Deep by Design - Lane Tech Cross Country Team Preview

You can always count on a sea of Myrtle and Gold at every CPS cross country meet. At Lane, coaches work hard to have good numbers at every level. The result is a competitive top 7 every year. At the end of the year, all you need is 7....But a good 7 takes 4 years in the making and that starts with getting a big group of freshman that can be developed. Pictured above is a mass of Indians at the start of the St. Patrick Invitational - the first meet of the season last year.

Here is the 2010 Lane Tech Boys Cross Country outlook.

by: Tony Jones

Projected varsity roster: Lucas Beltran (Jr.), Kevin Perez (Jr.), Ellias Gebrekidane (Sr.), Jimmy Orellana (Sr.), Dylan Allingham (Sr.), Danny Zimney-Schmitt (Jr.), Marcelo Burbano (So.), David Timlin (Jr.), Eduardo Bustamante (Sr.), Edwin Lira (Sr.), Carlo Zimora (Sr.), George Chronis (sr).
 
Outlook: there can only be good or bad- not a combination.  This year's Lane Tech crew is either going to be good or bad but not both.  The departure of longtime ace Kulayifi Haji (now at Southern IL U) will signal the change of the guard.  Lucas Beltran moves into the spotlight as the team's top runner and captain.  So far, he has taken that mantle well by leading by example in his summer training.  The rest of the guys have fallen in line.  Middle distance runners Kevin Perez, Eduardo Bustamante, George Chronis, and David Timlin have added a healthy amount of miles on their legs. Sophomore standout Marcelo Burbano has returned from Australia in great shape as he has clunged on to the top pack in runs.  A possible surprise in the making is Ellias Gebrekidane.  This is a kid who has been on the jv squad for the previous three years before busting out with 10:59.9 and 4:59 marks this past Spring in track.  He is looking great so far this summer.  Former Lane soccer standout Dylan Allingham has announced his intentions of becoming a full-time runner by forgoing his senior year for the kickers.  He will be a welcomed addition to the Indians.
 
The goals of the team are pretty simple: win city championship, win regional title, and advance to state championship.  Right now we are concentrating very hard on getting our 1-5 and 1-7 splits :45 to 1:00.  We are banking on our #1 runner to be around 15:05-15:10 at the end of the season.  The thinking is since the majority of our runners are strong pack runners they will be able to hold on late in races and use their speed and strength to gut out quality performances.
 
Key training runs have been going well so far. I've noticed that our cruise interval sessions have been progressing well each week- the times dropping with the back of the pack holding strong.  The guys will be ready for our first big race at Peoria Notre Dame on 9/18.  In the meantime, we still have a ton of summer training goals to accomplish first.  Our thinking is: "train to race" not "race to train."

Related
Von Steuben - cross country team preview
Lincoln Park - cross country team preview
Roosevelt - cross country team preview
Payton - cross country team preview
Lake View - cross country team preview
Whitney Young - cross country team preview

Neilski's Pre-Season CPS Cross Country Rankings

Comments

[success]

"Outlook: there can only be good or bad- not a combination. This year's Lane Tech crew is either going to be good or bad but not both."

It will be bad if Jimmy, Timlin, and others do not run to their capability. Only the coaches and the person himself knows their capability.

It will be good if Lane returnees work hard and show up motivated to practice. It will be good if Lane recruits at least 20 new freshman who have the mindset to get better.

If they do all of the above and a Mather or Northside wins on the course, then Lane has still done well.

For example, right now Lane has 0 proven runners in the 15's, and about 5 guys who are running about 16:40 or below. If at the end of the year Lane has 2 runners below 16 and3 more close to it,then they have succeeded as a team, because they overachieved.

[look deeper, think deeper]

^
I guess we will see won't we. Apparently, you haven't the preview well. They have a goal toward what you described. Lucas Beltran ran 10:04 this spring in the 2mile. He did run 16:40 last fall. He surely is capable of running mid-15:00's off of a full year of training. From what I hear, his teammates have been running together with him. That should at least bold well for the upcoming season.

[5 in 15's]

If Beltran is mid 15's and his teammates not too far behind him, are you saying that Lane can put together a team with 5 guys in the 15's? WANK

[look deeper, think deeper]

I think the team goal is 1-5 or 1-7 split. That's more important than the time itself.

[runner]

you forgot something...

[Say what????]

15:05-15:10?! Who?? Didn't haji not even run that last year and haji was a stud

[idk]

i think they tweaking,they mean 16:05-16:10

[Don't forget]

I think you guys are forgetting the Lane team of 2009 before Fernando got injured. Lane had a 1-5 slit of 45 seconds, on there bad days. If Lane was able to pull it off then, then they can do it now

[if]

if if if if... it doesnt matter when a team cant even keep their guys healthy.

thats fine that their split was 45 seconds, but if their #1 is at 16:00 or slower then a pack like that won't matter

[Hurt]

are you serious 16 or slower, their top guys will at least be at 15:45 maybe faster, and when a pack like that runs together they can put a big hurt on teams

[s]

You guys dont even know. Its still way too early to even say anything