U of A tryouts

[adrian]

So, I hear that the U of A tryouts were yesterday. John Soltice sent me an email that stated: "there were alot of people. prbably 35 women, and 30 guys."

Here at the U of T, I've been told that there are about nine people they know about who are intending to run cross country. That means that there have been about 6 or 7 guys who have showed up to practice and a few others, such as Josh Sissons, who are injured but are planning on coming out. I'm surprised that there aren't more, but at the moment I can't say it looks good for the U of T team. There will be no tryouts here (everyone who is interested will make the team). At least there is a very good non-varsity training group here.

Any summaries from the tryouts? John's email was very informative, but I'd love to hear more stories about the trials and tribulations of this annual event.

[art]

Yeah, that is pretty sad with U of T's small turn out. It is also the same pathetic story at York.

[harrington]

Lightning flashed near Hawrelak Park as the tryout approached. No doubt that the Gods were restless to see the run get underway.

The course was 6k, three 2k laps. Each lap was essentially an extended lake loop, taking the first turn wide around the lake, then following around the usual path along the lake before going all the way around the playground and then back behind and around the amphitheater to complete the loop. There were no hills on the course and it was primarily grass.

New comer and famed cross country skier Curtis Merry quickly took the lead from the start, closely followed by Captains Cocker and Hack, as well as Canadian Mountain Running Silver Medalist Mark Vollmer and 2006 C.W.X.C.R.O.Y. Cody Carver. Triathelete Kris Loshack and WCSG Steeplechase Silver Medalist Jamie Weikum kept contact. I managed to stick onto the tail end of this group for the first lap or so. Hoping to run under 20:00, I was pleased to hear our kilometer split of around 3:18, and my second of 6:35. At this point I was still in contact with the lead group. Some separation started to occur during the second lap. Curtis, Tyler, Mark, Dylan, and Cody started to pull away with Kris opening up a gap on Jamie. I myself began to lose touch losing ground to the previously mentioned seven runners.

At the half way split I came through at almost exactly 10:00, right on pace to break the 20 minute barrier but I could tell that my next 3k would not be as fast. At this point I was running with UVic alum and 2001 Canada Summer Games cyclist Gergely Hegedus, now a law student at U of A. I kept on fighting through onto the bell lap, I missed my 4k split. It was at some point during the last 2k or so that I was passed by training partner Matt Krahn, U Sask alum and friend of Sean Baynton Scott Forbes, a U of A PhD student, and Junior National 5000m Bronze Medalist Scott Ford. Each time I was passed I fought to hang on but my legs were simply unable to respond, a hard week of running seemed to have taken its toll. Gergely also got by me with around 500m or so to go.

I finished in a time of 20:53. Not quite the 20:00 I was hoping for but overall I was satisfied with my effort, not a bad way to start the season and I figure I can only get stronger, unless I pull a Sean MacDonald that is.

Editor's Note: '06 Bears Captain, K-100 Leg Champion, Top-20 NACAC Mountain Running Finisher, and Spring '07 Wednesday Night Cross Country Champ Sean MacDonald dropped out around 3k.

The finishing order was something like this (there are likely be minor errors):
1. Curtis Merry (U of A)
2. Cody Carver (U of A)
3. Dylan Hackenbrook (U of A)
4. Mark Vollmer
5. Tyler Cocker (U of A)
6. Kris Loshack (U of A)
7. Jamie Weikum (U of A)
8. Matt Krahn
9. Scott Ford
10. Scott Forbes (U of A)
11. Gergely Hegedus (U of A)
12. Harry "Harrington" Moore (U of A)
13. Sean Hawryluk (U of A)
*I can't really remember past here, feel free to help me out*

As you can see I was the 9th Golden Bear, an improvement over my 13th place finish last year. More importantly I know that I am in vastly better shape. My goal remains to be making the CIS team. I clearly have quite a bit of work to do, but I figure that with another two months of hard training I should figure to be in the mix come Stewart Cup. Only time will tell.

Should be a great season.

Bears on Three! 1..2..3..Bears!

[sean]

babyface said:

I finished in a time of 20:53. Not quite the 20:00 I was hoping for but overall I was satisfied with my effort, not a bad way to start the season and I figure I can only get stronger, unless I pull a Sean MacDonald that is.

Editor's Note: '06 Bears Captain, K-100 Leg Champion, Top-20 NACAC Mountain Running Finisher, and Spring '07 Wednesday Night Cross Country Champ Sean MacDonald dropped out around 3k.

has it gotten that bad that my name has become synonymous with tanking the season and then trying to make up for it by sniping low-key races during the summer?

[murtada]

Adrian! Good to hear from you... so, is X-Country @ U of T really that small? Is it one of those sports that is relegated even further in the back-seat than here? Training here has been phenomenal. I've been really impressed with the whole group - a bunch of dedicated and hard-working guys (and gals). The talent is diverse, so it has been good.

