Bethany Michalak stormed to a US No. 1, Colorado No. 1, and personal best of 17:00 at the Liberty Bell Invitational.

Week 4 of the 2021 Colorado cross country season went true to form. It was insanely fast. And it was insanely competitive. 

Let's get into it, here are the highlights of the highlights...

Everyone knows there's one main reason to go to the Liberty Bell Cross Country Invitational, and that's to run rip-roaring fast. 

As per the usual, personal bests were a plentiful. 

(Insert that Oprah meme: You get a PR! You get a PR! You get a PR!) 

The big highlights out of the meet came out of the Sweepstakes Races, where spectators were treated to some national caliber performances. 

Air Academy sophomore Bethany Michalak scorched a US No. 1, and CO No. 1 of 17:00.40 to win the girl's race. Additionally, it was a sizable PR for the defending 4A state champ. 

Emma Stutzman and Brooke Wilson also ran big PRs of 17:24, with Stutzman three-tenths of a second ahead. Additionally the times were within the US Top-10 rankings. 

As of this writing, Colorado has three girls in the Top-10 nationally, and the times were run at elevation right here in Colorado... 

And on the topic a US rankings, and PRs, Kaden Levings, Ty Garrett and Jake Bach ran themselves into the Top 21. Levings captured his first big win in Colorado, running a CO No. 1 of 15:00.00. Garrett was a second back in 15:01, and Back was three behind him in 15:04. 

READ MORE: Blazing At The Liberty Bell Invitational

All in all, 10 girls broke 18, and 47 broke 19. For the boys, 27 broke 16 minutes.

Moving along... 

The Centaurus Bernie Gay XC Invitational played host to some pretty great races as well. 

Bryce Reeburgh picked up his first win of the season, running 16:04 to win the boy's race, while Kyle Berg was seven seconds back in 16:11.

Maggie McCleskey opened up her season by running away with the girl's race in 18:42. Allison Pippert and Jade Allen also dipped under 19, running 18:55, and 18:58.