Official results.
Nike video of the boys race.
Sandburg video of the boys race.
Nike event highlight video.
Hope you enjoy everything!!!
If you are a runner, it is Eden. It is paradise. Bowerman and Knight are Willy Wonka, the Nike Campus is their chocolate factory. And although Brandon Lukas could be Charlie, Greg Burzinski would be Mike Teavee, and Tommy Brennan definitely Augustus Gloop, the difference is that the Sandburg cross country team didn’t win a golden ticket, they weren’t invited for a field trip school tour. They earned the chance to come to Beaverton, Oregon and be a part of the elite. And it was clear from the moment they were Midwest regional champions in Terre Haute, Indiana, that Nike was all in. Nike was bringing the best teams in the nation to compete for a national cross country title, and Orland Park XC Club proved they belonged. Among the top 22 teams in the nation, Sandburg was one of 9 teams to win their regional and throw themselves into the national cross country spotlight. And Nike made sure the spotlight was shining bright as they did an amazing job making this event one that the athletes would never forget. Mike Keane and I were fortunate and honored to be a part of the national team and I would like to share the experience and let fellow Eagle teammates and fans get an inside look at the fantastic experience that was Nike Cross Nationals.
Sandburg wasn’t thinking of Nationals during the regular season. Coach John O’Malley’s focus was on winning the Illinois state title. A perennial top ten Illinois CC team, being ranked number one in the state was something that an Eagle team had never achieved. It was new territory, and a young, undefeated Eagle team carrying the weight of a state title for the Sandburg cross country nation on their shoulders, lost to a determined Hinsdale Central team hell bent on defending their title. So while Chris and Sean Torpy and the boys licked their wounds from an unexpected loss, nobody was thinking about the success that was about to come their way. As we rolled into Terre Haute, Indiana on a Saturday afternoon, the sting of the previous week was almost worn off. The boys were able to re-focus and they could see that it was clear on paper that they were probably the best cross country team amongst Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Michigan and Missouri. This was the Nike Midwest Regional, one of nine regionals that would bring at least 2 teams to Oregon to compete for a national title. And Sandburg was determined to gain revenge against Hinsdale Central and show the nation who was the best team in the Midwest.
We all got up early and were on the road by 5:00 am to catch a flight to Portland via O’Hare Airport. It was another chance for the athletes from different teams to interact with each other, as most of the Midwest representatives were on the same flight. It was interesting to see our boys in awe of the individual talent surrounding them, and at the same time, the individual studs envying the awesome team in Sandburg which some of them have never been a part of at their schools. When we arrived in Portland, we were greeted by Nike representatives at the airport and were taken to the Embassy Suites via coach bus to check in for the weekend. The hotel accommodations were amazing as they housed and fed the 400 athletes that were competing in the Saturday races.
Our first stop was the much anticipated Nike World Headquarters. When we arrived we walked into the lobby of the Tiger Woods Center to find mannequins sporting the uniforms of each region and it was obvious that the entire Nike Campus was in full Nike Cross National mode as everything was focusing on their favorite and original sport, running. It was soon that the champions of the Midwest Region, Orland Park XC, were taken to the main auditorium and greeted with a very cool audio tribute to their accomplishments. The boys were immediately ushered into their locker room area and presented with their equipment. Each locker was tagged with each athletes name and the powder blue Orland Park XC uniforms were on display. Also provided for each runner was the latest technology in Nike sweat jackets and pants, a pair of training flats, the very stylish white Victory XC spikes. To carry all the equipment was a sleek Nike backpack. The boys were floored by the presentation and if any of them weren’t wearing Nike yet, they were well on their way with the generosity that was on display. From there, it was on to the amazing athlete center and locker rooms where we readied for our Thursday workout. The workout was a simple shake out and turned into a tour of the Nike Campus grounds. The place was amazing! Building after building of offices, design centers, training centers all with names of the most famous Nike athletes of all time. The Prefontaine Building, The Salazar Building. But maybe the highlight of the run was the 400 meter track set among the pines of the campus. The middle of the track contained a stand of majestic pines blocking the view of one turn from the other. Everything on the campus was top class. We finished the workout with some stride outs in the middle of the campus on a giant, perfectly groomed field that at any time you might find Nike’s current stars stretching or training. From there, it was back to Tiger Woods Center and spending some time with the other athletes in the amazing athlete lounge. Video games, ping pong, card games, refreshments, music, pictorial tributes of former individual and team champions - including our very own Lukas Verzbicas - were among the amenities. RunnerSpace interviewed the boys outside the lounge and it was pretty cool that in the background was a picture of Lukas that they referenced while talking about the individual successes of the Sandburg team. But it was all about the team at these Nationals. The boys got their sweats personalized by the Nike staff at one booth and at another got their strides analyzed with the latest video technology to determine what type of trainer they should be wearing. All the time, coaches and athletes from all over the nation were mingling, enjoying the company of fellow runners. At any given moment, the team may be summoned to interview with the media and the big talk about Orland Park XC was its amazing 1-5 split. Could the pack stay close enough to the front to bring home a trophy? It was cool to be known as the amazing “pack team” in a sport that covets the pack. The room was a gift and a celebration of the hard work that any runner has ever put in to achieve their best.
