Being my senior year of cross country and me not finishing the best I could have junior year, I felt that this was the year of Dave Marks. My goal both cross country and track season was to go out with a bang and make myself a household name in the Oregon High School running world. 

There was one meet on the schedule that I circled and that was the ADIDAS Invite. Not only did I know that the course was fast but also because the competition I would be running against was better than state. We had Crater, Jesuit, Central Catholic, and many other individuals who are all top favorites in state in all the classifications. So I knew that I could really make a splash there.

The day had come. Coming into the meet I had only lost once, but was happy about where I stood training wise for the meet. I knew that I was ready to gallop because the other meets I was running in were not as high caliber as this one. 

We got to Fernhill Park in style. A.K.A. a usual big yellow, Laidlaw bus. But nonetheless, our team felt like rock stars (who cars why, we're Lakeridge) We set up camp on the baseball field against one the dug outs and my team mates and I strolled around looking for bathrooms and scouting out our competition. I love the atmosphere of cross country meets. Everyone is there for one reason. To run a race and PR. That was what I was looking for. 

We warm up like our coach always tells us. A 15 minute jog, followed by 10 minutes of standing stretches, then 1-3 minutes of race pace, then followed by another 10 minutes of sitting stretches, after that we get our spikes and head over to the start line and spike up and do a few strides. 

Our team was not the best team in the world, but I loved our team. Some of the best group of guys around. And we knew that by the time we got to the starting line, it meant that we were ready for something more than a race. It was a war. A war against everyone else who is shoulder to shoulder with you. Looking around, you see others looking around for someone to run with or someone they want to beat. Everyone does, even if you don't know it. You do it. Trust me, I was definitely doing it. 

The gun fires and we are off! I get a good start and move to the front like a started to do my senior year. It is a lot more fun to lead a big race than to sit back. I was feeling good through the first mile, and when I say good I mean 4:45 first mile good! I was moving, and so was everyone else who were right behind me. I kept this pace going and continued to lead for the first 2k until Bryce Burgess and a kid from Palmer, Alaska moved ahead of me. The started gapping everyone and then I knew it was another race starting to brew behind me. And as soon as I think that, Musa Ahmed and Josh Paul move past me as I hold on to them. The last 800 meters we are all flying. Brian Manning and Peter Magg of Jesuit and Taylor Morgan of Central Catholic start making a move and said, "Oh none of that!" and jumped on my horse. So now with 400 meters I was in all out kick mode. We make the sharp turn to head to the track and I pass Musa but Paul holds his .6 second lead on me and I finish 4th place with a time of 15:50. And .6 seconds from a new pair of ADIDAS shoes. (I'm a Nike guy anyway ) 

But the race ends and as I'm slowing down after the finish my spike catches the track and I face plant it into the ground. People thinking that I have collapsed help me up, but I try to explain to them that I tripped. Oh well...I got 4th, and I'm happy with that. 

That race I feel really got me motivated for state, because I had beaten many of the top returners from last year I knew that I could beat them again. 

Damn do I miss that race. However, with me attending the University of Portland, I am able to still go and watch. You can catch me in my capree spandex, you can miss me.