Grace Padilla –
We all dream about making a national team- to be able to represent our country. Unfortunately, only a handful of athletes ever accomplish this. We are competitors, which means we don’t like to give up, that’s why we keep trying week after week. The challenge is half the fun.
At the USATF Cross Country Championships held in San Diego on January 18, 2020, The Janes were well represented by Calene Morris. This would be her 10k debut! Calene had a tremendous race, finished 8th and made her first USA Team. She would be representing the USA at the 2020 Pan American Cross Country Championships held in Victoria, BC, Canada. Calene got to live the dream! She received a USA uniform, traveling gear, paid travel, and a suite at the Bear Mountain Resort.
Pan American Cross Country Championships brought together runners from Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Canada, Peru, and the USA to compete and have a chance to represent their country. They would race on the golf course designed by Jack Nicklaus. This 10k course features many challenging hills, including a 200m hill with a 30m elevation gain that had to be run 5 times during the 2000m course loop. This hill was especially challenging on the last loop in the final 300m heading towards the finish line. This course also had two 50m sand traps one after the other, that could be compared to quicksand when your legs are tired.
Race time! It was a cool Canadian morning with fresh, clean air. The course was spectator friendly. I watched Calene warm up, stretch, and line up with team USA. She looked focused and beautiful in her new blue uniform; I was filled with excitement for her. Runners got on their marks, the gun was shot, and they were off! It was a great experience to see Calene battle against the Canadian, Brazilian, and Mexican runners and listen as some spectators shouted, “GO USA”!
The final 200 meters were probably the hardest for Calene and me. I could feel her pain, but also saw the determination on her face. I got emotional and cried as I cheered for her on that final climb. I ran to the finish line to hug and congratulate her. She was 6th for team USA and finished 19th overall. There is no doubt in my mind that Calene is a fierce competitor, and she will accomplish many more of her goals in the future. I am proud to say she is my teammate.
Now onto the last race of the day: The Can Am Masters Challenge was also held on the same beautiful, but brutal course. The weather changed for the worse with every race. As I took off my sweatpants, the wind got stronger, and it started to hail. At the starting line, I was the only half-naked runner! I wore tiny race briefs and a USA sports bra. It was quite hilarious to me; to stay warm during this short hail storm, I laughed and jumped around.
The weather continued to change during the masters’ race; we got hail, rain, wind, and a bit of sunshine. I was overjoyed to be running because I was in Canada for the first time doing what I love most, so the weather didn’t bother me too much. I warmed up as the race went on. I tried to go out conservative, but with all the excitement, I went to the front and tucked in behind some of the masters men. Unlike the senior open women, we only had to run 3 loops. My legs started to feel the heavy effects of the hills after the first loop. I battled against two Canadians for the lead (later I found out they were in their 30s). I eventually fell behind, and fought within myself to push through the pain and remain in the top 5. Those hills weren’t a joke, it seemed to be a triple decker hill! The final 300 meters were hilly and felt like the last 6 miles of a marathon. It was hard to change gears as I tried to kick to the finish. I gathered strength from listening to Calene and my husband who cheered me on. My legs felt like noodles as I crossed the line.
At the end, I finished as the 1st American, I won my age group 45-49, and was 5th overall for the women in my race. My goal was to come home with a medal and I did! I never imagined this would be my last race in the spring.
Traveling was definitely different with many people testing positive for the Corona Virus. We were asked if we had traveled to China and if were had any flulike symptoms. Only a few wore face masks, and anytime someone coughed in the airplane we were uncomfortable.
Overall, it was a wonderful trip to Victoria! Calene and I left it all on the course. It was a wonderful new experience for the both of us. My husband and I did a lot of sightseeing, and our favorite place was The Butchart Gardens. I highly recommend visiting Canada if you haven’t done so already!
