A trio of Glacier Bears, recent alumnus Luke Davis and incoming freshmen Yoa George and Finn McMahan, set new records Sunday in the seventh annual Takshanuk Ridge Run, a trail race benefitting the middle-school and high-school cross-country programs.
Despite near-constant rain and cool conditions, overall winner Davis climbed, traversed and descended the ridge in two hours and 21 minutes — the fastest time ever recorded in the annual race.
According to his own timing, he reached the race’s first summit, 3,920, in just over an hour. It was part of a calculated race plan to push the early climbs hard. After that, he said, running the less-steep ridgeline was about keeping his momentum going.
Racers reported low visibility as the race quickly climbed into a low ceiling of clouds. Davis, in the lead, was out-of-sight of the rest of the competition. But not far behind were George and McMahan, who were by far the youngest competitors and some of the fastest.
The two 14-year-olds ran the entire 11.5-mile course together and finished with identical times, down to the millisecond. That shared time — three hours, one second, and 35 milliseconds — was good enough for third place overall and a new junior course record.
George seemed unfazed afterward by the tough course, which both he and McMahan have raced before. George also reported the most difficult part was the steep starting climb up to Seven-Mile Saddle. Once on the ridge, he and McMahan were able to pick up speed.
“We descended really fast,” George said.
That was despite technical downhill running made even more treacherous by the rain, George and Davis said.
All three of the record-setters will be running competitively this fall. Davis heads back to Eastern Oregon University this month for his junior season on the cross-country team. This weekend’s race, he said, is an indication of successful summer training.
“I feel like I have more strength and aerobic power than I’ve ever had.”
Meanwhile, George and McMahan will be incoming freshmen together on the Haines High School cross-country team, which starts training this month.