And the day had only begun. We all walked to dinner that was held in this gigantic outdoor tent where all 500 athletes and coaches dined on an amazing feast of prime rib and plenty of delicious sides. It was top class as usual with each team identified by name at their perspective tables and all the healthy food and drink that each athlete could handle. Then back to the Tiger Woods center for the opening ceremonies. The preparation of the Nike people was so evident at this ceremony. As all the athletes were seated in the auditorium, we were welcomed to the Nike Cross Nationals by none other than Nike super athlete Mo Farah, Olympic and world champion. He kicked off an amazing video tribute of all the teams that qualified and were in the room ready to compete for a national title. It was very cool to see our boys holding up the Midwest Regional trophy on the big screen accompanied by some great music. Wow!! What a top class evening and an amazing first day in Oregon.
We were up early for another amazing breakfast at the Embassy and then off to the matter at hand, the Glendoveer Golf Course and the run through of the course. More Nike amazingness was at hand when we arrived. The northwest weather, being what it is, can be very wet and cold during December. And it did not disappoint. It was extremely rainy and cool in the high 40’s. But the staff at Nike was prepared for every scenario when they created an indoor warm up center that was simply top class! Every team had their own curtained dressing area along the perimeter of the huge space, identified with their team banner. In the middle of the space was a three sided kiosk which contained some great amenities for the athletes. One side included a large area for stretching, included massage tables, stretch rollers and towels. The second side contained spikes and rolls of tape. The third side had energy bars, Gatorade, and loads of fresh fruits. Off to one side was a giant map of the Glendoveer course. It was truly elite. Like nothing we had ever seen. We had a brief meeting with course officials to review the intricacies of the course and then it was time to run the course as a team. With the wet weather, we were not allowed on the actual course so it would be in optimal condition for Saturday’s racing. One of the big treats of the day was the arrival of the coaching staff and some time to share in the excitement about the race ahead and just enjoy the moments together. Coach O’Malley and his wife Heather, along with coaches Novak, Tarjan and Jonaitis all made the trip to cheer on the Eagles and the boys loved it when they arrived. Everything seemed a bit more normal once they were around! One more fun moment before we left was an interview with MileSplit’s Run Junkie Jimmy Stevenson. The boys gave him a hard time about not having a magnet for Sandburg on his white board while conducting his rather spirited national ranking video spots during the season. They promised Jimmy that they would try to give him good reason to upgrade Sandburg to be magnet worthy by next season!
From Glendoveer, it was back onto the coach buses to the Embassy suites for a shower and a bit of rest and relaxation. By 3 o’clock it was back on the road to the Tiger Woods Center at Nike for more mingling and an Elite Athlete Question and Answer session. This was a fun session featuring Illinois' own Chris Derrick and Evan Jager, along with fellow Nike teammate German Fernandez and others. We got an inside look at what it takes to be a Nike Pro. Then it was off to the pasta dinner and a very cool surprise! Soon after we sat down and began to eat another delicious dinner, we were joined by Nike Pro Ryan Hill. The boys were in heaven and all ears as he talked about the day ahead and asked all the Eagles about the season thus far. He sat down with a big plate of pasta but was unable to eat because the boys wanted to hear all about him and the other Nike Pro’s. We were all in awe when one of the boys asked him for his PR’s. He told us the enthralling story of how he ran a 3:55 mile at the 2013 NCAA indoor championships. The boys' jaws dropped! Ryan immediately became our favorite Nike Pro and we ended up getting his email so we could stay in touch. What a cool treat! Nike didn’t miss a beat! Now it was back to the hotel for team meeting and a good night’s sleep.
