, finishing 10th. Kenai’s Riana Boonstra was 32nd. Kenai’s Jaycie Calvert was just behind Woodings and VanPelt, finishing 39th with a time of 20:20.

Bishop said he believes the Alaska runners were more prepared for the tough conditions.

“The trails up here I believe are much more grueling,” he said. “A lot of races down south are 2- and 3-kilometer loops on flat, groomed golf course type trails.”

That’s the big reason why is necessary for Alaska runners to travel south, Bishop said. It’s an opportunity to post a fast time in a venue more familiar to college coaches and scouts. Bishop said in his many talks with college coaches, he’s learned that many see times clocked in Alaska as ambiguous. There are the different styles of courses, and some of the meets may not always feature true 5-K distances, he said. But Bishop said that’s just one example of the value of these types of trips.

During the group’s time in Oregon, Bishop said the runners were able to tour both Oregon and Oregon State, large schools with Division I athletics. They were also able to see George Fox University, a Division III school.

“It was an eye-opening experience to see the two big Oregon schools, and see what they offer. They got to see George Fox, how it compared differently to the two big Division I schools,” Bishop said.

The trip provided an opportunity to see the campuses, and talk to coaches.

It has been a handful of years since the Palmer High cross-country program planned such a trip, Bishop said. This year, Bishop said he wanted Woodings — the 2016 Region III champion — to have the chance to compete Outside. He also wanted to open up the opportunity for others inside and outside of his program to make the trip.

Bishop said the team is hoping to travel again soon, following the 2018 and 2019 Alaska cross-country running season in particular. One of the runners who made the trip last week, Nowers, is one of a handful of promising Palmer freshmen Bishop expects to be very competitive throughout their high school careers.

“We may do it again next year, but we are really looking two years and three years,” Bishop said. “We’ve got that super strong group. I want make sure we get back there and give them that exposure for scholarships.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.