Toro Track 2013

Another track season has come and gone.

Both Clark and Bennett had great seasons.

Initially, Bennett said he wasn't going to do track,

 but after a bit of pressure from his loving parents and the track coach, 

he agreed.

At the beginning of the season, he was not loving it, but he never complained.  

When asked, he said it was hard and he hated the running, but we told him to just keep going.

His events were the high jump, 400m and the 4x400 relay.

He loved the high jump and by the end of the season, without much training or style,

he was 3rd or 4th on the Varsity team.

 At one of the Invitational meets, Bennett's relay team took 2nd place.

He also took 1st place in the high jump with his personal best of 5'10".

We are so proud of him and his hard work...he missed qualifying for State by 1",

but look out next year...this kid is determined and ready to soar!

Bennett was named "Most Improved Freshman Athlete" 
and earned a Varsity letter.

We are excited to see what this guy can do in the years to come!

To say  that Clark LOVES track is an understatement!

This guy trains hard, studies the various strategies of each of his events,

learns about what foods to eat, and knows the names and stats of his competition.

He thrives on personally improving in each of his events.

One of his goals for this season, 

was to get personal bests in each of his events and to qualify for the State Meet.

This year was hard!

It was one of the fastest years in recent history.

Clark definitely had his work cut out for him and he knew it.

It wasn't a given that he would even qualify for state.

But he worked and worked and worked, giving it everything he had at every practice.

 Warming up

 Waiting for the call

in the blocks and ready to go!

At the State Qualifying Meet Clark PR'd in each of his events 
and qualified for State!

He is now in the Mountain View Record Books 
in each of his events and broke the school record 
for the 200m that had been held since 2002!

                         100m                   10.87          9th in State          5th in MV records

                         200m                   21.62          6th in State          1st in MV records

                         400m                   49.14          6th in State          5th in MV records

                         4x100 relay          41.84          4th in State          1st in MV records (2012)                            

                         4x400 relay       3:19.72          5th in State          5th in MV records (2012)

You have to love a teacher and a coach that take the time 

to write an encouraging note!

Clark was named MVP for the Track team 

and received a plaque 

honoring the school record that he now holds.

(The trophy is ginormous...I have no idea what we are going to do with it!)

And, if that wasn't enough....

Carie's 4x800 relay team took 2nd in State

 and 1st in the MV records with a time of 9:21.93!

 Carie getting the baton

 twice around the track is a killer and Carie was awesome!

Go Toro Girls!

(Clark and Carie hanging out under the bleachers during the long, hot meet)
May 11, 2013

What a great track season for these Clark cousins!

We can't wait until next year when Natalie will join the ranks!

Kiwanis Invitational

Last week the Toro track team traveled to Casa Grande for the

Kiwanis Invitational Track Meet.

Twenty one teams participated.

The Toros and Clark had a great meet!

Clark took first in the 100m, 200m, and 400m events.

The Toro boys AND girls both won, too!

 Clark was named Outstanding Male Athlete

Mountain View took home a huge trophy!

It was a fun day!

State Track Meet

We had been anticipating this day for several months.

From the beginning of the season, Clark's only goal was to qualify for the State Track Meet.

It was a toasty 100 degree day as we sat on the aluminum bleachers at MCC for 12 hours!

(We did have a big umbrella and lots of water)

Clark had a successful day on many levels.

He ran his personal best in each of the 4 events in which he participated!

100 yd dash        10.88       (5th place)       winning time 10.48

200 yd dash        21.91        (8th place)       winning time 20.74

4x100 relay         41.84       (4th place)        winning time 40.46

4x400 relay        3:19.72      (5th place)        winning time 3:15.52

Medals were awarded to the top 4 times.

    

Here are a series of pictures of the 4x100 relay.

Clark ran anchor and the pressure was on!

starting to run in anticipation of the baton exchange...

this is where we all hold our breath as David passes off the baton to Clark...

a deep sigh of relief when the exchange is clean...

and he's off to the finish line!

Here is the team on the stand accepting their 4th place medal!

