Photo by Bobby Reyes - MileSplit Colorado

There is a saying, "there is no such thing as a stupid question." In the case of asking if RunningLane was good for the Texas boys, there sure is a such thing as a simple answer. The Garmin RunningLane Cross Country Nationals was a good event collectively, but for the Texas boys, it was great.

This meet was the atypical end to the cross county season. Usually, the season ends in one team focused event and another individual focused event to determine the national championships. RunningLane was the opportunity for both to adequately play out at the same event like cross country is supposed to be.

Texas has represented well at the past national championship events. The highest finishes were in 2009 when Boerne Champion won the Boys Team National Championship, The Woodlands finished third overall, and the Cedar Park boys were 11th overall. Girls and boys team have also done well in other years.

However, this season, the end results were better for the Texas boys and in no way is it questionable. Whether is was the weather conditions or the course, the results speak for themselves.

Photo by Bobby Reyes Milesplit Colorado

In 2004, the first season of the Team Championships in Portland, Oregon, The Woodlands (TWHS) finished 7th with a team average of 16:54 and a 1:20 split, while Southlake Carroll (SLC) was 14th with a 17:21 team average and a 1:26 second split.

The 2009 Boerne Champion winning season, they ran a 16:05 team average and TWHS ran 16:06, and Cedar Park ran 16:16. Those were some extremely talented teams and the times on that tough and course reflect how well they ran, but not how good they actually were.

Over the last three seasons at the Team Championship Nationals (2017 - 2019), Texas boys teams ran 16:32 on average and 46 second average spreads for those three seasons. The fastest time in that three year span for the Texas boys was 16:18 and the slowest was 16:55. * Texas girls teams averaged 19:32, the fastest team average was 19:01 and the slowest team average was 20:00. 

Team	team average	team split	race division
Grapevine	15:12	0.31	5th - Gold Division
Southlake Carroll	15:29	0.32	21st Gold Division
El Paso Eastwood	15:30	0.48	1st Silver Division
Atascocita	15:39	0.42	4th Silver Division
The Woodlands	15:39	0.47	29th Gold Division
Arlington Sam Houston	16:14	0.39	4th Bronze Division

As you can see in the table above, several teams from across the state competed in the various race divisions. Five of the listed teams ran faster than many of the team averages from the year at the Team National Championships. Arlington Houston, who didn't even make the fastest two races still ran faster than the 11th place team in 2009 at the Team National Championships.

While there are many claims that the course distance isn't actually 5,000m in Alabama, there isn't any indication found from on site at the event that it is a short course.

While there weren't any team national championships won at RunningLane for Texas teams, it's clear by the boys results that they were still able to leave with a runner's high of competing with their best efforts against the nation's best teams.

There were also several individual personal best this weekend. That includes a 14:47 from Ruben Rojas Betanzos (Katy Seven Lakes) and a 15:00 by David Mora (Lubbock Monterey).

Photo by Bobby Reyes - MileSplit Colorado

RunningLane also allowed the opportunity for teams who wouldn't have had an opportunity to compete nationally to do so. 

El Paso Eastwood and Atascocita were clearly two of the best teams in the state. they were only separated by one point for third place at the UIL state meet last month. They have run well and their competitive season would have ended before this weekend and without a legitimate chance to run this fast. 

They both have run absurd splits over the past several seasons to show their commitment to the fundamentals of the sport and pack running. This weekend, they further displayed that along with how good they really are on a fair and equal course.

The UIL state meet course has changed over the years and it's been proven by recent performances that you have to run fast and tight to find success at state. Atascocita has proven they can run tight, but were they fast enough has always been the question. Their performance over the weekend was a resounding and unquestionable answer how good this Eagles team is. Without competing last weekend, we might not have known how good they actually are.

In conclusion, the competition was fast, the course was fast, and the weather conditions in Huntsville, Alabama were conducive to running fast. Cross country isn't always about fast, fast fast. Sometimes there are hills, mud, snow, and other non speed performing variables and factors that are just a part of the sport.

However, ending the season and for some their high school career with the ultimate reward of competing your best is why athletes choose this sport. Whether Texas girls or boys won a national championship or not, RunningLane provided them the ultimate reward.

Photo by Bobby Reyes - MileSplit Colorado