THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 11, 1996 TAG: 9610090123
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 20 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY REA FARMER, CLIPPER SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 79 lines
THE SUN SETTLES in for another scorching afternoon in Chesapeake. People hide away indoors, sequestered in front of an air conditioner, or head to the beach in the hopes of catching a stray breeze.
Billy McGlaughon and Mark Manny warm up for another run. The Western Branch runners stretch and relax, then take off for their daily jaunt. Sometimes, it's just a trip around the 3.1-mile cross country course. Sometimes, it's a 10-mile run on the Eastern Shore.
Month after month, the pair work out, run and train for the 10-week high school cross country season. The arduous workouts have paid off.
McGlaughon, a junior, opened this season with a district win and has cruised through ensuing meets. Sunday, McGlaughon ran a 15:40 for 10th place in the William & Mary Invitational, a meet that included nearly 2,500 runners from 12 states.
Entering the meet, McGlaughon was excited, but less than confident of a top 10 finish.
``There's just so many people,'' he said. ``It's bigger than the state tournament. You're nervous getting up. Then, you pull into the parking lot and there's all these buses.''
McGlaughon, who won the Southeastern District individual title last season and finished third in the Eastern Region, is ranked No. 1 in The Virginian-Pilot's ranking of South Hampton Roads runners.
Manny debuted in the sport this year after classmates convinced him to train over the summer and try out for the team.
``Toward the end of school my sophomore year, I had just run the mile for gym,'' Manny said. ``Robbie Birsch thought I had done well to have no training and said I should try out for the team. I thought about it over the summer.''
Manny joined the team and through the course of the season he has been ranked as high as second in the area and now stands at No. 5.
The pair dismiss the ratings, concentrating instead on the increased competitiveness as the district meet nears.
``Everybody steps it up,'' Manny said. ``Everybody wants to win.''
In the beginning of the season, the racers are learning one another, learning who to watch and who to let go because they will burn out.
``When you run the first few races, you always get sucked into going out too fast,'' McGlaughon said. ``You start to learn people. I've gone through the half-mile mark and heard my split and been like, `Oh no.' (Coach Bill) Mr. Volkman says, `Never panic, stay relaxed. Just run your race.' ''
Larger races make it harder, because unknown runners need to be watched carefully.
``There are always people who go out fast,'' McGlaughon said. ``You don't know who the legitimate contenders are, so you don't know whether to go or not.''
But sticking to Volkman's plan has allowed the pair to relax and run their own race. Successfully.
The Bruins are ranked fifth in the area as a team and are expected to challenge perennial winner Great Bridge for the district title.
``Team-wise we should be in the hunt,'' McGlaughon said.
The Western Branch team is extremely close, getting together to run on weekends and staking out local restaurants for a pasta fest before meets.
``We'd like to do well as a team and see if we can make state as a team,'' Manny said.
The team unity helps overcome obstacles. Like McGlaughon returning to school after his half day just for cross country practice. Or the team trying to warm up at 7 in the morning for a meet.
``Running in the morning,'' McGlaughon said with a laugh. ``You start going and, `Oh,' . . . it's worse.''
``Your legs are stiff from being in bed all night,'' Manny added. ``The stretching is harder.''
While they laugh about the obstacles and joke in practice, each is serious when the race begins. They have the strength of character to run a grueling individual sport.
``You have to be mentally tough,'' Manny said. ``You can't just quit. You have to stick with it.''
So far, that has not been a problem for the Bruins. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MORT FRYMAN
Western Branch High School Mark Manny, left, and Billy McGlaughon
are among the top runners in the region.
KEYWORDS: HIGH SCHOOL CROSS COUNTRY by CNB