Not too bad for a bunch of white boys!

Clark is now in the top 10 

in Mountain View's History in all 4 events!

This was a great moment, but even more rewarding to us as parents,

was when the coaches expressed their appreciation for Clark

and commented that they have never coached a kid that has worked as hard as Clark.

Two days later he was back to football 

where he killed the timed 40 yd dash with a time of 4.5 seconds.

I joke with Clark that he can thank me for his speed...

it is  all because he was breast-fed.

He grins, shakes his head and tells me I am gross!

So when the cover of this week's TIME Magazine came out,

I couldn't resist...

I left this for him on his bed...

Please don't judge me...IT IS A FAMILY JOKE and we all had a gut busting laugh!

iPhone Love

Clark ran in the South East Valley Invitational last night in Queen Creek.

The meet began over an hour ahead of schedule,

so unfortunately we missed Clark's first event, the 100m dash.

Lucky for us Brian was at the finish line with iPhone in hand

and captured this amazing picture!

Clark won his heat and is seeded third in the finals on Friday night.

Here is another look, cropped in closer.

Love this kid's grit and determination!

I just read the biography of Steve Job's (the founder of Apple).

I am still trying to figure out why I liked it so much,

but for me it was a fascinating read.

Between that book and this picture I have a new love and respect for my iPhone!

Toro Track

Track season is in full swing!

Clark is running the 100, 200, 4x100 relay and 4x400 relay.

The first few meets were freezing (Robin even brought her portable heater),

but as of this Saturday, while running in the Queen Creek Invitational,

the temperature should only by 100 degrees!  YIKES!

I have loved receiving pictures from other parents of Clark running.

This is the last leg of the 4x400 relay at the Toro Invitational in March.

(Clark's team won!)

Maria Nissen took this cool shot!

Clark's friend Cannon took this picture at last week's meet.

This was a grueling last leg of the 4x400 relay. 

The runner nipping at Clark's heel is from Brophy and the guy is crazy fast!

He is a junior named Devon Allen and his times already qualify for the Olympic trials.

Clark gave it all he had, but just couldn't hang on the last 15 yards.

(You can tell he is struggling by his form!)

After this race, he literally collapsed just off the track! 

It took him a good 20 minutes to be able to talk and walk.

It doesn't help that he is nursing a hip injury, but he never complains.

This is my favorite picture!

These three are so dang cute and it warms my heart

to see them cheering each other on in their individual events. 

Clark's goal for the season was to qualify for the state meet.

We are looking forward to May 12th!

Poston vs. Stapley Track Meet

Carie Clark, Hailey Glenn (Carie's cousin on the Groberg side),

Samantha Clark and Clark Brown

My brother is a great writer, videographer and commentator.  Check out this link for yesterday's much anticipated track meet with our three Mesa 9th grade cousins.  Then, sit back, relax and read his blog for a good chuckle and a glimpse of why we love Sunday dinners with David's great stories!

Mesa City Track Meet

Oh, how I wish I was a photographer, or even tech savvy enough to know how to put the video of this race on my blog...but since I am neither, these pictures will have to tell the story.

Clark qualified to participate in the Mesa City Boys Track Meet last week.
It was for just 7th and 8th grade boys.
Clark chose to run the 400 (once around the track)

Here he is walking to the starting blocks. He refuses to look at me!
Here he is in the middle of the pack...(Clark is 3rd from the left)

Coming up on the guy in the lead...

Blowing past everyone and finishing all alone...and in 1st Place!

With his blue ribbon and a time of 1:03, yes that's one minute, three seconds!

(First place in his heat and also overall!)

It was such a great race and Clark was smart enough to know to just run his own pace.

He wasn't distracted by the guys that sprinted the first 100 yards, only to burn out.

He kept a steady pace and was able to kick it in high gear the last 100 yards.

I keep reminding Curt that he could have possibly inherited his quickness from me!

Clark also ran the 200 and finished 1st. Sorry, no pictures!

He is new goal is to break 6 minutes in the mile. Yesterday he ran a 6:02 mile.

You're almost there, Clark!