NOTE:COMING THIS WEEK: The season training plans for the three from their coaches, Dave Marrington (Keith Capecci), Bob Ayton (Josh Hibbs), and Mark Tirone and Ryan Comstock (Liz Costello) -- all of whom were enjoying the festivities and races in San Diego.
Coming down the hill the 2nd time around with less than a half mile to go.
Pennsylvania's three qualifiers in this year's version of cross-country's race of stars had envisioned better finishes -- but each came away with much more than they had ever hoped. Council Rock North's Keith Capecci has a growing confidence he hopes will take him to an individual state title. Hatboro-Horsham's Josh Hibbs never thought he was this good. Those days are over. And Conestoga's Liz Costello is no longer intimidated by the aura surrounding other quality runners.
Seniors all, Capecci and Costello would finish 4th for the Northeast, and 21st overall in what each described as the fastest pace they had ever begun a race. Hibbs would be with Capecci through the mile, and rallied to finish 35th in 16:10, despite turning his ankle halfway through the race. Capecci was timed in 15:41, while Costello ran 18:09.
Costello, the PIAA AAA state champ, was clearly impressed with the competition. And that was two days before the race. "It was a battle to clear my head (the morning of the race). There are a lot of names and good girls. You know you belong here, but you have to remind yourself of that. Everybody is a celebrity from their hometown."
She felt really good at the start. Maybe a little too good. Observing that the starting line area was tight and that the course narrows quickly, Costello used her sprinter's speed right away. In fact, around the half-mile the race announcer calls her name as one of the leaders. "I probably took my first mile out a little too quickly, probably 10 to 15 seconds faster than usual (around 5:20), which is quick. I wanted to get out quickly." Her first loop around the two-loop layout wasn't too bad, but she had started to be passed by some girls by the top of the hill. "And then my first mile caught up to me in the 3rd mile. The second time up the hill was definitely painful."
But she finished on a strong note. After the uphill, there is a long, fast downhill. She used it as a launching pad, of sorts. "I kicked at the end and caught a bunch of girls. And I'm ecstatic that I still had that kick after going out that quickly."
Costello sees the experience and the race as a good sign for indoor and outdoor track. After a week of downtime and another for a slow return to running, she has a goal of making her 2:12 800 PR a piece of ancient history. She'll do more miles and the 3000. And she's not quite ready to give up her spot on the Conestoga 1600 meter relay team. "I'm not giving that up until I have to."
But it's the confidence she has gained through the season in her first full year in the sport that she takes away from this season. "Maybe today I didn't stay up with those girls. But if I step to the line, I'm not intimidated. Before in track, I kind of withered a little mentally thinking about times they've run. Now I'll think, well, that was then. Now is a new time. I'm confident in these distances with my sprinting ability. It might not come in handy in every race, but it's some confidence for me."
Capecci says the speed of the day and the race was faster than anything he had ever experienced. He did a good job of avoiding they hype in the morning by watching SportsCenter. "I was thinking about the Sixers beating the Bobcasts. I had to make sure my teams were doing well in my four-day absence."
Capecci and Hibbs near the 3/4 mile point.
But once at the course, things started moving fast. And it wasn't just the day, it was his high school career, as well. "I tried to follow Costello's race, but it just went by so fast. It helped to see Buddy Davis (former Rock runner, now a sophomore at Northern Arizona). And all the pre-race stuff was the same with Coach Marrington. Davis reminded me he had lent me spikes the first time I broke five minutes. It seems just like yesterday that Coach Marrington was badgering me to quit basketball my sophomore year."
Capecci was out as usual. But no where near how much he spotted Craig Miller at States or the talented field at the Northeast Regional. The entire pack was within 7-9 seconds of the leaders at the mile. "We weren't ready for that at all. And with the heat, it killed a lot of the kids. I think the Northeast is at a bit of a disadvantage with the warm weather, and time change, and all the west kids know the course. But while I think I could have done a little better, I can't complain. I ran against the best, and now I know where I am." He worked his way up to 16th or 17th, but then was passed by a few on the final stretch.
Now he'll sit down with his coach to map out a new plan that he hopes leads to a state title. "The 3k is looking good. The mile is a possibility if Miller doesn't run it."
His shortened list of colleges includes NC State, Alabama, Notre Dame, Villanova, William & Mary, Arizona and Eastern Michigan.
Hibbs aimed his training to peak for the Northeast Regional. After his 9th place finish at States, he wasn't too sure he even had a chance for the Foot Locker Finals, even though his state race was an improvement of one place over 2004. But then he got the invite to the Mid-East Regional two weeks later in Ohio, and was the top PA finisher at 7th. "At that point, I thought I had as good a shot as anyone going into regionals. It showed me I was a lot better than I thought I was."
Hibbs usually goes out in 4:40 and then finding himself at the front. "They just set a killer pace from the beginning. I think it's a real learning experience for college. My whole philosophy is to come in, have fun and run the best I can. But I rolled my ankle at the start of the second loop and just started feeling it."
The experience of the week also taught him that all the guys are the same, with the same problems and high aspirations. He'll visit the University of Tulsa (OK), William & Mary, Liberty, and possibly others.
FLASH REPORT:
Seniors Liz Costello of Conestoga, Keith Capecci of Council Rock North, and Josh Hibbs of Hatboro-Horsham, posted strong performances in hot, dry conditions at the Foot Locker National Championships at Balboa Park in San Diego. Costello and Capecci each ran 4th for the Northeast team, improving their positions from regionals, while Hibbs was 35th overall. (We'll have more complete photo and athlete quote coverage on Monday when I return from San Diego. Some of my time Saturday has been devoted to athletes from the MileSplit Network states, which paid my way to cover this race for the first time.)
Costello went out hard and paid the price in the middle of the race, but rebounded to take 21st.