Cross Country Express

Bob Rush's 90th birthday celebration

2026-03-14T08:44:00.000-07:00

I just got word that Bob Rush passed away this morning. Bob will always be remembered for his tireless work on the Crystal Springs course. I will post more as I receive more information, but for now, RIP to a great man who had a huge impact on Cross Country in this area. Please feel free to add any memories of Mr. Rush.

Below was the info for Bob's 90th birthday celebration last June at the Crystal Springs course.

Bob, for his 90th birthday, is planning on running (runoggn as he calls it) across the Crystal Springs XC course finish line on Wednesday, 4 June at 12:00noon.
You and everyone else are invited to this special occasion.

Eldest son Rob will be organizing the event with pizza and beers, so if you can attend, please RSVP to Rob at 650.773-3557 so he knows how much food to purchase. Please plan on arriving around 11:30am.

Please pass along the 4 June event details to allow those whom you think would be interested, and hope many of us can make it to the course on 4 June!

The following note was sent by Dave Shrock. For those of you that might not know, Bob Rush is one of the designers of the Crystal Springs course and for decades, Bob tirelessly took care of the course so that runners to this day get to race on one of the most historic courses in the United States. Please pass the following note along to others who might be interested in helping celebrate Bob's birthday.

Bob, for his 90th birthday, is planning on running (runoggn as he calls it) across the Crystal Springs XC course finish line for his 90th birthday on Wednesday, 4 June at 12:00noon.

You and everyone else are invited to this occasion, with perhaps a meal afterwards somewhere...an informal affair.

He is also looking forward to heading up to CSM who is hosting the JC State Championships on Saturday, 17 May.

Please pass along the 4 June event details to allow those whom you think would be interested, and hope to see many of you at the course on 4 June!

Dave Shrock

Top NorCal Track and Field Leaders

2026-03-11T10:20:00.000-07:00

BOYS
100m Ian Sweeney Bishop O'Dowd 12 10.58
200m Ian Sweeney Bishop O'Dowd 12 21.27
400m Ian Sweeney Bishop O'Dowd 12 47.86
800m Henry Hauser Menlo 11 1:54.28
1600m Cooper Stream Vacaville 11 4:10.66
3200m Ryan Fitzpatrick Nueva 12 9:13.01
110m High Hurdles Chase Young De La Salle 11 14.85
300m Intermediate Hurdles Lawrence Onyejekwe Menlo 10 39.02
4x100m Relay De La Salle 41.52
4x400m Relay Carlmont 3:26.31
4x800 Relay Menlo 8:02.65
Long Jump Cordell Crocker Christopher 12 23'0"
Triple Jump Benicio Labuguen Westmoor 12 45'9.5"
High Jump Naryan Banerjee Jesuit 11 6'8"
Pole Vault Malik Li Campolindo 12 15'4" (NEW)
Shot Put Maxime Morelle Sacred Heart Prep 12 58'10.5"
Discus Deonte Littlejohn Acalanes 12 182'9"

GIRLS
100m Naiaja Sizemore Vanden 12 11.98
200m Naiaja Sizemore Vanden 12 24.24
400m Alexa Randall St. Francis, SJ 11 55.21
800m Anna Salter Crystal 12 2:14.09
1600m Anna Salter Crystal 12 4:54.47
3200m Amaya Bhardawaj Palo Alto 12 10:20.52
100m Hurdles Daniela Hughes Los Altos 12 14.49
300m Hurdles Jasleen Gandhoke St. Francis, SJ 11 45.33
4x100m Relay San Ramon Valley 47.73
4x400m Relay St. Francis, MV 4:01.91
4x800m Relay Evergreen Valley 9:39.07
Long Jump Ellie McCuskey-Hay St. Ignatius 12 19'9.75" (NEW)
Triple Jump Daniela Hughes Los Altos 12 40'0"
High Jump Riley Mcmullen San Ramon Valley 11 5'9.5"
Pole Vault Emma Trevor Tulock 11 12'0"
Shot Put Sidney Johnson Rio Americano 10 44'3"
Discus Gracelynne Duenas Lodi 12 151'4"

NorCal Cross Country and Track and Field College Commitments

2026-03-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Kyle Jakary, Jesuit (SJS) Cal Poly SLO
Ani Stieg, Archie Williams (NCS) Cal Poly SLO

Jane Landon, Whitney (SJS) CBU
Ava Decleve, Scotts Valley (CCS) UCLA

Anna Salter, Crystal Springs Uplands School (CCS) Columbia University

Brenna Mannion, Vista del Lago (SJS) Cal Poly SLO

Addison Ewers, Whitney (SJS) Cal Poly SLO

Nina Souto, Whitney (SJS) Cal Poly SLO

Sydney Middleton, Redwood (NCS) Cal Poly SLO
Stephen Sziebert, Bellarmine (CCS) Columbia University
Ben Penzel, Bellarmine (CCS) Santa Clara University

Chloe Leduc, Oakland Tech (OAK) Cal Berkeley
Drake Hoferer, Jesuit (SJS) UCLA
Gretchen Yakaitis, Carondelet (NCS) UC Berkeley
Logan Letulle, Miramonte (NCS) Williams
Brooke Lee, Archie Williams (NCS) UC Berkeley
Zoe Corder, Bella Vista (SJS) Washington State
Sophie Hutchinson, Whitney (SJS) Washington State
Lena Llamas, Buhach Colony (SJS) Wingate University
Andres Lomeli, Kimball (SJS) Cal Poly SLO
Amaya Bhardawaj, Palo Alto (CCS) Princeton University
Aidan Sharp, Menlo Atherton (CCS) University of Chicago
Micah Redding, Placer (SJS) University of Idaho
Owen Dawson, Analy (NCS) University of Chicago
Cooper Barr, Placer (SJS) Stanford University

