Riverside records: Bears display personal skill at UCR Invitational
The arrival of Saturday morning saw one group of Bears breathing the South Bend air, gearing up in helmets and cleats, walking onto the daunting yet glorious Notre Dame stadium. Back on the West Coast, however, another group donning the blue and gold — perhaps smaller in stature, but certainly no less stout of heart — tightens their laces.
Cal’s cross country athletes certainly made their presence known in Riverside territory. With the men and women finishing in 16th and 18th place, respectively, team performance was decent, at best. However, it wasn’t the group showing that was worth noting — it was the individual achievements that deserved a spotlight from the power of the pen.
Nothing says maximum effort than new personal best records. Garrett MacQuiddy was one of four male runners in a Cal uniform to set personal records in the 8,000-meter race, crossing the finish line at the 24:22.6 mark, shortly followed by teammate Landen Lee, recording a 24:28 time.
Head Coach Bobby Lockhart praised both athletes, highlighting their patience and quality final minutes of the race. Other blue and gold runners on the men’s side who bested their past selves include Caden Carney and Rowan FitzGerald.
The women were determined not to be overshadowed by their male counterparts. Rookie Ellie Black continues to shine brightly in blue and gold colors, being the first Bear to cross the finish line yet again with a personal best time of 21:01.2.
Fans should anticipate even more improvement from this surprising underdog of an athlete throughout the season. Coach Lockhart shares this sentiment, expressing excitement for Black’s future improvements and performances.
Teammates Claire Yerby, Natalie Weiner, Carolina Dawson and Lauren Calcagno broke personal records in Riverside, as well.
Beyond the birth of nine personal records this weekend, the UCR Invitational also presented a great opportunity for the Bears to preview the Pac-12 championship course. The obscure elevation of the course that can easily be overlooked upon initial examination can allow for overexertion and unfavorable stamina control.
Saturday morning saw the blue and gold’s test run of this tricky course, and come the Pac-12 championships, fans hope that the Bears should do well to remember and rectify whatever mistakes they made in the face of UCR’s Agricultural Operations Course.
The coming four weeks will see the Bears take a short hiatus from the competitive tracks — a hiatus that will certainly stay true to its definition and eventually end, unlike one belonging to a certain boy band. Fans hope to see an improved cross country team emerge at the Bronco Invitational in Santa Clara on Oct. 15.
Tina Xue is a sports deputy editor. Contact her at txue@dailycal.org.