CPU’s Eli Larson, Solon’s Kiersten Conway win Wamac cross country titles

WILLIAMSBURG - The clear skies and 54-degree weather were nearly perfect, as Solon ran away with both the boys' and girls' titles at the Wamac Conference cross country meet at the Williamsburg Rec Center.

'I love the cold weather, but I hate the wind,” said Eli Larson, the Center Point-Urbana junior who captured the boys' individual crown in 16:00. 'Coming (down the back stretch) was not very comfortable, but going the other way, I felt really good.”

Just behind Larson was teammate Luke Post, who clocked in at 16:09.

'It's a little harder to push by yourself,” Larson said. 'When you have someone right next to you, it kind of pushes you more.”

As for Post, he was more than happy to oblige Larson and attempt to chase him down, although the senior has been battling breathing problems related to asthma.

'It's great to have a senior year,” Post said. 'I've been looking forward to it and looking forward to doing some good things, as well.”

One thing that makes it easier for Post to breathe, like many of the runners, is the cooler weather.

'I felt good until the last 1,000 (meters), when my asthma started kicking in, otherwise I felt really good,” Post said. 'Especially with Eli out there, running together.”

Kiersten Conway of Solon won the girls' title in 19:15; she still hopes to shave another quarter-minute off her time when she attempts to place in the top three at the state-qualifier next week and in the top 15 at Fort Dodge later in the month.

Although Conway didn't have anyone near her to challenge her pace, a quick bit of info from her coach gave her all of the motivation she needed to claim both the conference crown and the Solon school record.

'On the second lap my coach yelled, ‘You're 40 meters ahead,' and I just felt good,” Conway said. 'At that point, it was just about my time.”

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