One ran in her home invitational, one traveled across the better part of Kansas, but both continued their very successful season to date with big wins. Photos by Alan Versaw and Jeff McCoy.
Undefeated is a rare title to hold in a competitive region like northern Colorado 5A cross country, but for Rangeview High School senior, Rikki Gonzales, undefeated is her badge of honor so far in the season. Most recently, Gonzales snagged first place at the Aurora Invitational with a time of 19:13.00. However, her performance at the Lori Fitzgerald Pre-State Invitational where she ran a personal record of 18:34.23, showed all top competitors in the state who they should be watching out for.
“Since its my senior year, I’ve watched girls like Eleanor Fulton and [Kelsey] Lekowske for the past three years and they’re no longer here,” said Gonzales, speaking of the graduated seniors. “So I feel like it’s my place to step it up and make a name for myself. It’s anybody’s race at state; everyone has the goal to win.”
Gonzales mentioned her ambitions to win the state meet, but keeps competition and the remaining races of the season in perspective.
“It would be nice to be undefeated, but I know the competition is really tough,” said Gonzales. “That doesn’t mean I don’t think I can win. That just means that I know that anything can happen in any given race. We’re all really strong competitors. My focus is so stay strong and improve my times.”
This Friday at the Dave Sanders Invite in Littleton, Gonzales expects a fast course, but also tough competition. Her strategy in the Lori Fitzgerald invitation was to hang back the first mile and a half and then make up ground to the lead pack in the remaining distance, which obviously worked. Gonzales said she will utilize that same strategy in this week’s meet, but must keep in mind that when running such a fast course, it is easy to lose the lead group of runners if they get too far ahead.
Rangeview’s head girls cross country coach, Rob Schurich, said his training strategy is like a pyramid, “with base distance and hill training in the summer on up to speed and a peak at season’s end.” Gonzales said that during practice, she mainly focuses on what her competition is doing at their practice that day. Are they working harder? What are they doing to get ready?
“I am always thinking about the different outcomes of a race,” said Gonzales. “It’s hard not to...that’s how I push myself to work hard throughout that week.”
Gonzales’ father, the head football coach and boys’ track coach at Rangeview, has acted like a personal coach to her throughout her running career. His background of running at the University of Northern Colorado is at the back of Gonzales’ mind as she will be graduating this May. Gonzales said she plans to continue running in college and has visited the UNC campus, but is still keeping her options open. She mentioned her early anticipations for the coming track season in spring.
“[Running] is my way of setting self apart from everyone else,” said Gonzales. “You prove yourself through your actions without having to say anything and that’s kind of the best part. I feel like when I’m kind of lost... I hit the track that’s the thing that I know. I know that that’s never going to give up on me or upset me and let me down. That’s kind of my sanctuary.”
Pine Creek High School freshman, Zachary Alhamra, ran his first high school race a little over a month ago at the Arapahoe Warrior XC Invitational...and won.
Since that race time of 17:28, Alhamra has improved his time to a PR of 16:06 at Liberty Bell two weeks later and broken his high school 5000m record not once, but twice. The freshman has taken Colorado 5A cross country by surprise, and with an early running background of three half-marathons, various 5k and 10k races, middle school cross country, and habits of training year-round, Alhamra is a name anticipated to be at the top of high school cross country for years to come.
“I feel really blessed to be doing so well,” said Alhamra. “I never really found a comfortable way to start a race until this season. Being around the high competition and using the information and the things my coach has told me, I’ve learned to—-at the start of the race—-even though there’s so many people taller, longer than me, I tell myself do not get stressed out.”
Alhamra said he has relied on much guidance from coach Mark Weeks to help him adapt to competitively running in high school. He said he has learned a lot about training, including the importance of recovery, as well as keeping up the intensity during hard workouts. Coach Weeks said that Alhamra has “already significantly exceeded my initial expectations for the season,” and has specific goals in mind for him for the rest of the season.
“My most recent targets for him are to win at the Metro League Championships, followed by a win at the Regional Championships and then a top 15 finish at the State meet,” said Weeks.
“Zach’s physical stature is small; but his heart is huge. He comes across as being possessed when he runs and constantly surprises me with his ability to continue going strong, even when he is totally exhausted.”
Weeks’ goals for the boys’ varsity team as a whole are a Metro League 5A Team Championship and to qualify as a team for the State Championships.
“We are capable of achieving these goals, but it won’t be easy,” said Weeks.
“Our team together really is close and we support each other even in the different races of JV, Varisty, C-Team, Open Races,” said Alhamra. “Everyone supports each other and it’s really good to bond with them.”
Alhamra’s main goal is to run a 5k in the fifteen-minute range. He is currently taking honors classes, may play basketball in the winter, and will continue to run distance track in the spring.
“The best adjective to appropriately describe Zach is ‘driven,’” said Weeks. “Zach wants to do his best and be the best at everything he does.”
“Driven” is a fine description for both of this week’s Athletes Honey Milk Athletes of the Week. Congratulations to Zachary Alhamra and Rikki Gonzales on their great beginnings to the season.