The start line will be a whole lot more crowded this year. Colorado Track XC file photo by Tim Hilt.
It's shaping up as easily the best field ever for the Fastest Coach in the State Race.
With a full three days left for people to join the fun, we have 44 coaches currently committed to putting personal dignity on the line come Saturday morning.
That list of coaches includes four from the ranks of 2A, nine from the ranks of 3A, a whopping 16 from the ranks of 4A, and another 15 from the ranks of 5A. In all, at least 25 schools will be sending representation. The field as currently registered includes 13 female and 31 male coaches, and includes all former winners, both male and female, of the Fastest Coach in the State Race.
And we expect more walk-up registration on Saturday. We're optimistic that way.
Some more interesting facts about Saturday's big event:
- 2A needs some help if they're going to log a team score. I can think of a few who should be there, but aren't currently registered... (Mario Garcia, what are you doing on Saturday? Joe Packard, what could possibly be more important to morale within your program than taking the course on Saturday? Tim Van Sickler, since Scott Dahlberg is otherwise committed to another race on Saturday, perhaps you could stand in to represent Peyton?)
- Legacy High School is sending the biggest contingent of coaches, followed closely by Estes Park.
- This is easily the largest field in the four-year history of the Fastest Coach in the State Race. The field includes a bundle of state champion coaches (both team and individual), plus not a few coaches who were part of state champion teams in their high school days.
- There is a serious representation of former collegiate runners in this field, including some very recent collegiate runners. Schools represented include: University of Colorado, Adams State, Western State, University of Northern Colorado, Auburn, Central Missouri, Grand Valley, Colorado Mines, Kansas, Hillsdale, Wisconsin-Stevens Point, and doubtless a couple more I'm missing the connections on.
- Contestants range from barely-out-of-college to old-as-dirt.
- Sometimes doughnuts show up after the race.
Coaches should dig out a piece of team attire to race in. Preferably, that would be a singlet of some relatively recent vintage. It was pretty easy for me to find a large that no kid on my team had ever worn before. I don't know whether to wish you all the same kind of success or not. If you still have your college uniform, you're allowed to sub that one out for your current high school's uniform.
Show up with your $5 entry fee and ready to enjoy some fun with great company. The race begins on the Lyons cross country course at 10 AM sharp. You'll have to figure out your own parking, however, as there will be nobody to direct you to your parking location this time around.
Spectators, even spectators with cameras, are welcome. I'm pretty sure you can even talk us into letting you run with us in the race if you want to experience first-hand how fast the field really is.
And, yes, Colorado Track XC will be there with coverage!