I can hear thunder rumbling in the distance. The winds are calm, but they won’t be for long. Dark, brooding clouds loom on the horizon, ready to unleash a raging storm of epic proportions.

Ok. I’m being a little dramatic, but I really wanted to segue into this past week being the calm before the storm, hence the “thunder rumbling in the distance” line.

It might have seemed a little quiet on the course this past week, but that’s only because we’re about to see some fireworks on the course in the coming week.

This is usually the time of the year when the metaphorical butterfly begins to hastily bat its colorful wings deep in the stomach. The heartbeat transcends the confines of the cage within the chest, pulsating outwards, attempting to breach the skin.

If standing on the starting line waiting for the starter to shoot their gun, sending runners out into 3.1 miles of pain and hopeful glory is the most anxiety-filled moment, waiting for race day in the final week or two before the big race is a close second.

The regional championships launch off the starting line this Thursday and Friday. Athletes from across the state will be looking to book their tickets to The Big Dance at the Norris Penrose Event Center in Colorado Springs on Nov. 1.

How To Qualify

Class 3A/4A/5A: The top four teams — scoring five runners, along with the top-15 finishers.

Class 2A: Top four teams — scoring four runners, along with the top-15 finishers.

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While it was a fairly light week of meets, what did happen on the course was revealing by way of sharing who’s ready for regionals. There were a slew of league championships that allowed athletes to sharpen up for the coming week.

Run Around The State

(Bobby Reyes)

Jeffco 4A/5A League Championships: Golden sophomore Jackson Ferguson picked up another big win, claiming the 5A league title in the fastest time of the day — a 15 minute, 34 seconds clocking. Ferguson’s time was over half-a-minute ahead of the field, and it led Golden to the team title, tallying just 38 points.

In the girls 5A race Lakewood went 1-2, with Allison Christensen claiming the title in 18:50, which was just ahead of teammate Iris Barnett’s 18:53. Golden freshman Dylan Shaklee finished third in 18:56. Golden put all five scoring runners inside the top-11 to take the team title with 38 points.
In the boys 4A race Conifer’s Kyler Boymel telescoped away with the win, clocking 16:45. Littleton went 3-4-5-6 to tally 36 points to take the team victory.

Wheat Ridge sophomore Nytia Adams kicked late to claim the girls 4A title, clocking 19:37, which was just ahead of Conifer’s Giana Cicora, who took second six seconds back in 19:43. Conifer put three inside the top-seven and all five scoring runners inside the top-15 to claim the team title, tallying 41 points.

Continental League Championships: Regis Jesuit’s McKenna Groen ran away with the victory here, clocking 18:40. Heritage’s Caroline Fender and Mountain Vista’s Addison Baker also dipped under 19 minutes, both running 18:59.

The Mountain Vista girls took a tight team battle over Heritage, tallying 54 points to Heritage’s 59.

In the boys race Mountain Vista’s Ben Adams continued his winning ways, cruising to a 15:55 victory. ThunderRidge’s Ben Lee took second in 16:00. Castle View’s Wyatt Dann took third in 16:06.

The team race went down to the sixth runner, and since Castle View didn’t run a sixth runner, Mountain Vista took the title, tallying 71 points. Castle View also tallied 71 points.

Denver Public Schools League Meet: Larsen DeCamp won the girls race in 18:56, while Northfield teammate Abdinasir Hassen won the boys race in 15:58.