Quail Trail Run (Middle School 2 Mile Race)

After the Quail Trail open run took place (see post below) at 8:00 a.m. we stuck around to watch the GHSA high school and middle school meets. Except for a little course overlap, the GHSA meet was different from the earlier open run. As we watched the high school kids line up to run, Stephen asked me whether he could run in the middle school 2 mile race. I checked around and, after conflicting "yeses" and "noes", I finally got the OK for him to run with the middle schoolers. There are apparently really strict rules for running in GHSA races, but middle school races fall outside the GHSA rules.

I knew that there would be some stiff competition. There were runners from Bainbridge Middle School, Colquitt County Middle School, Early County Middle School, Florida High School (Tallahassee), Grace Christian Academy (Bainbridge), Lee County Middle School, Maclay (Tallahassee), Pelham Middle School, St. John Catholic School, Thomas County Middle School, Tift County Middle School, Valdosta Middle School, Aucilla Christian (Monticello), Community Christian, Cornerstone Middle School and Holy Comforter Middle School.

Chase Harris from Grace Christian Academy beat Stephen in the only other race the two had particpated in together. There were also several other really good local runners who particpated.

There had to have been 200 kids who ran in the middle school race as they ran the girls and boys together. 120 of the runners were boys. Check out all the race results here.

Stephen is standing in the right third of the picture.

And they're off. The course went through a previously mowed field, up a hill, then left for about 100 yards, then left again for 100 yards before exiting the field through a break in a fenceline. Chase Harris got off to a great start and by the time he left the field he was 20 or 30 seconds ahead of the second place runner. Stephen got pushed to the back of the pack and had to play frogger to work his way up to the front.

Stephen was fifth by the time he left the field running with T.J. Witherspoon of Thomasville and a kid from Florida High.

Leaving the grassy field.

Chase Harris was 50 seconds ahead of the next two runners coming back onto the field. The next two runners were T.J. Witherspoon and Stephen Robbins. Chase finished around 10:50.

Coming back down the hill toward the finish line Stephen was just over a second behind T.J. He tried to make up the time with a sprint at the end, but T.J. was able to hold Stephen off for second place.

Compete with each other, then talk about it afterward. Stephen finished the two mile race with a time of 11:45.

Stephen congratulates Chase after the race.

First, second, third, fourth and fifth places.

Second, third and fourth places.

Stephen runs for medals.

Quail Trail Run at Pebble Hill Plantation (Open)

Brookwood's team ran in the Second Annual Quail Trail Run at Pebble Hill Plantation today. You can check out all of the results here. The beautiful plantation homes and huge oak trees draping with spanish moss make this run one of the most picturesque Stephen and Jacob have participated in. When we first arrived at Pebble Hill at 7:45 a.m. I noticed there were almost two dozen regional high school and middle school teams warming up for our race. A little unusual for a Saturday morning race open to the public. There were tents and flags with school logos spread out over an acre or so around the running trail.

After some inquiry, I found out that although the 8:00 a.m. race was open to the general public, most of the high school and middle school runners were there to participate in a GHSA sponsored meet. The GHSA sponsored meet started at 9:30 a.m. and took place on a different course.

As for the Quail Trail open run, Brookwood's girls and boys teams once again performed well. I will add a link to the team's times once they are posted. You can also see the clock in some of the pictures showing the runners' times. Enjoy the pictures. You can also check out Herb Wills' pictures here and more pictures here and read his article on the race here..

A massive throng.

And they're off.

This guy won the race in under 16 minutes.

Mr. Carico was one of the highest finishing local runners at the Boston Marathon last year.

Caleb Harris is 9 or 10 years old and runs for Grace Christian Academy in Bainbridge. He regularly runs these 5K's in under 22 minutes. Incredible!

This is Caleb's mom, Julie Harris. She coaches the Grace Christian Academy cross country team.

Stephen wanted to make sure I took a picture of his Spanish teacher, Mrs. Vereen.