Despite delayed start, Lane produces another record finish

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

For Claudia Lane, it was difficult to determine what was the bigger challenge Friday for the Malibu CA junior at the Ventura County Championships: actually getting to the starting line or avoiding obstacles on the course in an effort to finish the race.

No matter what Lane encountered at the 3-mile Lake Casitas course in Ojai, Calif., she easily passed all the tests to repeat as county champion in a meet-record 16 minutes, 35 seconds.

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“I love racing at this hour because it was really cool and the sun was setting and it was such a fun race. It was one of my favorite races ever because I was happy the whole time,” said Lane, who set the 2.93-mile course record Oct. 21 at the 70th Mt. SAC Invitational by running 15:49.

“(Friday) was supposed to be a tempo day. My coach wanted me to work the hills, just like I did at Mt. SAC, and then take it easy on the flat parts and the downhills. But I was feeling pretty good the whole time. I was expecting to run in the 17s, but then I ran 16:30-something, so I felt really good about it.”

Lane’s effort was the second-fastest time in Lake Casitas course history, just off her 16:32 from the Ventura County Twilight meet Oct. 4. Simi Valley CA freshman Jill Walker placed second in 17:56.3, but the Pioneers were edged 60-63 by Foothill Tech CA in the team battle as the Dragons captured their first county championship.

Lane’s performance was even more impressive considering the meet encountered separate delays of 90 minutes for heat-related issues and 45 minutes when a female runner suffered a serious leg injury on the course, resulting in paramedics being called to the venue.

As a result, the boys sophomore, boys varsity and girls varsity races were all significantly pushed back in the schedule. In an effort to start all races before sunset, meet directors combined the two boys races and then started the girls race only a few minutes later, causing an overlap of athletes in certain areas of the course.

“We started warming up and then we were told it was going to be delayed because of the heat,” Lane said. “I was OK with it. I was looking forward to racing later. Then, toward the end, it got so hectic and chaotic because they were trying to get all the guys races going before the sunset and before it got dark. The boys varsity race kicked off and then the boys sophomore race went and then they were like, ‘OK girls, 20 seconds before we start.’ But it was super fun.”

Lane would have placed 18th out of the 275 male athletes who raced the 3-mile distance. She is scheduled to compete on the Lake Casitas course again Thursday at the Tri-County Athletic Association finals, before the postseason begins Nov. 11 with the CIF-Southern Section Division 4 prelims in Riverside.

“After Mt. SAC, I was pretty tired and my legs felt like that was pretty hard and those were hard hills,” Lane said. “Sunday was my active rest day, so I did a nice swim to stretch out, and Monday I was feeling great and ready to get back into training.”