Arlee cross-country dreams big
Daniel Martynowicz
Al Plant dodges mid-day traffic and other runners on the cross-country course during Arlee’s Hatchery Run last week.
Daniel Martynowicz
From left to right, Donovan McDonald, Isaac Desjarlais and Al Plant embrace after the 3.2 mile run.
Daniel Martynowicz
Al Plant showcases his Arlee jersey.
Daniel Martynowicz
Daniel Martynowicz
Daniel Martynowicz
Working hard, Donovan McDonald sprints towards the last leg of the race.
Daniel Martynowicz
Daniel Martynowicz
Cross-country runners from St. Ignatius and Arlee spring from the starting line as the race begins
Daniel Martynowicz
Daniel Martynowicz
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ARLEE — As gray clouds rolled in and a bone- chilling breeze kicked up to redden the face of many and send still more home towards warm showers and hot soup, the Arlee cross- country team began to stretch and jog in preparation for a three-mile run. Within five minutes, the entire team was wearing little more than the equivalent of an undershirt and shorts. Even so, every member was sweating profusely with obvious effort.
“This team as a whole is very goal-oriented,” said head coach Katea Dreiling. “These guys know what they want, and they’re willing to work towards it.”
As she spoke, teammates Al Plant, Isaac Desjarlais and Donovan McDonald walked, jogged and stretched while going over strategy. Topics of discussion included how best to tackle tough hills, how long the course really is versus how long it says on the map, and at what pace they should run to attain new personal best times.
After what seemed like a very short warm-up, runners lined the start and awaited Arlee Athletic Director Jim Taylor’s starting command. “Ready, set, go,” Taylor bellowed as the crowd cheered and the runners took off in a cloud of dust.
“The team is doing really, really well,” said assistant athletic director Melinda Pablo. “They have several students that have put out a lot of personal records.”
The mob of runners dwindled to several smaller groups of three or four runners, then pairs, then single file as they weaved up and down hills, past the Jocko River Trout Hatchery and through the thick underbrush and trees surrounding the area. The race was meant to be 3.2 miles, but several fans in attendance used their smartphones and GPS devices to measure the course from above. All came up with a figure greater than 3.2 miles. Even so, Mission Valley runner Payton Alexander finished the race with a blistering time of 15 minutes, 23 seconds.
Arlee’s McDonald was not far behind. Charging towards the finish line, McDonald did not stop until he was a full 20 yards beyond the end of the race and in the grass. Bent double with his hands on his knees, he took three hard breaths before standing up, hugging his mother and jogging back to the finish line so he could shout encouragement to his friends and teammates.
Plant and Desjarlais were neck-and-neck going into the finish, and even photographic evidence offered by this reporter could not decipher the victor.
Once across the line, all three exchanged words of encouragement between labored breaths before jogging back to the finish line to cheer on those who hadn’t finished.
When asked how he felt, Desjarlais stood up and said, “I feel really good right now, actually.”
Plant echoed a similar sentiment and laughed while adding, “even though I felt like puking.”
The reason Plant may have felt so ill while running might be attributed to his time. After taking two weeks off from cross-country to play for the Missoula Elite Lacrosse Club, Plant ran more than 40 seconds faster than he’d ever run before.
Arlee won both the boys’ and girls’ side of the meet after a team effort and 2-3-4 placement of McDonald, Plant and Desjarlais.
“Mission has a really good guys’ team, but I was impressed with how much we proved ourselves by coming out with a win,” Dreiling said.
Evident throughout the contest was a palpable sense of teamwork and comraderie. When asked how this was possible in a sport like cross-country, Dreiling pointed towards a yearly Arlee cross country tradition: the “Night Run” through Missoula’s corn maze.
“It’s a good way for the kids to do some team-building while participating in a workout without knowing it ... They have to work together to get out,” she said.
In addition, Dreiling said some of her favorite memories of cross-country teams have come via new circuit training exercises. The routines consist of several stations designed to work on athletic balance, weight training, stamina, muscle tone and flexibility. As runners rotate through the stations, it “levels the playing field” by showcasing areas in need of improvement.
“It humbles the team, and everybody gains strength from that,” Dreiling said.
