Dylan Thomas’s most famous poem is “Do not go gentle into that good night.” A villanelle said to have been composed upon seeing his sickly father, its verses famously implore its subject to “rage, rage against the dying of the light.” Although the poem is elegiac in tone, it holds special value for runners, who compete not just against their rivals, but also their own limitations, fragility, and doubt. It is a fitting lyric to consider on the occasion of the annual Twilight Invitational, a race that grows more heated and intense as the sun drops off. Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. The meet opened with a sensational dogfight, where senior Michael Dy (17:37) caught and out-kicked Naperville North’s Matt Cherry, crashing into the turf as he crossed the sensor, his body totally spent. He was pursued by teammate John Kubicki (17:56), Chris Weimer (18:12), Joey Klaips (18:14), Carter Stradling (18:25), and Nate Spencer (18:34). Michael, John, Chris, and Carter were soon joined by Mac Mitchell (18:43) and Vincent Kim (18:52), a sestet of seniors who have more races behind them than ahead. In ten days, they will race one last time in Neuqua colors, a week and a half to prepare n to peak. The lions’ race soon gave way to the cubs of the freshmen/sophomore contest. Vasant Fong (16:34) earned another PR, trailed closely Quinn Kennedy (16:38) Collin Searls (16:53), Ramsay Johnson (16:55), and Ryan Horn (17:01). Dylan Bushelle (17:12) rebounded with a solid race, while David Tassone (17:23) and Brian Jett (17:39) began preparing their case for State Travel Team. A 5th place team finish gave the boys plenty to work on as they make plans to pile the miles on this winter. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Mindful of the ripening of the season, the JV Team challenged themselves to finish their race without regret. Top finisher Michael O’Connor (15:45) ran his previous race with just one shoe; runner-up Matthew Jett (15:46) returned to racing after two weeks on the shelf; third-place finisher Quinton Quagliano (15:51) pushed himself to exhaustion in one of his final senior races. Each of these runners understood their own fragility and the fleeting nature of the opportunity, and each pushed back against the fatigue and doubt that accompany those anxieties. Several juniors followed their example, including Nicholas Drechsler (15:54), Blake Storoe (16:11), Spencer Teske (16:11), and Jack Orengo (16:13). And there, too, were the seniors--Evan McVittie (16:31), DJ Sauer (16:32), and Matt Lindell (16:40)—seizing their last gleaming under the lights to cover themselves in glory. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way, Do not go gentle into that good night. But the lights grew brightest once the sun had vanished—the eyes of the Illinois Cross Country World fixed upon the Varsity Race. The hype had been breathless, and the atmosphere grew more fevered with each races’ eye-popping PRs. “It’s going to be close,” the coaches whispered. But even the most seasoned onlooker couldn’t have guessed how thin the final margin.
Zach Kinne (14:33) led a small lead pack early, threatening to create space, but never quite breaking away. Downers Grove North took it out hard, overcoming an early tripping and proving that the strength of their team lies in the bond of their pack. But the Wildcats found each other and began to once again slowly move up. By the end of the second mile, the team points were nearly even, Zach’s low score offset by the aggressiveness of the Downers Grove pack. Pouring into the stadium like chariots through the gates, it came down to a man-to-man scrap. Jacob Ridderhoff stepped around Ryan Kennedy (14:45), who pushed past three Downers Grove runners. Chris Keeley (14:59), Danny Winek (15:00), and Alex Johnson (15:03) set season’s-best marks, but were narrowly clipped by Downers senior Nick Chudzik. In the end, the race was decided by a single point, the advantage going to Downers Grove North. It was the very best of Illinois Cross Country—two teams embodying the greatness of Illinois, running to the point of collapse, every second precious, every place pivotal. Both teams turn their eyes to Detweiller, knowing that each has more to give, and that this rivalry has already brought out the best in both programs. Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. As we waited in the parking lot for our bus, the light towers dimmed and packed away, we reflected on this moment in the season. The remaining miles are numbered; the endless months now seem finite. A few more gunshots; a few more dashes across the line. We’re in the early evening now, but renewed in faith that—with luck and hard work—the brightest moment is yet to come. Results Runnerspace Recap MileSplit Recap Video of all 4 Races Comments are closed.
|
News Categories
All
Archives
August 2022
|