National Championships Girls Race
(Pictures taken by Bobby Reyes)
The lead pack at the halfway mark, currently running ~16:20 5k pace. In this picture, you have Eastbay South Regional Winner Natalie Cook (#154), Eastbay Midwest Regional Winner Riley Stewart(#2089), 10:03 3200m runner Lily Cridge, California State Champion Dalia Frias, and many more...
Right around the 3k mark, Natalie Cook threw in a surge on the field and starts going for home from way out. How will the field respond??
The chase pack in Cook's tow.
\At the top of the hill, Indiana State Champion Lily Cridge starts a late push to try and catch Cook!
But in the end, Flower Mound's Natalie Cook hangs on for the 2021 Garmin RunningLane national title with a HUGE PR of 16:03, #2 All-time in the 5k for U.S. High School Girls!
Perhaps two of my favorite pictures, this is what crushing the 17-minute 5k barrier (16:22) for the first time looks like.
This is what a national championship finishing chute is like. Just for reference, almost all of these girls in this picture are breaking 18 minutes in the 5k.
What an experience it was to watch this historical race!! Be on the lookout for a recap podcast tomorrow!