Adriana Ingargiola, Oak Ridge (SJS), UC Berkeley

Ella Mogannam, Lick-Wilmerding (NCS) Vanderbilt University

Lily Simon, St. Francis, MV (CCS) University of Michigan

Payton Wagner, St. Francis, MV (CCS) Loyola Marymount University

Avery Carlson, Pitman (SJS) UC San Diego

Natalie Arriaza, Patterson (SJS) Stanislaus State
Lauren Draper, St. Francis, MV (CCS) University of Chicago

Tyler Huo, St. Francis, MV (CCS) Bowdoin College

Brady Bliesner, Aptos (CCS) Chico State

Maya Schiro, Aptos (CCS) Chico State

Peter Kendall, Twelve Bridges (SJS) Chico State
Allie Harman, Rocklin (SJS) UC Irvine
Avery Wolk, Davis (SJS) Brown University
Isaac Abbott, Jesuit (SJS) Duke University
Giselle Fernandez, Riverbank (SJS) Northern Arizona University
Makayla Galvan, Vacaville (SJS) Biola University
Grady Morris, Ponderosa (SJS) Chico State
Sophie Benham, Hughson (SJS) Stanislaus State
Ellie McCuskey-Hay, St. Ignatius (CCS) University of Oregon
Fernando Herrera, Alisal (CCS) Stanislaus State
Cy Lugo, Elk Grove (SJS) Montana State
Ace Rozales, Kimball (SJS) St. Mary's College
Claire Palmer, Archie Williams (NCS) Tuft University
Carina, Nottingham, Berkeley (NCS) Dartmouth University
Riley Anderson, Placer (SJS) Chico State
Maya Yatsko, Los Altos (CCS) Occidental College
Samantha Witteles, Los Altos (CCS) Dartmouth University

Xavier Surgeon, Windsor (NCS) Rhodes College
Kira Dye, Crystal Springs Uplands School (CCS) Johns Hopkins
Jessica Carvalho, Pinole Valley (NCS) Dominican University
Eila Sawhney, Woodside Priory (CCS) Claremont - Mudd Scripps
Kaitlyn Lam, Sacred Heart Cathedral (CCS) Occidental College
Soleil Warner, St. Ignatius (CCS) Harvard University
Prince Najeeb Babalola-Buchango, St. Ignatius (CCS) USC
Sebastian Taylor, Bishop O'Dowd (NCS) NYU
Cason Mitchell, Menlo Atherton (CCS) University of Miami
Farah Allen, Branson (NCS) UCLA (NEW)

If you know of other runners who have already committed and shared their information publicly, please add them to the list in the comment section below.

The Bay Area Coaches Network Monthly Meeting

2026-03-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

Crystal Springs Uplands School will host the monthly meeting for the Bay Area Coaches Network. Started by Daniel Hicker (Menlo) and Vern Gambetta, the Bay Area Coaches Network is a free and open space for meaningful dialogue on the art and science of developing athletes. There are no presentations and no hierarchy, just performance professionals exchanging ideas, asking questions, and learning from one another, regardless of experience level.

If you know any other coaches or practitioners, please feel free to pass along the info.

Where: Fitness Center (US) 400 Uplands Drive, Hillsborough CA

When: THIS THURSDAY March 12th @ 6pm-7pm

Invitational Results

2026-03-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

Sunset Invitational at Kezar Stadium
https://www.rtspt.com/events/cif/2026Meets/sunset/compiled.pdf

KBell Invitational at Westmont HS (live results)
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/629122/results/all

Dan Gabor Invitational at Amador Valley HS (live results)
https://www.diablotiming.com/results/2026-03-07/

10th Annual Rust Buster Invitational at Monta Vista HS (live results)
https://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/2022/CurrentMeet/Track___Field.htm

Boys Big Cat
https://redwoodempirerunning.com/2026-boys-big-cat/
Girls Big Cat
https://redwoodempirerunning.com/2026-girls-big-cat/

Bronco Roundup Distance Carnival
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/617524/results/all

Catching up with Branham coach, Craig Lee

2026-03-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

Today, we catch up with Branham coach, Craig Lee (in his famous yellow Cal hat in the photo on the right with coaches Chris Clima on far left and Chris Franco in the middle). Coach Lee competed at College Park HS where he was coached by current Campolindo coach, Chuck Woolridge. He continued his running career at Cal Berkeley under the tutelage of Tony Sandoval. During his coaching career, Coach Lee has had multiple stops at different schools (detailed below), where he has had lots of success, including section titles and state meet competitors. This past cross country season, the Branham boys finished in 2nd place at the CCS Division 2 race led by section champion Alijah Murillo who went on to finish in 2nd place at the state meet and qualify for NXN. Murillo was named the NorCal Runner of the Year. Branham also had two individual girls (Dhrithi Ravilochan and Gemma Cervone) qualify to the XC state meet.

1) How did you get your start in running? What other sports did you play before HS?
I always enjoyed running during PE as a kid but I started doing CYO track and field in 8th grade and started doing cross country my Sophomore year in high school since I played football my freshman year. I was also on the Freshman basketball team at College Park.

Besides track, football, and basketball, I played baseball when I was younger.

2) You ran at College Park for Chuck Woolridge. What do you remember of your high school experience? Standout races? Any good stories about Chuck?
My high school experience was great. Chuck Woolridge is one of the best coaches in the nation and I was lucky to be coached by him. He taught me a lot about running and made my high school running experience fun and challenging at the same time.

I loved running the Dipsea Trail and attending Humboldt Running Camp in the Summers and doing Orienteering Runs and the King of Pain workout during the seasons.

For Cross Country, my favorite/standout races were:

- The State Championship my Senior year (1997). It was my first and only time making the State Championship and it was also the first time a team from College Park had made the State Championship in any sport so it was pretty memorable, and I am glad I got to share that experience with David Vigil, Jeff Wang, Roy Holtman, Sina Aboutalebi, Chris Rust, Eric Henry and Justin Patute.

