Hard work pays off for McDonald
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
GREENFIELD — Jon McDonald has raced his way to state.
The McClain junior will run in the 2010 Division II State Cross Country tournament Saturday, becoming the fourth Tiger to earn a spot at state.
Getting to state took more than just finishing 10th in the regionals last week.
Before running his way to the state tournament, which will be in Columbus at Scioto Downs, McDonald began running track in the seventh grade and cross country in the eighth grade.
"I started running track in the seventh grade. I started with sprinting, but didn't like it, so I figured I would try distance since I had a friend who did it," McDonald said. "I stuck with it, started seeing where I was getting better. Then I met Jed Dreher, he was my coach, and he introduced me to coach (Kevin Honnold) and I started running cross country."
But last week, the five years of hard work paid off when McDonald finished the race at regionals in 10th place, as the Top 16 finishers at regionals stamped their ticket for state.
"I went across the line, then I realized I made it," McDonald said when asked how it felt when he made the state tournament. "I realized all my hard work paid off, all my years of running paid off, so I was excited about that.
"It's always been my goal to go to state, I'm ecstatic about it. Hard to explain, it's what I worked for."
How does McDonald prepare for a season of running three-mile courses in the hottest months of the year?
"Usually a lot of distance, to get a good base, then we start going fast. We have our fast days," McDonald said.
"It's really a 12-month sport now," Honnald said. "We have winter running and with track and everything, it's pretty much year-round."
McDonald will train the same as state nears.
"We will have one day of distance and two days of speed work. Thursday and Friday will be real light," Honnold said. "That's what we've been doing for the last three weeks, and it's been a good formula. We do a lot of hill work too. We have a huge one-mile hill we go down and it builds strength."
For McDonald, the sport is addicting.
"I like everything. I like the people, make new friends, you get to work hard and see your accomplishments, see how good you do," he said. "Running is actually addicting. It releases endorphins in your brain, which makes it addicting too.”
This has been a memorable season for the junior, winning 10 times, along with a second place finish at districts, but the humble McDonald said he wouldn’t be where he is without his teammates.
"It's been a really good season. We've worked pretty hard. I've enjoyed running with coach and all my friends, the team. The first places were nice, but it's not always about getting first, but it’s always nice getting first. I always try to work hard every race, and I can honestly say I did."
McDonald is ready for the race to get here, as it was his goal from day one.
"I'm pretty excited. It's been weird with just me and Caleb (Mootispaw) running without the full team, but it's still been fun," he said. "As for the state meet, I'm kind of nervous about it because I've never been there before. I'm just going to try and run my own race and see how I do."
What is McDonald's type of race?
"In this race, since it’s a bigger race, I'm probably not going to try to go out with the front pack, and just stay like what I usually do. Get into my regular pace," McDonald said.
Honnold explained how McDonald usually runs a race.
"Usually he tries to get out in front and push the pace, but with this race being so many good runners, it will have to be a case where he has to stay up there with them, and run with them," Honnold said. "For the first mile, just let the adrenaline carry you."
But for those who don't know much about cross country, it was described as a grueling three miles.
"There is a lot of pain, but we try to embrace it," McDonald said. "Once you hit the pain, you have to keep going."
"Everyone who runs eventually hits that pain we're talking about," Honnold said. "Some people, they embrace it, and others back off. A real competitor will accept the pain and live with it."
McDonald explained what the differences in the courses were, along with what he prefers.
"Every course is different. Sometimes there are more hills, there's some flatter courses, more turns, just depends; usually, the times are always different," McDonald said. "Flatter is usually better, get a better time; incline takes more energy.
"The course at districts: It was pretty flat, one incline, it was really tough because everyone started off really fast, seemed to waste a lot of energy."
Cross country not only produces top athletes, but they promote academics.
"We try to emphasize academics a lot. Very few people are going to go on and run, but academics you need forever. We push academics more than we do athletics. We try to have the highest GPA of all the sports teams," Honnold said.
McDonald knows he wouldn't be here if he were by himself. He thanked Mootispaw for pushing him and making him a better runner.
"I want to thank Caleb, my coach and my team for getting me to this point," McDonald said. "It's weird because this will the first race in cross country I have run in without Caleb.
"Usually on long runs, he usually pushes because he has the distance and I push him on the speed. We push each other, we are always competing. It's friendly competition."
Honnold talked about how each runner makes the other one better.
"I don't think Jon would be nearly as good without Caleb, and I don't think Caleb would be nearly as good without Jon. So it's really good that we have these two as training partners, because they push each other," Honnold said. "Jon just wants to continue the great tradition of the last 30 years. Jon is our 4th person going to the state. Hopefully next year Caleb can do the same thing. He's a very hard worker."
Other McClain Tigers to make state in cross country are: Mike Lytle ('86), Adam Honnold (1999-2001) and Rick Workman ('05).
McDoanld had advice for others who are thinking about joining cross country.
"The first day will be the hardest day. Just stick with it for a week and see if you like it," McDonald said. "It's not going to start off easy, it's never easy. You have to want to push hard. You have to want to win."
But the cross country experience is about making friendships along the way.
"I like when we all get together. We have bonfires. that's what's different about cross country, we actually get to know each other a lot, hang out," McDonald said. "Every Friday we eat pizza together for lunch. We bond really well."