Race day was finally here. The boys ate a good breakfast and it was back to Glendoveer Golf Course for the main event. Everyone was feeling good and ready to go. The weather was very cool but the rain stopped just in time for the day's races. The boys went through their routine like it was any other race, but with all the pomp and circumstance, it was obvious that this one was a little different. The introductions were very cool as every team was honored for their accomplishments and then sent on a nice stride out in front of a bleacher full of fans. Soon after it was time to put our mettle to the test with the best in the nation, as we headed directly to the starting line. The course was very soft with all the rain that had fallen during the week and it was just our luck that we ended up with a big mud patch about ten feet in front of our box! I was trying to imagine how all 7 runners were going to make their way through it while trying to accelerate at the same time. So, sure enough, the gun sounds and the Eagles dig in trying to get out fast. As soon as the front 4 hit the mud on about the third stride, one of the boys slipped and fell to one knee and the back 3 were forced to scramble to avoid crashing and all going down like bowling pins. It was an auspicious beginning to a race that never really went right for the Eagles. There were a few nice performances, including Greg Burzinski’s 76th place finish scoring 41 points for the Eagles and capping off a nice post season for the senior that should get him some nice looks from the collegiate ranks. Brandon Lukas was also impressive during the entire post season not only in big meets, but also in training, as he looked the strongest for the last two weeks before this meet and ended up rolling his confidence and hard work into a 100th place finish scoring 58 for Orland Park. Ending up 15th as a team in that race would never sit well with this group. The other five boys knew that if they could have run anywhere near their potential, OPXC could have finished in the top 10 or even the top 5. But it is surely a learning curve for everyone and just as we learned from the 2013 Nike Midwest Regional, we will learn from the 2014 NXN Nationals. Bringing back 7 of the top 8 runners for 2015 immediately has made Orland Park the 2nd ranked team in the nation in the post national race poles. This group promises to break their necks to put it all together next season and try to not only bring home Sandburg’s first Illinois State championship, but also become repeat NXN regional champions and attempt to bring home a national trophy. They are strong, deep and angry; a lethal combination for anyone who gets in their way.
So it was back to the Embassy for one last celebration for the athletes. Nike and the hotel arranged a social for the athletes to enjoy music and dancing and give the kids a chance to dress up in something besides running gear and to enjoy each other’s company and say their goodbyes. For you parents who left the safety of your boys and girls in the hands of team chaperones and Nike officials, you would have been at ease if you witnessed the attention we all put on the actual dance and the lockdown on the entire hotel after the festivities ended at midnight. Hotel security, Nike officials and team chaperones policed the entire hotel all through the night to ensure that everyone was in their rooms and the weekend was not ruined in any way before we woke up early to catch our flights home.
Sunday was probably the toughest day of the trip. Exhausted coaches and athletes were forced out of bed at 4 am to catch early flights all over the nation. For many teams, it was the last time they would be together as many would experience great change with multiple graduating seniors. For the Eagles, a quiet reflection and excitement was in the air as they all knew the opportunities that lied ahead on the track in the spring, and in the crisp fall air of the 2015 CC season. On the plane ride home, Greg Burzinski reveled in his post season accomplishments, Brandon Lukas his role as the quiet assassin. Chris and Sean Torpy talked of just how they would dominate the track in the upcoming outdoor season. Max Lehnhardt reflected on a healthy comeback season that would possibly set him up for All State status in 2015. Tommy Brennan pondered the disappointment of his race at nationals, but also his success that was his junior year. And his excitement was evident for what surely will be a dominating senior campaign. Martin Skucas was a super soph and gained the experience at an early age that will help him be a dominant figure in Illinois CC and track for the next two years. But mostly they slept. We were all wiped out. We got off the plane like zombies and probably slept the rest of the day.
What a season it was!! Our first state trophy and at the same time being thrust into national prominence. The greatest season that the Sandburg Eagle Nation has ever been a part of. And with so much more to accomplish and all the tools to make it happen, next year's cross country season promises to be as amazing as the experience that the fine people at Nike gave the athletes at 2014 NXN! Congratulations to all! Work hard! Get your sleep! And Hydrate! But every once in a while, have yourself a Wonka Bar!