- The Ed Sias Invitational, my Junior year. That same group of guys won the Varsity Boys race, and it was really exciting for us to win our own invitational. Coach Steve Nesheim was still working at College Park as the ceramics teacher, and he made an awesome ceramic chalice-like trophy for the fastest Falcon at the meet, and I was lucky enough to be that Falcon on that day.

- The Stanford Cross Country Invitational my Senior year (I ran it when the course still had the hill in the back section). It was the first time I had ever raced on a golf course so that was pretty cool. I wish they would bring back more invitationals on golf courses in the Bay Area. (Totally agree with this. Losing the Stanford XC Invitational was a huge loss for our sport-A Caruana)

In track:

- Going to the Mt. SAC Relays my Senior year was so much fun with my team. If I recall correctly, we set school records in the 4x1600 and Distance Medley Relay. What made it even more memorable for me was that I was a little nervous before one of the races. I remember getting ready for the starter to get us lined up when I heard my mom yell something supportive to me from the rail. It caught me off guard as I wasn’t expecting my family to make the trip to watch the meet since it was a 6-hour drive but there they were, my parents, my two brothers and my sister cheering me on.

- Every Bob Warren/Charlie Eaton Relays meet was a blast because it was the last invitational before the postseason, so it was the final chance to run a distance relay with my teammates (4x1600 or 4x800) before the focus became on individual events for me. We didn’t have the 4x800 at NCS or State like they do now. If you can’t tell, I am a big fan of relays.

There are a lot of stories I remember about Chuck but I’m not sure I can point to one that I’d want to share. I will say that having Chuck and Jonathan Spiros (former sprints and hurdles coach at College Park) really helped me grow up in a lot of ways and I am thankful for that.

3) You next ran at Cal Berkeley. How did you end up choosing Cal and what was your experience at Cal? Who was your coach? Highlights?
I got into the University of Oregon, UC Davis, and UC Berkeley (Cal). Although I was a good runner in high school, I wouldn’t say I was a top tier talent so it didn’t make sense to pay the cost to go to an out of state school just for running when UC Berkeley and UC Davis were both closer to home and academically really strong schools that I could still run at. I ultimately ended up at Cal due to its strong academics and the opportunity to race in the PAC-10.

My college coach was Tony Sandoval and his strength was more on the track with the middle distances. I find myself adding elements of his training into my current training plans as well as using many quotes that he used to help hammer home a point when guiding the team.

I’m not sure I had a lot of highlights but one of my more memorable races in college was when I placed second in the 3000m Steeplechase at the Woody Wilson Invitational at UC Davis. It was one of those races that felt really good and was a lot of fun. Side note, I finished the race, and I looked up and saw my parents on the rail again to my surprise. It felt just like Mt. SAC Relays in high school as I didn’t tell them I was racing but they figured it out anyways and made the trip to watch race. I think it was one of the only races they were able to come watch since my siblings played sports as well.

4) What made you decide to get into coaching? What was your first coaching experience? What did you learn from that experience?
I really love running and I knew when I graduated that I still wanted it to be a part of my life. Chuck reached out to me and suggested that I come help out at College Park along with a couple of my former high school teammates, Laura Andersson (Danner-Baird) and Ruth Dowling. That first experience coaching with Chuck, Laura, Ruth, and Jonathan Spiros shaped a lot of my coaching philosophies and expectations of how a highly successful program should be run. The culture of that team (2003-2004) was at such a high level that it almost felt college-like. It was serious but also a really fun group.

5) Aside from coaching, what else do you do? How did you end up choosing that profession?
I have worked for Santa Clara County as a Forensic Scientist (Criminalist) for 20 years. I graduated from Cal with a degree in Biology. During my Junior year, I came to the realization that I didn’t want go into biotech or go the med school route. My mother worked at College Park and one of the teachers there had a spouse who worked in the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Crime Lab. I was invited to visit the Crime Lab and after the tour, I knew that was the field I wanted to go into. After I graduated from Cal, I interned at the Oakland Crime Lab which made coaching at College Park doable.

6) Where else have you coached after your first coaching stint? Highlights? Proudest accomplishments?
My first high school coaching experience was at College Park with Chuck. The commute to Pleasant Hill got a little tougher with interning in Oakland after a couple years so I was fortunate to coach one Cross Country season at Campolindo with the great Chris Walsh, Dino Petrocco, and Allison Adams before I started my job at the Crime Lab in Santa Clara County. Chris was great to coach with as he had a very different approach to coaching than Chuck. If you’ve never met Chris Walsh then you are definitely missing out on some great running stories and life lessons. “COACH!”

After a couple years of working at the Crime Lab, I was allowed to start coaching again so I took a job coaching at Notre Dame of San Jose since it was close to the Crime Lab. Coaching with Chrissy Malfino and the students on the team was fun but a very different experience than coaching at College Park and Campo. It was a good experience that helped prepare me for coaching at other private schools. I ended up leaving coaching for a year as my mother got sick and passed away from cancer that break year

I next became an assistant coach for the girls team at Archbishop Mitty where I was fortunate to be a part of teams that won CCS and continually made the state championship. I met my wife, Lynn Lee (Wilson), while coaching at Mitty when she coached at Presentation HS. I eventually started coaching at Presentation HS with her and Catherine Aquino. Winning CCS in 2017 while coaching with Lynn and Catherine is probably my proudest coaching accomplishment. When I look back at that time period, it was such a joy to coach alongside them as it really felt like family. When COVID hit, Lynn and I stopped coaching as our son, Cade, was born.

In 2022, I got the coaching itch again and Lynn gave me the go ahead to start back up. I had been coaching girls Cross Country for over decade at that point, and I really want to coach at a school that would let me coach both genders. I looked at coaching openings and Branham happened to be close to our house so I applied for the open job and got the job starting with the 2022 cross country season.

