Traynham runs in Division IV state finals


by Richard Lamb-Outlook Publisher

Lone Onaway state qualifier Joe Traynham braved a muddy course at the Division IV cross country finals in Brooklyn Saturday. The junior finished 92nd in the race in a time of 18:13.6. He recorded split times of 5:29, 6:00 and 6:06.

JOE TRAYNHAM AND his coach Marty Mix meet after the finish of the Division IV state finals last Saturday at the Michigan International Speedway in Brooklyn.

 

An overnight rain Friday and a steady rain during most of the race left the course wet and slippery in spots. The start has all the runners lined up on the north end of Michigan International Speedway, where they run south through the infield until they take a left turn across the paved racetrack and they then run close to two miles through what is the parking area for big NASCAR races.

After weaving around outside of the track, runners then cross back over the track on the backstretch, run on the grass below turns three and four, and finish on the infield grass between the grandstand and pit row. The infield grass had a taller cut, making for a heavy drag for runners in the last half-mile of the course.

Conditions grew worse during the day, as the Division IV girls ran first, then the Division III and then the Division IV boys’ race. Layered with mud after the race, Traynham represented his school well.

“It is a good experience to be in. You are not concentrating on the running as much as usual because of all the people around you,” Traynham said after the race.

The

slippery conditions had a lot to do with how he finished, he said.

“I had a pretty good season and I know that I gave it my all,” Traynham said. “The mood coming into this race is a lot different than coming into other races. You are more concentrated on what you need to do.”

Coach Marty Mix agreed that Traynham had a great season.

“First of all it was an outstanding season for him. For four months we have been doing this and he has been traveling all around the country for wrestling and he has had no off-season. So it is great to see it culminate on such a great venue,” Mix said.

Jesse Hersha of Concord dominated the race with a time of 15:49.2 to claim first place.