It was a day many would categorize as positive for runners at this past weekend’s state cross-country meet in Hebron, but some area runners were left wanting more.
Jenny, Dan and Matt Seas from Peebles all competed at last weekend’s state competition on the individual level. Jenny Seas and Dan Seas each came home 10th in their respective races, not up to their expectations despite earning spots on the podium, while Matt Seas finished 86th in his race.
“I felt pretty good [about the result] but I don’t think it’s exactly what I wanted,” Jenny Seas said. “I wish I would’ve done better. I think I did OK.”
Jenny Seas was the top freshman in her race and ran a steady race throughout as she was ninth after the first mile and 10th after the second mile. Still, Jenny believes the pressure of competing at the state level got to her.
“The start was pretty good, I was near the top, it was just I think the nerves kind of got to me because I wasn’t really used to the atmosphere,” Jenny Seas said. “It was a lot different [from regional or district meets]. It was not what I expected. I expected it to be loud and stuff but I don’t know if I was mentally prepared for this.”
Jenny did believe she gained valuable experience competing at this level and took solace in that for her upcoming seasons.
“I think it was a good experience,” Jenny Seas said. “I think I did pretty well for being a freshman so I’m happy about that.”
While Jenny was able to take away a few positives from her result, her senior brother Dan said he was dissatisfied with his 10th place finish.
“I’m kind of disappointed,” Dan Seas said. “There wasn’t any pressure for me, not to the point where I thought it affected me.”
Dan, an asthmatic, said his condition affected him during the race and placed the blame on himself for his condition showing up at the worst possible time.
“It was more of a breathing thing,” Dan Seas said. “I have exercise-induced asthma so I really have to work on that. You’re supposed to warm up really well before you run and I did that but it still got to me. I guess I didn’t train hard enough.”
When asked if a podium finish and a medal to go along with it pleased him, Dan quickly dismissed the notion saying, “I want to win state for once.”
Other Southern Hills Athletic Conference participants competed as well including Eastern’s Blake Rigdon, who finished 51st in the same race as Dan and Matt Seas. Rigdon said he got caught up in traffic for most of the race, which hindered his options in moving towards the front-runners.
“I feel like I could have done better today,” Rigdon said. “It was really fast today and I went out in the first mile with everybody but by the third mile I just couldn’t pick my legs up. I was stuck on the outside for most of the race so I couldn’t cut inside and get position.”
The Fairfield Lions also competed at the state meet as a team, coming in eighth out of 16 teams, missing out on a seventh-place finish by just four points behind Fredericktown.
Jenny Seas did take some comfort following the race in being apart of a family that not only sent three kids to the state level this year, but has three other children who compete at the Division I level in the NCAA.
“It does feel nice,” Jenny Seas said. “ I guess it’s just what we do and we enjoy it.”
Reach Charles Grove at 937-544-2391 or cgrove@civitasmedia.com.
