For most of the boys on this start line, this was the beginning of the competitive season for 2011. Photo by Alan Versaw.
Last year, there was a lot of complaining about the Arapahoe County Fairgrounds course. Too windy, too dusty, too difficult. If only we could have started using this course in 2011, there would have been a lot of people feeling differently about this one. Both 5A races were exemplary of exactly what makes cross country so much fun. A good solid rain the night before and temperatures in the 60s didn't hurt, either.
Things looked pretty congenial at the front of the 5A boys race for the first mile. Kirk Webb, Kyle Ames, and Garrett Sapakoff shared a few comments and smiles at the front, and nobody seemed to want the lead.
The story was a whole lot different, however, the second time up the creek along the west edge of the course. This time, there was an urgency in Kyle Ames's stride. Garrett Sapakoff had dropped off the lead group, and Kirk W...