THE SPRITE REPORT

THE 2019 KENT SODA MILE WINTER CLASSIC

Explosive is the best word to describe the outcomes of yesterday’s competition, with champions making their cases once again, fresh and familiar faces fighting back, and a new wave making history in the end-of-decade closure that is the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic.

A champion will not be denied

After Samuel Ayele forewent his invitation to this year’s Winter Classic meet, the gold was open for the taking to anybody gutsy enough to chug-and-run for their lives. And once again, in an incredulous comeback after his last appearance, Evan Eggerud makes his case known as the biggest threat to the King by winning the Winter Classic title in a blistering 7:56―his second sub-8:00 run―to become the second-ever to win both the flagship Kent Soda Mile Championship and winter race. Eggerud followed the lead pack on a hot pace out the first chug, which culminated in a 1:21-22 for the leaders (as he arrived to the chug station in 1:35). But just as Icarus went too close to the sun, the leaders’ fates were met with penalization during the later stages, which allowed Eggerud to take his crown and run away with it.

Eggerud’s bounce back in this race was unbelievable based on previous history for champions, specifically Zach Charboneau, who won, placed last, then did not show in his first three appearances. It was well looking like Eggerud would follow a similar trend, culminating in a career of mediocrity, but his complete flip-of-the-script told us that trends were meant to be broken. Eggerud made a statement yesterday to Ayele that the crown is not safe behind the records and dynasty he has established, and that he very well may become the "Kingslayer" in 2020.

Just as Eggerud produced one of the best races at yesterday’s competition, so did the other previous champions in Anthony Raftis and the aforementioned Zach Charboneau, who both finished top 5. Raftis, especially, proved to everybody, including the writer of the Sprite Report, that he has much more in his sleeves, legs and guts that what he has shown. In a true act of redemption, Raftis finished with the #7 all-time Kent Soda Mile run in a blazing 8:40 for runner-up. Raftis was sneaky in his tactics, where most of the competitors dashed their hearts and guts out all over the track, he ambled through a comfortable pace for a two-time Division II Cross Country All-American, enough saved to produce a final 73-second burst for the silver medal. Raftis chopped about 40 seconds off his PR, and certainly deserves a mention in any championship conversation if he maintains a similar drive in future races, as he regains his relevancy once again.

Charboneau, too, came away with an impressive result, with about as much improvement as Raftis to finish 5th place―out of the podium position, sure―but in a statement-making 9:21. Charboneau now has a time worth utilizing in future arguments for championship contenders, as he, too, shows that, with a little bit of drive and training under his belt, he could very well get into dominant shape once again just like old times.

No new friends in the champions club

Among the Elite Returners listed, three were previous champions and three were previous medalists looking to win their first time.

The numbers remained the same despite everyone’s impressions and hopes of a new name on top.

Out of the group, Jacob Dickson was without a doubt one of the heavy favorites to win his first against Eggerud and deep competition, and no Ayele. However, it was not his day, as Dickson paid the price for a hasty first lap surge, as he finished 3rd―one spot below his debut finish earlier in the year―in 8:58. Although not a bad performance when looking at the time, it was definitely the best opportunity he had to add himself to the Champions’ Club, as adversary Eggerud produced the sub-8:00 Dickson was capable of (out of just three Soda Milers, as a matter of fact).

Dickson, however, could have done worse, as he did beat out a name known for consistency in Brian Esparza, who should be known by now for earning an absurd number of 3rd place bronze medals (four of the last seven).

A mad dash over 800 meters, as the two had penalty laps to complete, witnessed just one second separating one medaling from one being the first out. Esparza has become more human now since his first miss out on the podium, and stronger runners will not bode well for the five-lap “strategist” and his future collecting medals.

Overall, five of the six Elite Runners listed on Kent Soda Mile’s social media page finished in the top 5. But how about the rest of our largest field ever recorded, at 15 total competitors?

New names, familiar faces, and history in the making

We wondered how our newest wave of women's athletes would perform in their first-ever Kent Soda Mile, and they did not disappoint.

Kristen Dickson, a late registrant to the 2019 Winter Classic from Enumclaw, went at it against Madeline Morrisson, a senior at New Haven originating from Kentlake, and together they cranked out historic performances to finish back-to-back behind Charboneau, Kristen in 6th at 9:28 and Madeline in 7th at 9:29, respectively.

Kristen’s tactics were much more erratic than Madeline, but be that as it may, it was successful enough to just get ahead to become the first women’s finisher in the Kent Soda Mile. Kristen depended on an early hot pace to separate herself from Madeline, most especially in the chug sections, while her runs were what allowed Madeline to close the gap much, who consistently produced laps between the high-80 to mid-90 seconds. The fact that both were able to compete against a previous Kent Soda Mile champion showed that it doesn’t matter who you are or what you’ve accomplished, man or woman, national All-American or non-post-season qualifier, that you always have a chance in the Kent Soda Mile.

