The only runner to improve more than McConnell within the front of the pack was Samantha Blair.
Prior to 2018, Blair's personal bests included a 12:01 two-mile. She's only run two 5ks this season, a 18:59, and a 17:33 at Liberty Bell.
That's not a typo. I did mean to write 1-7. Or, Seventeen-minutes, and 33-seconds.
That's a 1:26 improvement.
Anyone who's raced 5ks knows that a 1:26 drop is just not normal. Particularly when you're already running 19-minute 5ks. Like McConnell, that's the difference between being competitive within the state, and being national caliber, which Blair just proved to be.
She spoke after her jaw-dropping performances, and mentioned that she'd have to call her sister and tell her that she broke her 17:53 school record. Adding to the feat, is that her sister is 4A 1,600 state champion, Joslin Blair.
Clearly, that's one insanely fast household...
There aren't many schools with a 17:53 school record, let alone homes of female high school cross country runners. Now the Blair home has two sub 18 minute 5k runners, and Eagle Valley's school record stands at 17:33.
Currently, Colorado has two freshmen who have run sub 17:45. Additionally, Blair and McConnell are ranked No. 2 and No. 4 in all-classifications. With altitude-adjustments, the duo would be the top-two freshmen in the country.
Way to go, Colorado!