Neuqua's Derrick 2nd at nationals
As Chris Derrick knows, it's not how one starts a cross country race, it's how one finishes it.
At the 29th annual Foot Locker National Finals in San Diego on Saturday, the Neuqua Valley senior conceded his foot speed was not up to the 4-minute, 28-second opening mile clocked by the lead pack.
His consistency over the 5-kilometer course at Balboa Park, however, enabled Derrick to pass four runners for a second-place finish to Mike Fout of Indiana.
Fout, who beat Derrick at the Foot Locker Midwest regional, reportedly took the lead in the second mile and won in 14:50, holding off the surging Derrick's 14:57.
"I was pushing really hard the whole race, had to remind myself that eventually they're going to come back because of how hard they went out," Derrick said via telephone from San Diego.
"Then they did, but Mike was the only one who stayed at the same distance the entire time. He ran a really great last mile, and with about 600 (meters) to go I was pretty firmly in second place."
Midway through the race -- which came on the heels of Derrick's individual victory and the Neuqua Valley team win Dec. 1 at the Nike Team Nationals in Portland, Ore. -- Derrick was in sixth place.
On a hill in the third mile, Derrick passed front-runners German Fernandez, Colby Lowe, Donn Cabral and early leader Luke Puskedra. Kevin Havel of Hersey finished in seventh place at 15:18.
"I didn't really make a move or anything," Derrick said, "I just kept up my same tempo and I ate up about four of those guys."
Derrick admitted feeling "a little rundown" after a month of elite races starting with his IHSA triumph Nov. 4 at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
Dismayed by a 15-meter lag behind the pack much of the way, his patience paid off.
"All of a sudden I was just giving them a lot of pressure and they just came right back to me all in a matter of 400 meters or so. It really helped me make a big move the last mile, my aerobic strength."
Derrick's win at Nike Team Nationals and runner-up at Foot Locker marks perhaps the best individual season in this era of cross country.
He wouldn't trade it for the NTN team victory, he said.
"I think it really shows just the power of having a bunch of guys who are committed, a bunch of guys who are really talented. That was a very special experience for me.
"Even if someone said you could save yourself all for this meet you could win, but you wouldn't be able to win NTN, I would take NTN over this any day."