Just outside of the sub-10:00 barrier by not even a second was Sam Lingwall, at 10:00 for 8th. Originally from Enumclaw, but training and competing collegiately, Lingwall also set out in the hot pace with Dickson, finishing his first lap in 1:22 (evident by how ridiculously fast the split was, three-time champion Ayele never finished faster than 1:25). His splits thereafter took a nosedive all the same, especially his chug sections, which shot up to the 50s and 80s compared to Dickson’s consistent 40s [seconds] in the later stages.

Lingwall, however, with experience under his belt now, has shown that he has the guts to take it out with any favorites, and if not spilled, can produce what could be a record performance in the near future.

The duel mentioned in the previous article between the trio of Esparza, Rowan Ulrigg and Jesse Singh culminated in an even worse result than in previous competitions, as Singh suffered another loss by both, Ulrigg finishing in 9th at 12:17, and Singh in 8th at 12:34.

Neither Ulrigg nor Singh may have been in the type of fitness they’d been in previous races, with Ulrigg having been out of the high school competitive running regimen, and Singh not having trained as much as he would’ve liked, both have showed major regression today that does impede their arguments for championship contenders in future races, as Ulrigg’s runner-up finish last year now seeming more of a fluke, while Singh may have bounce back potential with an additional week’s worth of training beforehand. Both will need to go back to the drawing board to find out how they can insert themselves back in the top.

Nathan Morrisson was once again largely absent from the main pack today, as he has been in his last two appearances, as he finished in 11th at 13:00. Nathan’s biggest drawback for the Kent Soda Mile in largely the chug sections, bar none. He has the fitness to be able to take it out as hard as any other runner at the top of the chain, but his chugs are more like drinks, if not sips, and he forces himself too far back to make much impact as soon as the first lap. Nathan could very well with some chug training be able to prove himself a dark horse, but until then, if he hasn’t already, he will have to accept he is a mid-pack player.

The dramatic tail pack

Just as there is always a top of the leaderboards, there must be a bottom, and the last four had the roughest of times in the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic.

Connor Foley made his first appearance after no-showing his last registration earlier this year, though it may have been half a year too late, as he suffered a similar fate as Ulrigg with a lack of a consistent high school running regimen in place, he cracked under the pressure of the chug-and-run his first time around and finished in 12th at 13:55. Although he may not be so impressed with his performance, it is actually the type of average that can be worked on if one has the will to, with the likes of Chad Jimenez and Van Tha Bik Lian finishing their debuts in the high 13:00s as well, but more importantly, Anthony Raftis completing his inaugural soda mile in 13:30. Foley could have an ever-increasing upward trend in his performances, just as Jesse Singh did, starting off with a 15:44 finish and eventually earning an 8:54 PR after three more appearances. It is as much about the soda miler’s will to chug as it is the chug itself.

To round out the Dickson family performance on the day was Kate Dickson, who also originates from Enumclaw, who toed the line for the final minutes against fellow acquaintance Chad Jimenez, and the only Kentwood Soda Miler, Matt Nechiporuk. The Enumclaw duo both were on their last cans as Nechiporuk stormed down the track like a tank, with Kate taking off first, with Jimenez relatively in tow. Kate was able to finish first out of the final three in 13th at 16:12, while Nechiporuk was able to muster enough effort and horsepower in his engine to catch Jimenez within the last 200 meters of the race, but an insufficient amount to secure the pass on him, as Jimenez just outsprinted Nechiporuk, 14th at 16:38 to 15th at 16:39, respectively.

What to look forward to in 2020?

With the decade reaching its end, it is time to look at who to watch for the 2020 Kent Soda Mile Championship race to start the new one.

Samuel Ayele should return in July to defend his newly-crowned Kent Soda Mile Championship, and it’s almost coincidental how he saved himself for then instead of going after a third Winter Classic title in a row. The three-time winner surely has company now with the resurgence of Evan Eggerud at the helm while he was gone, producing a new #5 all-time performance (making the top 5 all under 8:00 and by three individuals), and the accomplishment of winning both the flagship and winter meets, Ayele and Eggerud is once again on the table for the hottest match-up of the summer.

Yesterday’s medalists won’t allow this one-on-one race be so easy, however. Jacob Dickson, the two-time medalist, and Anthony Raftis, now one of the most decorated athletes in Kent Soda Mile history, have thrown themselves into the conversation with their outstanding performances, and if the four best competitors in the event can join together, it could very well be world record territory we’re talking about.