7) You have now been coaching at Branham HS. How did you end up coaching there? What was the state of the program before you got there? What changes did you make that you feel really upgraded both cross country and track and field teams?
As I stated before, I wanted to coach both boys’ and girls’ programs at a school and Branham was a school that was close in proximity to my house making my commute home pretty quick as my son is still pretty young.

Chris Jensen was the previous head coach and he did a fabulous job navigating the team through the COVID era. I tried to build off of what he had been doing but did make some changes to team expectations and culture. Training wise, the coaching staff of myself, Chris Franco, and Chris Clima implemented a little more structure and it seems to be paying off as the team has experienced some great success in the last few years.

8) Aside from Chuck Woolridge, who else have been your coaching mentors and what have you learned from them?
I have been lucky to have some really great friends who happen to be coaches. Although they may not be mentors in the classical definition, Steve Nesheim, Jonathan Spiros, Chris Puppione, Joey Woolridge, Jason Oswalt, Tony Kauke, Chris Williams, John Pelster, Tim Hunter, and Eddie Salazar from the NCS have all given me or continue to give me great coaching and life advice.

In the CCS, Sunday long runs around Lexington Dam with Chris Cozort were always interesting explorations into training philosophies. Tacos and Training Talk with Josh Small were always a post meet highlight for me. My group chat with Jorge Chen and Albert Caruana have been pure coaching gold. Zoom call round tables with Nick Alvarado and Al Berrin always sparked great discussions.

In college, Tony Sandoval and Alan Kolling gave me great guidance and formed a lot of approaches to training and coaching.

Lastly, my wife, Lynn, is a great sounding board for me regarding balancing life and coaching.

9) From your first year coaching to now, what are you still doing the same and what major changes have you made as a coach?
I think one of the major changes I have made from my first years coaching to now is that I stopped running with the team. From a personal fitness perspective it sucks because I am not in any great running shape but I do find that with the range of ability level I coach now, I have more time to check-in or spend with all my students than I did before. I try to bike alongside for some of the runs or workouts when I can so I still get out there on occasion. I also feel like the team bonds together better on those daily runs when no coaches are around.

Other than that, I haven’t made any major changes to training. Subtle adjustments or progression in training are done based on the group we have and how the prior season went.

10) From looking at your cross country training program, what do you feel are the key components that enable your runners to be successful?
I don’t know if I can point to any specific training component that makes the runners I help coach more successful. I think we use the same training philosophies or elements as most other programs with the only possible difference being how much/little we may do of something and when we do it. Through the summation of these components, we have been able to achieve a lot of success.

11) What would be your advice for a new coaching just starting out?
My advice to new coaches is always to first decide what kind of coach and team you want to be a part of. If you want to be serious with training and competing then you need to set those expectations right away. Team culture is everything when it comes to performing at a high level. You might lose student-athletes because of your expectations but those who remain will likely be committed to training and competing at a higher level. Conversely, if you want to have a team that is more relaxed or less serious about winning or training then that’s okay too. Just make sure to set expectations right away so everyone knows what they are getting into.

Second, talk to other coaches. The old NorCal Roundtables were great places to talk with coaches about training philosophies and other aspects of coaching. Attending coaching clinics are another great way of expanding your knowledge and coaching connections.

I am pretty loquacious, so I used to just go up and chat with coaches at meets or if we practiced at the same places. I think you can learn something from every coach as everyone has their own experiences and approaches.

Third, try new things. You can read books about training or articles online, but most acquired knowledge comes through trial and error so don’t be afraid to test a theory. You don’t necessarily have to make drastic changes to your training plan or philosophy but if you keep getting a result you’re not happy with then you should probably change something.

12) Anything else you would like to add?
Thanks for the opportunity to share my experience and background. We all started somewhere as coaches and I hope the people reading this are able to take something away from it that might help them in their journey. Talking with others in the coaching world really does help with learning and improving. Most coaches want to chat about that stuff so don’t be shy and go make new friends!

Thank you very much for your time, Craig! AJC

PDC Backyard Event and Summer Running Camp

2026-03-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

A couple of events to share that will be headed by former Stanford runner coach Dena Evans. She also coaches the Peninsula Distance Club (PDC). You can find their website at this link:

https://www.peninsuladistanceclub.com/

The first event is the PDC Backyard Event, featuring Juliette and Bella Whittaker. It will take place on Monday, May 18th. Tickets can be found at this link: pdcbyb5.eventbrite.com

The second is the running camp that will take place this summer at Corte Madera from August 3-7. The registration link can be found at the camp website:

thebayarearunningcamp.com

If you have any questions regarding either event, feel free to reach out to Dena at dena.evans@gmail.com.

What are your team's best school records (boys and girls)?

2026-03-04T08:22:00.000-08:00

Fun conversation starter for all of you out there. What is your best school record for boys and girls?

I will start with the following:

Crystal Springs Uplands School
Boys: Ben Bouie 1500 3:48.65 1600 4:03.23 Mile 4:04.71 All 2025/CCS Records
Girls: Anna Salter 3200 10:22.19 2025

San Mateo
Boys: Ralph Lee 800 1:51.50 1960
Girls: Julie Middleton 100 11.70 1982

St. Francis, SJ
Girls: Cate Joaquin 3200 10:20.97 2022

Montgomery
Boys: Mel Gray, 1967 220 20.7y converts to about 20.82 for 200 meters, and he also ran 20.9y 4 times.
Gray ran four 100 yard races of 9.4 in 1967. All equaled the National High School record and the last, at the State Meet, broke the California State Meet record. Converts to about 10.54 for 100 meters.
He placed 2nd in state long jump and had a wind legal 24-11 plus a 25-7¼ wind aided mark.
Girls: Hanne Thomsen PR’s 3200m 9:48.98, 1600m 4:35.69 and 800m 2:09.04

Davis
Boys: Sondre Guttormsen Pole Vault 18'10.25" 2018
Girls: Laurynne Chetelat 3200 9:52.51 2008

Vista del Lago
Boys: Will Greene 400 46.62 2025
Boys: Jake Grimsman HJ 7'3" 2018
Girls: Ceonna Pipion 400 54.46

Mountain View
Girls: Hannah Rutherford 400 53.70 2025
Boys: Garrett Rowe 3200 8:55.71 2009

Los Altos
Boys: Rick Brown 800 1:50.10c 1970
Girls: Lauren Soobrien 3200 10:17.17 2022

Others? I will add them to the list.

