Foot Locker Nationals 2011

Angel Piccirillo enters her senior season as one of the top distance runners in Pennsylvania, as well as the U.S. Bursting on the scene as a sophomore - Piccirillo won her first of two indoor state mile titles, first of two outdoor 1600 meter titles and first of two Penn Relays COA titles. So far in her senior year, she has added a second state title in AA cross country, and a Northeast Region title and 2nd Foot Locker Finalist qualifier.

Photo by Vic Sailer, PhotoRun

The grass actually is greener in Coronado, in case anyone was wondering. - Photo by Vic Sailer, PhotoRun

Holy Cross Junior Jacob Thomson finished 19th at Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego, California last Saturday.

"I would have never in a million years pictured myself at the Footlocker Cross Country Championships in San Diego California." - Meredith Speakman, Boiling Springs HS - Photo by Vic Sailer, PhotoRun.net

We handed over a Flip Cam to Grace Tinkey (GA) and the South Girls and asked them to have fun and document some of their day.

Grace Tinkey, a 3-time Foot Locker finalist from GA, blogs about the amazing 3-day experience known as the Foot Locker XC Championships.  Follow along as she gives an inside look as to what these athletes experience over the course of the weekend.  (Photo by Victah Sailer, PhotoRun.net)

Very few states can brag about having three athletes compete at the Foot Locker National Championships in one year.  In fact, only Massachusetts, New Jersey, California, and Texas can make claim to the accomplishment in 2011.  When compared based on population, the feat is even more pronounced, and the quality of Massachusetts distance running was truly on display Saturday in San Diego. Jonathan Green (St. John’s High School Shrewsbury), Chris Allen (King Philip High School), and Joel Hubbard (Marshfield High School) represented their state with pride as the three made their first trip across the country to compete in the prestigious individual competition.  

Olivia Ortiz was the top Florida finisher out of four with 19th place. Lily Williams was 35th and Bridget Blake was 38th. Last minute addition and only boy, Chris Godwin, earned 39th place.

Cheserek held off a late charge by Zeinasellassie after a back and forth battle nearly the whole way.  Seidel was able to make a break with 300 to go after Finn led the race for close to 2.5 miles.  Great races all around from all the athletes!  (Photo by Don Rich)

Photo by Ed Lull   Impressive show by the Northern Region at the Foot Locker Nationals with all of their region's three representatives in the high school national championship race earning All-American honors with top 15 finishes. Chantilly junior Sean McGorty led the way with a 10th place finish of 15:28. McGorty was following the same path as his mother who raced on back in 1983 as a Foot Locker/Kinney National finalist (22nd place). Trailing only two places and one second behind was a familiar foe in South region teammate Ahmed Bile of Annandale. Competing in his second Foot Locker Nationals, Bile became an All-American once again with a 12th place run of 15:29. Rounding out the group of Virginia boys at Foot Locker Nationals was Skyline junior Thomas Madden, who will be the ninth highest returnee next year if able to qualify again after garnering a 23rd place finish. Lake Braddock junior Sophie Chase capped off her stellar fall of racing with All-American honors in San Diego by placing 11th with a time of 17:44. Meanwhile, Cosby senior Megan Moye just missed a top 15 All-American finish with her 16th place run of 18:01.   Check out MileSplit US coverage of Foot Locker Nationals

Being honored as an All-American has now become a tradition in the Rocha household.  Catarina followed in the footsteps of her father and uncle Saturday, as she secured a place in the record books with her seventh place finish (17:37) at the Foot Locker Nationals in San Diego.

The Cary Academy senior is making a return trip to Balboa Park in San DIego, with serious goals in mind.

It's a good thing that the athletes have so much to distract them on beautiful Coronado Island or else their nerves would surely eat them to bits. Although they will have many great races yet in their potential-packed running careers, to them this seems like the most important race of their lives. And in many ways it is.

Jason  is out in beautiful San Diego, California for Footlocker Nationals. Follow him and the rest of the MileSplit team with live Twitter updates on all the action! Pre-Race Interviews, meet coverage, and much more on the way!

Angel Picarillo and Dustin Wilson take 13th in their respective races. At the course tour on Friday, PA athletes Dustin Wilson, Angel Piccirillo, Tori Gerlach and Meredith Speakman - Photo by Don Rich

North Carolina has three representatives among the nation's elite at the cross country individual championship.

Predictions below are made for fun and entertainment purposes.  Enjoy and feel free to add comments with your own predictions and words of encouragement for the athletes competing this weekend!

One of Connecticuts' top distance runners Connor Rog talks about his high school career, preparation for Foot Locker Nationals this weekend, and his plans to run collegiately at the University of North Carolina.

The girls race at Foot Locker Nationals is a little more wide open than the boys race, but there are still a handful of girls at the top who will be difficult to beat.  The top 3 returners from last year have all had great seasons and have proven they can race well under the pressure at Balboa Park. 

The boys race at Foot Locker Nationals has the potential to be a very special event.  The course record of 14:36 at Balboa Park has been held by Reuben Reina since 1985.  This record is in serious jeopardy as both Edward Cheserek (NJ) and Futsum Zenasellassie (IN) have been consistently under 15 minutes this year.  Photos by Victah Sailor/Photorun.net.  Center Photo by Don Rich.

Out of nowhere. It's a phrase used on occasion in sports to describe an athlete who puts on a performance that virtually no one expects. And not just a good performance. An extraordinary one. (Photo by Marleen Van den Neste)

Sydney Scott winds through the trails of the UW-Parkside course last Saturday en route to qualifying for Foot Locker Nationals. Photo contributed by Andy Scott.

  Holy Cross Junior Jacob Thomson qualified for Foot Locker Nationals with a 7th place finish today at Foot Locker South in Charlotte, North Carolina.  He is the first Kentucky boy since Michael Eaton in 2005 to qualify for San Diego.  Big congratulations to Jacob!!!!!

Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict's Prep, NJ set course record in 15:20.  Foot Locker Regionals take place in the North, Southeast and Midwest.  NXN Regionals in the Northeast, New York and Southeast. (Photo by Don Rich)

Edward Cheserek of St. Benedict's Prep, the No. 1 XC runner in the nation, ended the season long speculation  about which race he would pick, the Foot Locker or Nike Northeast Regionals. The winner is......Foot Locker! Cheserek, who has broken course records in all five of his races this season, finished second as a sophomore last December at the Nike Nationals. ... (via The Star-Ledger - NJ.com)

HILTON HEAD ISLAND – Jack Manesiotis says he’s had a "pretty good" cross country season, so far. He’s trimmed a few seconds off his personal record in the 5K, but the Hilton Head High junior knows he can do better.