The Division II State Cross Country tournament will start at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Scioto Downs, in Columbus.[[In-content Ad]]
The McClain junior will run in the 2010 Division II State Cross Country tournament Saturday, becoming the fourth Tiger to earn a spot at state.
Getting to state took more than just finishing 10th in the regionals last week.
Before running his way to the state tournament, which will be in Columbus at Scioto Downs, McDonald began running track in the seventh grade and cross country in the eighth grade.
"I started running track in the seventh grade. I started with sprinting, but didn't like it, so I figured I would try distance since I had a friend who did it," McDonald said. "I stuck with it, started seeing where I was getting better. Then I met Jed Dreher, he was my coach, and he introduced me to coach (Kevin Honnold) and I started running cross country."
But last week, the five years of hard work paid off when McDonald finished the race at regionals in 10th place, as the Top 16 finishers at regionals stamped their ticket for state.
"I went across the line, then I realized I made it," McDonald said when asked how it felt when he made the state tournament. "I realized all my hard work paid off, all my years of running paid off, so I was excited about that.
"It's always been my goal to go to state, I'm ecstatic about it. Hard to explain, it's what I worked for."
How does McDonald prepare for a season of running three-mile courses in the hottest months of the year?
"Usually a lot of distance, to get a good base, then we start going fast. We have our fast days," McDonald said.
"It's really a 12-month sport now," Honnald said. "We have winter running and with track and everything, it's pretty much year-round."
McDonald will train the same as state nears.
"We will have one day of distance and two days of speed work. Thursday and Friday will be real light," Honnold said. "That's what we've been doing for the last three weeks, and it's been a good formula. We do a lot of hill work too. We have a huge one-mile hill we go down and it builds strength."
For McDonald, the sport is addicting.
"I like everything. I like the people, make new friends, you get to work hard and see your accomplishments, see how good you do," he said. "Running is actually addicting. It releases endorphins in your brain, which makes it addicting too.”
This has been a memorable season for the junior, winning 10 times, along with a second place finish at districts, but the humble McDonald said he wouldn’t be where he is without his teammates.
"It's been a really good season. We've worked pretty hard. I've enjoyed running with coach and all my friends, the team. The first places were nice, but it's not always about getting first, but it’s always nice getting first. I always try to work hard every race, and I can honestly say I did."
McDonald is ready for the race to get here, as it was his goal from day one.
"I'm pretty excited. It's been weird with just me and Caleb (Mootispaw) running without the full team, but it's still been fun," he said. "As for the state meet, I'm kind of nervous about it because I've never been there before. I'm just going to try and run my own race and see how I do."
What is McDonald's type of race?
"In this race, since it’s a bigger race, I'm probably not going to try to go out with the front pack, and just stay like what I usually do. Get into my regular pace," McDonald said.
Honnold explained how McDonald usually runs a race.
"Usually he tries to get out in front and push the pace, but with this race being so many good runners, it will have to be a case where he has to stay up there with them, and run with them," Honnold said. "For the first mile, just let the adrenaline carry you."
But for those who don't know much about cross country, it was described as a grueling three miles.
"There is a lot of pain, but we try to embrace it," McDonald said. "Once you hit the pain, you have to keep going."
"Everyone who runs eventually hits that pain we're talking about," Honnold said. "Some people, they embrace it, and others back off. A real competitor will accept the pain and live with it."
McDonald explained what the differences in the courses were, along with what he prefers.
"Every course is different. Sometimes there are more hills, there's some flatter courses, more turns, just depends; usually, the times are always different," McDonald said. "Flatter is usually better, get a better time; incline takes more energy.
"The course at districts: It was pretty flat, one incline, it was really tough because everyone started off really fast, seemed to waste a lot of energy."
Cross country not only produces top athletes, but they promote academics.
"We try to emphasize academics a lot. Very few people are going to go on and run, but academics you need forever. We push academics more than we do athletics. We try to have the highest GPA of all the sports teams," Honnold said.
McDonald knows he wouldn't be here if he were by himself. He thanked Mootispaw for pushing him and making him a better runner.
"I want to thank Caleb, my coach and my team for getting me to this point," McDonald said. "It's weird because this will the first race in cross country I have run in without Caleb.
"Usually on long runs, he usually pushes because he has the distance and I push him on the speed. We push each other, we are always competing. It's friendly competition."
Honnold talked about how each runner makes the other one better.
"I don't think Jon would be nearly as good without Caleb, and I don't think Caleb would be nearly as good without Jon. So it's really good that we have these two as training partners, because they push each other," Honnold said. "Jon just wants to continue the great tradition of the last 30 years. Jon is our 4th person going to the state. Hopefully next year Caleb can do the same thing. He's a very hard worker."
Other McClain Tigers to make state in cross country are: Mike Lytle ('86), Adam Honnold (1999-2001) and Rick Workman ('05).
McDoanld had advice for others who are thinking about joining cross country.
"The first day will be the hardest day. Just stick with it for a week and see if you like it," McDonald said. "It's not going to start off easy, it's never easy. You have to want to push hard. You have to want to win."
But the cross country experience is about making friendships along the way.
"I like when we all get together. We have bonfires. that's what's different about cross country, we actually get to know each other a lot, hang out," McDonald said. "Every Friday we eat pizza together for lunch. We bond really well."
The Division II State Cross Country tournament will start at 11:50 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 6 at Scioto Downs, in Columbus.[[In-content Ad]]