League Meet results

2026-03-03T20:41:06.648-08:00

BCL #1 at Kezar Stadium Results
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/632259/results/all

NorCal weekend invitationals

2026-02-26T12:11:00.000-08:00

Skyline Invitational at Skyline HS
https://www.diablotiming.com/results/490/
Todd Tokubo photos LINK

Super 7 Invitational at De La Salle HS
https://www.diablotiming.com/results/491/

Glen Poole Invitational at Oakmont HS
https://timerhub.com/get_web_index.php?page=redcaptiming.com/2026/gpi/

Santa Cruz Coast Relays at Aptos HS
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/621671/results/all

And fresh from Tuesday's BCL #1 at San Francisco State
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/630262/results/all

Running—Not Skiing—Was Once Olympian Eileen Gu’s ‘Big Thing’ in High School

2026-02-25T14:13:00.000-08:00

https://www.runnersworld.com/news/a70500892/eileen-gu-running-background-high-school/

High School Track Annual by Jack Shepard

2026-02-25T13:51:00.000-08:00

I know some of you already get Jack Shepard's Track Annual, but for those of you who don't, you can get your copy in the mail. Highly recommended! Info below.

A few years ago, on ca.milesplit.com, I wrote about Jack Shepard, who is an absolute legend in our sport. He has been keeping track and field stats since 1968. You can read more about him at this LINK.

To get his annual, you can mail a check for $15 to the address below, and you will get your copy within a week.

Jack Shepard
891 South Walnut St. Apt 325
Anaheim, CA 92802

Invitational results from today

2026-02-21T20:19:00.000-08:00

Cal All-Comers Meet
https://www.rtspt.com/events/cal/22126/compiled.pdf

Grizzly Invitational at San Lorenzo HS
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/623902/results/all

Inderkum Invitational at Inderkum HS
https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/617638/results/all

Top California Girls Distance Returners to Watch in 2026

2026-02-20T05:45:00.000-08:00

https://ca.milesplit.com/articles/423991/top-california-girls-distance-returners-to-watch-in-2026

NorCal runners that made the list...

Championship Experience

Amaya Bharadwaj Palo Alto
Ella Mogannam Lick-Wilmerding
Giselle Fernandez Riverbank

Ava Decleve Scotts Valley

Farah Allen Branson

Young Vets

Ava Padilla Monte Vista

All-Around All Star

Khloe DeLatorre Vacaville

Breakout Candidates
Gretchen Yakaitis Carondelet

Why Jesuit Cross Country Keeps Winning State Titles

2026-02-09T20:09:19.915-08:00

CA Winter Championship Results

2026-02-08T10:35:00.000-08:00

https://www.athletic.net/TrackAndField/meet/619322/results/all

Top NorCal returners in every Track and Field event

2026-02-06T13:43:00.000-08:00

GIRLS
100 Naiaja Sizemore Vanden 12 11.33 (defending state champ)
200 Naiaja Sizemore Vanden 12 23.18 (defending state champ)
400 Lael Brown Christian Brothers 10 55.27
800 Josie Hill Sonoma Academy 11 2:09.12
1600 Giselle Fernandez Riverbank 12 4:43.80
3200 Ani Stieg Archie Williams 12 10:34.50
3200 Anna Salter Crystal Springs Uplands 12 10:22.2 (during XC)
100m Hurdles Brooke White River City 12 13.59
300m Hurdles Soleil Warner Bay School 12 42.29 (reportedly transferred to St. Ignatius)
Long Jump Javelin Mills Hercules 11 19'8"
Triple Jump Kira Gant Hatcher St. Mary's College 12 40'10.5"
High Jump Lelani Laruelle Monta Vista 12 5'8"
Pole Vault Sophia Forst Pleasant Valley 12 12'6"
Shot Put Sidney Johnson Rio Americano 10 43'8"
Discus Gracelynne Duenas Lodi 12 149'7"

BOYS
100 Jaden Jefferson De La Salle 12 10.01 (defending state champ)
200 Prince Najeeb Babalola-Buchango 12 20.79 (defending state champ)
400 Keith Lee Monterey Trail 12 47.22
800 Lucas Alberts Jesuit 11 1:51.27
1600 Drake Hoferer Jesuit 12 4:10.82
1600 Stephen Sziebert Bellarmine 12 4:11.70 mile (converts to 4:10.24)
3200 Isaac Abbott Jesuit 12 8:57.47
110m Hurdles Prince Najeeb Babalola-Buchango 12 13.59w
300m Hurdles Joshua Haven Bellarmine 12 37.87
Long Jump Kingsley Eneh San Lorenzo 12 23'11"
Triple Jump Trey Joyce Rocklin 12 47'2"
High Jump Naryan Banerjee Jesuit 11 6'9"
Pole Vault Dante Jenkins Pitman 11 14'11"
Pole Vault Ethan Radford Bellarmine 12 15'0"
Shot Put Devon Bertoli Cardinal Newman 12 60'9.5"
Discus Deonte Littlejohn Acalanes 12 176'5"

Results from today's meets

2026-01-31T19:24:00.000-08:00

PAUSATF Indoor Championships, 3 Empire Records
Thanks to Jim Crowhurst, check out some of the top marks today at the Reno
https://redwoodempirerunning.com/pausatf-indoor-championships-3-empire-records/

Also...
De Anza College Winter Qualifier thanks to Hank Lawson
https://lynbrooksports.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/2026/DeAnzaCollegeWinterQualifier.htm

Weekend Results

2026-01-24T18:41:00.000-08:00

The Wildcat Mile results can be found at this LINK.