You will be happy to hear that I completed my first 6K race - though essentially dead-last (my pride for gutting out my first with little sleep for 2 nights and 25-30 minute runs outweighs the embarrassment of watching Harry cross the line while I was on the other side of the lake). Watch your back, Mountain Runner! A few more K and about 2x the speed over that distance and you will be in my sight.

[harrington]

sean said:

babyface said:

I finished in a time of 20:53. Not quite the 20:00 I was hoping for but overall I was satisfied with my effort, not a bad way to start the season and I figure I can only get stronger, unless I pull a Sean MacDonald that is.

Editor's Note: '06 Bears Captain, K-100 Leg Champion, Top-20 NACAC Mountain Running Finisher, and Spring '07 Wednesday Night Cross Country Champ Sean MacDonald dropped out around 3k.

has it gotten that bad that my name has become synonymous with tanking the season and then trying to make up for it by sniping low-key races during the summer?

Synonymous with tanking the season? Yes. But I was making no such implications past that. I was simply stating your other accomplishments for effect. I would've mentioned the Ottawa 10k but I couldn't recall your place.

Luckily finishing ninth at trials should mean that I won't be going to all the races like you, which will hopefully leave me a little fresher come Stewart Cup, then hopefully CIS.

[Aniko]

Hello,

I am looking for my former penfriend Hegedus Gergely from Edmonton.
I saw his name in this forum. Do you know anything about him?

Thx
Aniko

Sept 8, 2007 12:19:10 GMT -6 harrington said:

Lightning flashed near Hawrelak Park as the tryout approached. No doubt that the Gods were restless to see the run get underway.

The course was 6k, three 2k laps. Each lap was essentially an extended lake loop, taking the first turn wide around the lake, then following around the usual path along the lake before going all the way around the playground and then back behind and around the amphitheater to complete the loop. There were no hills on the course and it was primarily grass.

New comer and famed cross country skier Curtis Merry quickly took the lead from the start, closely followed by Captains Cocker and Hack, as well as Canadian Mountain Running Silver Medalist Mark Vollmer and 2006 C.W.X.C.R.O.Y. Cody Carver. Triathelete Kris Loshack and WCSG Steeplechase Silver Medalist Jamie Weikum kept contact. I managed to stick onto the tail end of this group for the first lap or so. Hoping to run under 20:00, I was pleased to hear our kilometer split of around 3:18, and my second of 6:35. At this point I was still in contact with the lead group. Some separation started to occur during the second lap. Curtis, Tyler, Mark, Dylan, and Cody started to pull away with Kris opening up a gap on Jamie. I myself began to lose touch losing ground to the previously mentioned seven runners.

At the half way split I came through at almost exactly 10:00, right on pace to break the 20 minute barrier but I could tell that my next 3k would not be as fast. At this point I was running with UVic alum and 2001 Canada Summer Games cyclist Gergely Hegedus, now a law student at U of A. I kept on fighting through onto the bell lap, I missed my 4k split. It was at some point during the last 2k or so that I was passed by training partner Matt Krahn, U Sask alum and friend of Sean Baynton Scott Forbes, a U of A PhD student, and Junior National 5000m Bronze Medalist Scott Ford. Each time I was passed I fought to hang on but my legs were simply unable to respond, a hard week of running seemed to have taken its toll. Gergely also got by me with around 500m or so to go.

I finished in a time of 20:53. Not quite the 20:00 I was hoping for but overall I was satisfied with my effort, not a bad way to start the season and I figure I can only get stronger, unless I pull a Sean MacDonald that is.

Editor's Note: '06 Bears Captain, K-100 Leg Champion, Top-20 NACAC Mountain Running Finisher, and Spring '07 Wednesday Night Cross Country Champ Sean MacDonald dropped out around 3k.

The finishing order was something like this (there are likely be minor errors):
1. Curtis Merry (U of A)
2. Cody Carver (U of A)
3. Dylan Hackenbrook (U of A)
4. Mark Vollmer
5. Tyler Cocker (U of A)
6. Kris Loshack (U of A)
7. Jamie Weikum (U of A)
8. Matt Krahn
9. Scott Ford
10. Scott Forbes (U of A)
11. Gergely Hegedus (U of A)
12. Harry "Harrington" Moore (U of A)
13. Sean Hawryluk (U of A)
*I can't really remember past here, feel free to help me out*

As you can see I was the 9th Golden Bear, an improvement over my 13th place finish last year. More importantly I know that I am in vastly better shape. My goal remains to be making the CIS team. I clearly have quite a bit of work to do, but I figure that with another two months of hard training I should figure to be in the mix come Stewart Cup. Only time will tell.

Should be a great season.

Bears on Three! 1..2..3..Bears!