Tate Grabow races in California

Hill City’s top cross country runner, Tate Grabow, was selected to race at the 44th Annual Woodbridge Cross Country Classic Boys Sweepstakes Race in Irvine, Calif. that took place last Saturday. 

The two-day event involved over 16,000 participants, inviting top teams and elite individual runners from across the United States, running in several heats. 

“They started a race before the last one finished just so they could get races through faster,” said Grabow. 

Grabow participated in the “sweepstakes” format for the top-tier racers, competing at an elite-level against some of the best high school boys nationally and regionally. 

“It was a very loaded field,” said his coach, Joe Noyes.

The sweepstakes race was run under the lights with a start time of nearly 10 p.m. 

“It was really weird to race at that time, but it was kind of nice because it cooled down a little bit, so it wasn’t in the California heat,” said Grabow. “It was really cool running under the lights. It was honestly a lot of fun.”

With 269 runners, Grabow knew he had to get out fast. 

“I usually start my races at like a 4:50 mile, and I went out in this one in a 4:45, so I kind of made up five seconds there, and I was still super packed in,” he said. “You didn’t want to get swallowed up in the pack.”

“It was a 200-300 meter start line, and we all ran. Then, it immediately took a 90 degree angle, a bunch of kids were slamming into each other. I watched three kids fall in front of me,” said Grabow. “It was just brutal.”

Grabow finished in 86th place and set his new personal best time. 

“I think I couldn’t ask for much better,” he said. “I think my middle mile was my slowest one, so I’d want to go a little faster there, but I couldn’t complain about it.” 

“We’ve been waiting for him to have a race like that, like racing at the level that he’s been training at. That was definitely it this week,” said Noyes. “It was just good experience to have him out and get him able to run and just have a great meet.”

Grabow was thankful for the experience. 

“I was fortunate, and I thank my coaches and my family for letting me go and do that because a lot of kids don’t get opportunities like that,” he said.