Los Gatos All-Comers Meet results can be found at this LINK.

New Balance Indoor Grand Prix results can be found at this LINK.

Wildcat Mile at Woodside HS on Saturday, Jan 24th

2026-01-24T04:30:00.000-08:00

164 runners have signed up for this event. You can find the schedule at this LINK. The heats with all the competitors can be found at this LINK.

If you haven't heard already, Woodside HS is hosting the Wildcat Mile on Saturday, January 24th from 3pm to 6pm. The event is a fundraiser for the Woodside Athletic booster program. This is an open, all-comers meet that can motivate your runners to continue training during the winter and assess their readiness for the upcoming Track and Field season.

Here is their registration page: https://www.movemint.cc/events/the-wildcat-mile-2026

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to meet director Nate Bowen at apolloteach@gmail.com.

Please help spread the word!

Lighting The Way From Behind: A Lesson For Coaches And Parents

2026-01-23T13:07:00.000-08:00

Worth the share. This was written by Rod Murrow, who is a former coach in Kansas but still very much involved in the running scene in that state. It's about his dad supporting his running passion during high school.

https://ks.milesplit.com/articles/234394/lighting-the-way-from-behind-a-lesson-for-coaches-and-parents

Catching up with Vacaville senior, Khloe DeLaTorre

2026-01-19T17:23:00.000-08:00

Today we chat with Vacaville senior distance runner, Khloe DeLaTorre. This past season, DeLaTorre was the Monticello Empire League (M.E.L.) individual champion. She finished in 3rd place at the SJS Division II race and 4th place at the state meet with a new PR of 17:30.6 on the Woodward Park course. Overall, DeLaTorre competed at the state meet all four years. In track and field, DeLaTorre has personal records of 2:12.01, 4:48.95 and 10:51.44. She qualified for the state meet in the 800 as a sophomore and in the 1600 as a junior. (Daily Republic photo)

1) How did you get your start in running? What was your running experience before high school? Highlights? What were your PRs before HS?

Running became a part of my life before I even knew what a PR was or what times were even good. Watching my dad talk about his high school running days made me curious, and that curiosity turn into a passion of mine when I was 11 years old. I was on a club team called the Solano Thunderhawks where I went to the 2019 cross country junior Olympics in Wisconsin and the 2022 Track and Field junior Olympics in Sacramento. In club I ran the 400m PR: 1:05, 800m PR: 2:27, the 1500m PR: 5:18, and the 1600m PR: 5:45.

2) Who were the runners who helped lead the way for you during your freshman year? What did you learn from them?

Coming into high school my freshman year was already a big change, I had met with Coach Monk and some of my other coaches before the season started so that they could give me a view of what my high school career would look like. I was welcomed into an amazing group of girls and guys where we got closer at our Tahoe team camp. I have learned and grown a lot from the whole girls team, From the girls that have already graduated to the girls I still run with today. we all love to push and grow one another and that’s what I love most about them.

3) What were some of your proudest accomplishments in both XC and TF as a freshman and sophomore year?

My proudest accomplishments in my freshman year was making it to state in cross country. For my sophomore year, it was making it to state in both track and cross country, and knowing how much I have grown throughout the years.

4) Where do you feel like you made the biggest jump as a runner in high school, and what do you think led to that jump?

I think the biggest jump I made as a high school runner is my mentality; being able to acknowledge the difficult moments as much as I do the good ones has helped me learn and grow a lot as a runner. Learning how to stay calm under pressure, trust my fitness and training, and compete with confidence even when things start to feel uncomfortable I feel has allowed me to race to my full potential.

5) What do you feel were the best races of this past season? Did you have any goals before the season?

The best race of this past cross country season was state, after a rough season to end in a way that didn’t only show a breakthrough for me but also my teammates (Cooper Stream and Makayla Galvan) and seeing how much the girls team has grown (top 10 in D2) definitely was a huge highlight and a great way to end my high school cross country career. I didn’t have any time goals for the season; my biggest goal was to take all the stress away, focus on doing my best, listen to my coach, and have fun in my final cross country season. (photo courtesy of Vacaville HS)

6) What are you most looking forward to this coming TF season? Who are the runners that you are most excited to race?

Going into track season I’m really looking forward to see what event I’m going to focus on and how well I am going to progress. I am very excited and looking forward to race the girls from my section, they are all super competitive and did really good this past cross country season so I am excited to race them and see what they are going to do in track.

7) What does a typical week look like for you? About how many miles per week? How many workouts? Longest run? Any morning runs? Strength work? Are there any other things you do that you feel really help you race well?

My training weeks vary throughout the season, I typically run about 45 to 50 miles throughout the season. I feel like the workouts that we do to simulate racing help me the most when it comes to race day.

8) Tell us a bit about your coach and how he has helped you achieve what you have accomplished during your high school career.

When it comes to coaching I feel like our program is very blessed. We have many coaches that come out and help everyday. Coach Monk has shaped me into the best runner I can possibly be by not only giving me workouts but helping me become an all around athlete. I have a lot of trust in my coaching and I do my best to listen to everything he tells me to do. Also, Coach Monk is really big on team culture and I think that’s what helps us a lot as a team. (DeLaTorre, Vacaville runner on the front left. Photo courtesy of Matt Miller and Daily Republic.)

9) Favorite XC course? Favorite XC invitational? Favorite XC workout? Favorite long run? Favorite TF event? Favorite TF invitational? Favorite track workout? Favorite free time activity?

