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2024 USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships

Shelbyville, Indiana
December 14, 2024


We were so very pleased to learn that Everett Braden, who qualified in state and regional competitions, would be running in the USATF Junior Olympic Cross Country Championships at Shelbyville, Indiana.

USATF stands for USA Track & Field. It is the United States national governing body for the sports of track and field, cross country running, road running, and racewalking.  Everett, who just turned 13 on October 12th, would be running in the 13-14 year old boys' competition. (Since a boy with a birthday of January 1, 2010 could be running in this age group, it should be noted that Everett would be competing with some other runners who would be 21 months older than him.)

The competitions were held at the Blue River Memorial Park, a nice facility that also hosts soccer, baseball, and softball competitions. Young men and women from all across the USA came to compete in the Junior Olympics cross country competition.

The race distances are based on the age group. Everett's age group race distance was 4 kilometers (about 2.5 miles).

Everett began racing cross country meets in _____. He learned that a runner could register individually, but that most runners were part of a team. So he created a team: The Wild Beast Track Club. He recruited some team members and designed a team tee shirt.

Everett and his family drove from LaGrange to the national competition, stopping at Nashville to pick up Josh Beam, who had flown in from Texas at his own expense. Josh was a graduate of Point University in West Point, Georgia, and had been on the university's cross country team. While at Point, Josh had agreed to coach the Wild Beasts, and he was a key figure in developing the cross country running skills of Everett and the other team members because he understood cross country running strategies and techniques. He also knew of good warm up drills and how to create an individual race plan based on each particular course. (Josh is currently attending Abilene Christian University in Texas studying for a Masters of Arts in Christian Ministry, and his current intent is to serve in prison ministries.)

After arriving in Shelbyville around 3:30 on the day before the race, Josh and Everett walked/ran the course for familiarization and to help develop Everett's strategy for the run.

Next stop was Richard's Brick Oven Pizza restaurant, a unique and family owned restaurant in nearby Franklin. There Jay - plus Tom and Ellen - met up with Robert and his family (less Benjamin who had activities in LaGrange) but plus Josh. Jay had flown in from Tampa to see Everett run, and Ellen and Tom wanted to be part of this prestigious running event. The place had a distinct charm, the food and the service was very good, and Everett got his pre-race carbs.

(Click on any slide to enlarge it.)

       

       

       
Pre-race dinner in Franklin at Richard's Oven Baked Pizza for Everett to carb up.



Robert's group returned to their lodgings in Columbus, and Jay returned with Tom and Ellen to their home in Carmel. Tom and Ellen were so nice to let Jay stay with them, and they were very complimentary about Robert's family.

The next day everyone met at the course in Shelbyville around noon; Everett's race was scheduled for 1:45. This day Tom remained at home, but Robert's cousin Carrie and her daughter Nora attended with Jay and Ellen.

       



Race Day and bundled up - It's chilly this morning



While Everett was warming up. Robert scouted out places from which to see the runners pass. Meanwhile, Nora establish a great relationship with Charlie and Luke, and they played Hide and Seek in the tall grass around the course.

       
Waiting for the START. Nora, Charlie and Luke playing Hide & Seek in the tall grass



Soon it was time for the Boys' 13-14 Cross Country run. Imagine 370 runners lined up about two or three deep on a starting line that was about 250 feet across. These same runners would soon be competing on a course that, at places, was but 30 feet wide. You can see that, in the crush of the pack, any runner in the middle of the group would find it extremely difficult to work his way to the front, so at the gun most runners would be almost sprinting to get to the front.


The start line for 13-14 boys. There were 370 runners in this event.



Everett was part of this challenge and his coach, Josh, noted that Everett was 91st at an early check point. But Everett continued to persevere and run his heart out, finishing 34th with a time of 13:24! Finishing 34 out of 370: Really great!!!

   
   

Coming to the finish!!!



Everett places 34th in a field of 370 runners, many of whom were at leasr a year older than him!



       



Celebrate good times, oh yeah!!!





A great day!!! Time to pack up and go home. Everett, we are so proud of you!



With the race over and with Josh having a plane to catch, everyone soon departed. Jay returned to Tom and Ellen's house and flew out the next day. Robert and Natalie had planned to drive home without a stop after dropping Josh off at the Louisville Airport, but bad weather dictated a stop for the night. They arrived back in LaGrange the next day.


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