This was the fifth year of the longstanding Hellgate tradition of the red and black team time trials for cross country. After the latest team potluck, coaches huddled together in a hotel lobby long into the night, using a covert drafting method to divide the junior varsity team into two groups, one for each of the Hellgate cross country colors. “Some of you we chose for speed, while others we chose for personality,” said Ike Wallace, the head coach of team black.

 This race is different from others in a few key ways. First of all, the race was only two miles and all on flat pavement, a welcome change from the usual 5 kilometers of sloping golf course hills. For a second major difference, the race is one run for both the boys and girls teams, meaning that your run time is being judged against the entire JV team; almost one hundred athletes. 

This year a new timing system was used as well, which at least according to some coaches, was supposed to have a positive impact on the fairness of the race. 

The course starts with each team beginning at the entrance to the paved path, while parents and siblings gather round the silver park pavilion, buying merchandise and waiting. Then, just minutes before the start, the onlookers began to quiet down. While the teams, having finished their warm up run, chant, attempting to outdo their opponent’s cheers. But while the red team used a completely new chant that took a creative spin on the classic red hot cheer, black team used the historic Hellgate cross country cheer used in the early 2000’s to support  a particularly fast athlete known as the “dark horse”. 

Then the gun was shot, and both teams rushed forwards, their paths connecting about a hundred yards out. The runners, each dressed in their team’s respective colors, would then continue in a two mile loop that would take them around the park, through tunnels, and finally along a sharp bend heading them straight into the finish line.

The moments after the race were dominated by an apparent tension, as athletes meandered with friends, making small talk, all waiting to hear the results. They were finally announced with an imminent sense of anticipation spurred on by head coach Anders. It was as if everyone had been holding their breath. Red team, which had won, was ablaze with congratulations, and many expressed their relief. While black team seemed to sulk back, consoling each other and already preparing for the next race. More than 20 boxes of Little Caesars pizza were then promptly brought out, and in the end