My favorite cross country course and invitational is definitely Woodbridge. The flat course is so fun to race at night and the atmosphere is amazing. I also love how my whole team gets to go to Disneyland the next morning! My favorite workout overall is hill repeats and speed work. My favorite track event is the 800m or the 1600m. They are both very competitive events and super fun to race once you get your racing strategy down. My favorite track invitational is Dublin Distance Fiesta. I feel like it’s one of the first times in the season where you can find everyone in the SJS section, and it’s super fun to compete against everyone. I don’t have a lot of free time, so when I do, I like to spend it with family, mainly my brothers.

10) What is most important to you as you decide where you will be competing in college next year?

What’s most important for me as I decide what college I will be attending is looking for a team culture that’s as tight-knit as mine is now.

11) What is your advice for a talented freshman runner who would like to eventually run in college?

My advice for talented freshman that want to compete in college is to take in every moment whether it’s bad or good because it is all valuable. As you grow you will have challenging moments but that’s what helps you grow not the easy times. And don’t let the college process stress you out or affect you, stay patient and always focus on what’s most important for you in that moment.

Thank you very much for your time. AJC

Catching up with Bellarmine HS senior Stephen Sziebert

2026-01-13T11:20:00.000-08:00

Today, we catch up with Bellarmine senior, Stephen Sziebert. Over the past two years, Sziebert has helped Bellarmine secure a 2nd place team finish at the 2024 CA state cross country meet and a 6th place finish in the 4 x 800 relay at the 2025 CA state track and field meet. Individually, Sziebert qualified for the 2025 CA state track and field meet in the 1600m. with a new personal best of 4:12.65 at the CCS final. This past XC season, Sziebert was the CCS individual champion in Division I and finished in 4th place at the state meet with a new personal best of 14:58.0. Sziebert will be attending Columbia University next fall. The photo to the right is courtesy of Malcolm Slaney.

1) How did you get your start in running? What other sports did you play?

I began running my freshman year during cross country as an opportunity to meet other Bellarmine students. My parents and I thought it would be a good way to become involved in the community since the team had such a large roster and practices started a few weeks before school. My only experience with running prior to joining the team was running around my local 0.8-mile loop in flip-flops. Shortly thereafter, when I joined the team, I met some good friends and fell in love with the sport.

Previously, I practiced martial arts for about 10 years from ages 5 to 15, overlapping slightly with my running career. As I grew, my core of Krav Maga branched out into Muay Thai kickboxing and Jiu-Jitsu to sharpen aspects of my training. I believe the emphasis on technique, discipline, and competition throughout my years of martial arts has significantly shaped how I approach both training and racing now.

2) How did you end up deciding to go to Bellarmine? What stood out to you when you visited the school?

Academics are very important to me, so I hoped to find a school that would allow and inspire me to become as strong a student as possible. I’m very happy to say that I found this at Bellarmine. To make my decision, I shadowed on campus to get a sense of the community and classroom environment. Specifically, I focused on teacher passion and school culture during my visit. I saw students helping each other study, hanging out, and having fun in a way that I could envision myself being a part of, too. During the visit, I also shadowed in on some very interesting classes, one of which was European history taught by Coach McCrystle (which I am taking now). Overall, the Bellarmine brotherhood and communal drive to become better every day were inspiring and seemed to fit perfectly with what I was looking for.

3) Where do you feel like you made the biggest improvement during your freshman year? What do you feel contributed to that improvement?

The most significant improvement I made during my freshman year was in form. Throughout that track season, I solely ran the 800 and 400, except for an unofficial 1600m time trial at the end of the season. To be exact, I ran the open 800 ten times that season and tried to learn from each race. I eventually landed on improving my technique as the quickest way to PR week over week. Videos of other runners, mostly fast high schoolers and some professionals, helped me further isolate the best mechanics for my racing. So, in my final few races of the season, I PR’d by huge amounts by striding up on my toes and playing “hot potato” with the ground. In this way, repetition and analysis were the largest contributors to my breakout season.

4) During your freshman and sophomore years, who were the leaders on the team that helped you develop as a person and runner? What did you learn from them?

I’m very lucky to say that there were many great leaders who influenced me in my first few years. That being said, I will try to keep my answer brief as I can’t cover everyone. Erik and Anton Matlack (class of 2025) were sophomores during my freshman year who welcomed me into the community and taught me about the intricacies of the sport. They lent me pairs of spikes and explained the importance of proper gear as well as the science behind it. Shrey Chettiar (class of 2025) was a constant example of hard work, dedication, and the results of setting high expectations for oneself. Tyler Craven (class of 2024), a junior during my freshman year, was a model of positivity who always knew how to bring out the best in people and challenge them to be better. I am extremely grateful to everyone who went out of their way to make my experience as a student athlete at Bellarmine so wonderful. Everyone mentioned above and many others continue to inspire me to achieve the standards they set as team and community leaders.

5) You ran a school record 15:00.2 on the Woodward Park course at the Clovis Invitational. What was the race plan going into the race? Did you have a time you were shooting for?

The plan was to go out and compete as well as I could with an emphasis on maintaining contact with my group through the 2nd mile and closing the last mile quickly. More than anything, the race served as a test of my fitness and as an opportunity to gain confidence moving into later races. My goal going into the race was to run 15:10-15:15.

6) What does a typical training week look like for you? How many workouts? Typical mileage? Longest run? How many days a week are you doing strength work?

I run 6 days a week and take Sundays off. Each week my teammates and I do 2 weightroom sessions in the morning before school and typically have our workouts in the afternoons on those days. We tend to have 2-3 workouts per week. Mondays and Wednesdays (during XC) were almost always workout days while Fridays would occasionally be used for speed development, assuming we wouldn’t race on that Saturday. While my weekly mileage varies significantly throughout the season, I max out at 55. My longest run ever (by a good margin) was 14.75 miles during cross country, but most long runs fall between 11 and 13 miles.

