Junior Philip Canfield got a taste of the competition at the state cross country meet in Jefferson City Saturday. He’s already hungry to go back.
Canfield ran the state course in 16:54 to finish 54th out of 172 runners in difficult conditions.
“The morning started off all right. It was very windy at the start of the race,” he says. But the biggest challenge was the course–one of the most difficult anyone in the state faces every year. Despite the hill work Republic does all season long, the Jefferson City course is impossible to simulate.
“It’s really hilly, and just hard to keep going,” says Canfield. “You’d hit a hill and it’s really hard to get your momentum.”
The top 25 runners earn all-state recognition. Despite falling short of that, Canfield was encouraged by his finish.
” wasn’t completely out of the question today. I would have had to had an outstanding race,” he says. Canfield says he was close enough to the all-state pack ahead of him to see them cross the finish line, and that encourages him for his senior season. “Next year I’ll be going a lot harder for that.”
The atmosphere of the state meet was different from other races, too, and Canfield says that’s another thing luring him back next year.
“It was amazing. Kids from all over the state. Getting to compete with the best kids,” he says. “I started in the box right next to the kid who finished second. All the fans there were loud throughout the whole race. I can’t wait to get back next year, hopefully. Gradually every season I’ve been getting faster. Hopefully I’ll be able to improve on this next season.”
(Photo courtesy Jacinda Canfield)