Joe Kalka
Knights XC
2006-2011
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I went on five XC summer trips from 2006-2010. I have a bunch of different highlights from those trips, and it's impossible to get them all down. In my earliest years, the best part was bonding as a team through things like volleyball games, campfire sessions, and obviously the workouts. Specifically on the training front, I enjoyed runs on the bog paths at the park as well as the Ballbuster workout. I always viewed that and the long run as the stepping stones into each season. Once we got back from the trip, the excitement and inside jokes would bring us through the rest of the summer. Specific favorite memories were winning frisbee in 2008 with Coach as the most valuable substitute and sleeping in the mess hall in '09 due to rain. I remember asking my parents if I could go on the that first trip eight years ago, and I am very glad that I did.
Joe Kalka Knights XC 2006-2011
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Summer running is a time of fun and hard work. It’s when a group of young people come together as a team for the first time and help each other grow. Last but not least summer running is where young athletes learn what it means to represent Grand Forks Central.This brings me to my favorite memories from summer running; learning and experiencing the two most important lessons that cross country taught me. The first lesson is that it doesn’t matter if you finish first or last, as long as you went out and competed you’ve got nothing to be ashamed of. It was during summer running that I first realized that in the eyes of my coach and my teammates effort was all that really mattered. It’s not about how you finish, it’s about how much fun you have. The second lesson is that when you go out and compete you are never alone. I realized this for the first time during my first season by finding a running partner: someone who is at my level who pushes me when I’m having a bad day vice versa. If two summers of constantly running with a teammate wasn’t enough, the lesson was truly driven home during my senior year during our camping trip. On our final run around the lake I was having a hard time. The days leading up to this run had been some of the most exhausting of my entire life. I had pushed my mileage more than ever before and it all culminated with the lake run. Just when I thought I was done two of my teammates dragged me along and helped me achieve what I had set out to do. There are countless other memories from summer running but these two are the ones that really impacted me back then and continue to impact me today. Adam Carlson - Runner 2010-2013, 2012 Frisbee Tournament Champion, 2x ND State XC manager for the Knights A group of XC families drove out Warren, MN to the Sky-Vu Drive In to watch Disney's Maleficent. It was a great time, there was also a classic car club attending. The gathering allowed parents and teammates some time to hang out and get to know each other more in a non-meet situation. It was raining in GF when we left, and that probably kept some families away, but the weather moved through Warren before the movie so we only had to deal with a little mud. The Knights Summer running group traveled to Thompson for the "Thompson Trot 5K' Friday night. Not only did members of the summer running group run but so did their parents and their younger brothers and sisters! It was a fun to see so many of the "XC" family out running together. The team took 6 out of the top 7 spots. Below are the results of everyone from our group that ran: Nick Ackley 18:24 (1st over all), Shay Doward 18:48, Richie Osborn 18:57, Karly Ackley 19:48 (1st Girl, 4th overall), Alexis Roehl 20:03, Rachel Cox 21:25, Darian Colgrove 22:24, Cedric Reese 22:24, Maggie Powell 24:06, Sophia Roehl 24:31, Hayden Patterson 24:42, Madison Demiert 25:30, Quinn Roehl 26:13, Seb Reese 29:51, Daniel Hettich 35:14, I will add in parents and more siblings once I get the final results!! Early on July 4th, the Grand Forks Greenway, the Central Cross Country team past and present had volunteer workers and runners at the Annual YMCA 4th of July Firecracker 5k & 10K. The team had about a dozen team members volunteer to help out at the finish line and also water stations. They had plenty to cheer about as there where several current and past Central Cross Country runners competing in the race. Recent GFC graduate and future NDSU runner Camron Roehl was the overall 5K winner in 16:49, with Alumni Nick Ackley(18:36), following in second. Other Central Alumni in the men's 5k race were Nate Fiala and Jim Fiala.
Current teammates Karly Ackley (19:51) and Alexis Roehl (20:32) ran the first half of the 5k together with Karly pulling away for the overall woman's win. Alexis, Rachel Torrey (21:14), and Rachel Cox (21:27) took the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th respectively in the 18 under age group. Other Central Runners have been competing in Road Races around the Globe recently. Leif Larsen also ran in a 4th of July race in Oregon. Leif ran a 16:38 in the 5K to finish 2nd overall in the men's division. In Germany David Hettich and Grace Roehl, who are on a Germany Exchange Program, ran in a local 7K race. Both had great races!! David placed 24th overall out of 4000 runners, and 1st in the under 18 age division. Grace finished 10th overall out of 1000 plus woman, and 2nd overall in the under 18 age division. It's great to see our teammates are not only training while traveling but also racing and representing our team so well!!! |
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