7) Tell us about the Bellarmine coaches and how they have helped you develop into the runner you are today.

One of my coach’s favorite lines about his and the other coaches’ roles is that they “mold clay, not polish diamonds.” I feel that this line speaks to a few key facets of the Bellarmine program. The focus of the team is to help produce whole people, according to Jesuit values, who serve their communities as men for and with others. In this way, performance is secondary to personal growth. So, I believe the coaches have most significantly impacted my career as a runner by helping me develop as a person. I am much more intentional in my actions and conscious of their impact now than I was as a freshman. These lessons also inform how I train. This intentionality in combination with my coaches’ knowledge allows me to trust the process and, as a result, improve consistently.

8) Bellarmine has been one of the most successful boys' teams at every level (varsity, JV, F/S, freshmen) for decades. From your perspective, what are the key elements that have led to that success?

In my experience, community and knowledge are the staples of the Bellarmine program which bring the team consistent success. With such a conversational and supportive culture, the team helps foster a love for the sport which motivates athletes to engage and work hard. Also, members of the team are deeply knowledgeable and willing to share about new shoes, recovery techniques or even their own personal experiences, allowing younger athletes the opportunity to learn beyond their years. In short, the brotherhood makes Bellarmine such a competitive force year over year.

9) Favorite cross country course? Woodward Park

Favorite cross country invitational? Clovis North Twilight Invitational

Favorite cross country workout? The Michigan workout is my favorite because it feels quite dynamic in comparison with traditional repeats or tempos. We do longer intervals at race pace on the track with short, explosive intervals up a hill in succession.

Favorite track event? 1600m

Favorite track invitational? Dublin Distance Fiesta

Favorite track workout? 400m repeats at target 1600 pace with 200m and 300m repeats at 800m pace

Favorite free time activity? I enjoy traveling whenever I get the chance. Otherwise, I enjoy riding my bike, hiking or playing video games as a fun way to entertain myself while recovering between runs.

10) You have committed to Columbia University. What other colleges were considered? What led you to choose Columbia as your future educational institution?

I considered schools with strong academic programs who also have cohesive, competitive teams. I am a student athlete (in that order), so I prioritized the educational opportunities provided at the schools I considered. Luckily for me, I found an amazing balance of world class academics and a great team at Columbia. When I visited campus, I could envision myself both attending the school and being a part of the team, which made the experience quite compelling.

11) What advice do you have for a talented freshman runner with aspirations of competing with the best runners in the state?

There are many experiences that a young runner will encounter throughout their career, so I recommend that they open themselves to change and relentlessly pursue new opportunities as they appear. Improvement does not come overnight; they should trust the process and be patient. There is always something to improve upon, it just needs to be found and, if my own experience is any indicator, form is a great place to start. Most of all though, having fun and enjoying the process are key to getting the most out of running.

12) Last year's senior boys were one of the most successful classes of distance boys we have ever had in CCS. Can you tell us a bit about some of those boys and what you learned from them?

I really enjoyed shadowing on their processes and asking them questions. Miles Cook, as another WCAL runner, was very accessible, and we had some great conversations, especially later in my junior year. Ben Bouie was also a great role model and mentor throughout the season. From the Dublin Distance Fiesta onward, we would warm up and cool down together whenever possible and I really appreciate that he let me tag along. Once CCS came along, lots of the local 1600m guys ran together for cool downs, providing insight into their thoughts and strategies for the day’s race and the larger season. The competitive environment those guys established demanded serious improvement too. I would venture to guess that very few sectional meets in the country had 4:12 in 6th place (and that race was a massive PR), but that’s exactly why the experience was so special. The opportunity to run with the best 1600m class to ever come from the CCS is one of the main reasons why I have been able to improve so much throughout my career. More than anything though, those graduates should be remembered for how encouraging and kind they are. Their actions made the CCS better and uplifted track as a sport.

13) Anything else you would like to add?

Thank you for this opportunity.

Thank you very much for your time, Stephen. AJC

Athletic.net Track and Field SuperClinic Jessup University – Rocklin

2026-01-12T17:39:00.000-08:00

This clinic will take place on Saturday, January 24th at Jessup University in Rocklin. You can register at the following link:
https://events.hometownticketing.com/boxoffice/jessup/L2VtYmVkL2V2ZW50LzQzNw==
You can find the clinic info at this link, as well as notes from previous clinics dating back to 2015:
https://www.pausatf.org/coaches/track-field-superclinic/

Project Gold Running Camp

2026-01-09T10:12:00.000-08:00

This year, Project Gold Running Camp is launching a new program called Project Golden (ticket), an NIL style partnership designed to support the next generation of endurance athletes. Your team is invited to join the PG 2026 opportunity while slots are still open.

Here are the benefits of signing up before slots are filled:

-$150 off each registration when 15+ runners sign up,

-$100 off each registration when 10-14 runners sign up.

-$50 off each registration when 5-9 runners sign up.

Further benefits include:

-year-round mentorship from high-level collegiate counselors-runners.

-exclusive discounts from selected brand partners, and

-up to 25% off on nutrition products & lab analysis to identify individual needs.

-a welcome package with exclusive gifts throughout the year, and

-a connection to a supportive (high-performance) running community.

*Be sure to book your team for Project Gold 2026 for July 11-17th before the slots are filled.

PG 2026 is held in a runner's haven (Flagstaff, Arizona, @ the Northern Arizona University campus).

Campers will stay in the NAU dorms overlooking the very same track where many Olympians train.

*Note, most years will see Olympians training on the NAU track, and wood chip trails or roads, where the campers will train.

For questions, contact the PG 2026 Camp Director

Megan Ping @ 507-313-4414 (cell).

https://www.projectgoldrunning.com/

Tom "Tinman" Schwartz will be the head coach and will be teaching and training athletes. Any coaches that want to come along with their team, will learn from him as well.