Brian Esparza and Zach Charboneau, alongside the history-makers Kristen Dickson and Madeline Morrisson, as well as Sam Lingwall, Rowan Ulrigg and Jesse Singh all have the potential to influence the outcome within the cream of the crop, with everyone listed owning PRs of 10 minutes or under, if any one or more can have a breakout performance once again, we could witness upsets upon upsets in 2020.

We can’t forget about other names that weren’t able to appear today, such as Kenny Garcia or Fanuel Weldeselassie, both silver medalists that can knock out a couple of individuals off their pedestals, and many more that were invited that were unable to join us.

The world of the Kent Soda Mile is bizarre, for anyone is capable of becoming one of the best, just so long as one as a little bit of guts to fight back.

AYELE DECLARED OUT OF 2019 KENT SODA MILE WINTER CLASSIC

BREAKING NEWS - Sources have revealed earlier this weekend that the 2019 Kent Soda Mile champion, and two-time Winter Classic winner Samuel Ayele will be forgoing his invitation to the 3rd annual Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic due to travel plans.

Now, with the heavy favorite out of contention to complete a three-peat, the floodgates have swung wide open, as a new Winter Classic titleholder will be named at the December 28 race, with a pair of individuals now heading the field with five days left until race day.

A race for the throne

Jacob Dickson and Evan Eggerud-Bozorth, two of the fastest Kent Soda Milers in the history of the event, are set to face off in an exciting matchup as the heavy favorites to win the title.

Eggerud-Bozorth is familiar with what it takes to win it all, being honored the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Champion in what was then a meet record 7:39 PR. He has appeared once since his outstanding race, in a lackluster showing however, completing the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic in an abysmal 20:13 for last place―the third slowest all-time performance in the event. His sophomore slump is comparable to trends other championships have suffered beforehand, but with his registration officially declared for this year’s Winter Classic meet, it certainly appears as if Eggerud-Bozorth is seeking redemption for the blunder he produced just one year ago.

Although Dickson does not have a championship to his name, he is certainly one to keep an eye on. Appearing just once in the event, at the recent 2019 Kent Soda Mile Championships, he has shown that his ability to outpace the field must daringly be matched, or you run the risk of a gap quickly being formed. His 7:32 PR was enough for runner-up behind Ayele in his debut, but now with his final cross country season at Enumclaw, which included an outstanding 15:51 XC 5K PR and a trip to State, complete and under his belt, Dickson will realistically present the biggest challenge to anyone and everyone in the field on December 28.

The equilibrium

What has been a treat to see the last two races was the war between three competitors who are all on the rise as they head into their third battle. Their names, of course, are Rowan Ulrigg, Jesse Singh, and Brian Esparza.

The trio have been a tight pack in their couple of matches, beginning at the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic, where Ulrigg and Singh crossed the line in as close to a neck-and-neck finish as we’ve seen at the event, at 8:54 for 2nd and 8:59 for 3rd, respectively. The pair together were able to shut out Esparza from his streak of four-straight top-3 finishes at the event, as he finished in 9:16 for 4th.

However, Esparza would claim victory in their next battle at the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Championship, as he edged out Singh in another sprint finish, at 8:51 for 3rd and 8:54 for 4th respectively, PRs for both competitors. Ulrigg would finish further behind than in his breakout debut, at 10:22 for 5th.

All three now have claimed medals over one another, with Ulrigg having the highest honor of runner-up, while all their PRs are just three seconds apart from each other. Of the three, however, Singh would arguably have the largest desire to win the upcoming battle, as being edged out by Ulrigg, then by Esparza, in back-to-back sprint finishes lends us to believe that he will put himself into the position to outkick any incoming competition, or take it out hot to avoid anything of the like.

Singh, Ulrigg, and Esparza are all favorites to medal, if not upset the aforementioned Dickson and Eggerud-Bozorth for the title.

The pioneers in tow

While favorites are being named in the distance, there are two pioneers who look to stamp their names back into the conversation, and better yet, in the history books.

Anthony Raftis and Zacharie Charboneau are, respectively, 2017 and 2016 Kent Soda Mile champions, back when the competition was half the size it is today. However, it wouldn’t appear as so if you simply checked their performances since winning the big one, as they’ve struggled to gain any relevance while the competition continues to become faster and faster every race.

Charboneau was a heavy favorite in the earlier races he competed at, prior to the dynasty of Ayele, as his Pre-like willingness to grind through the pain of chugging and running cemented himself as the man to beat. However, his departure from high school competitive running has since depleted his ability to keep up with the likes of Ayele and Dickson, young guns who have yet to graduate, if his 9:59 PR wasn’t an indicator enough. His chugging abilities, what he was often recognized for, are now second to rockets like Ulrigg and Singh, who take it out as soon as 11 to 13 seconds. His commitment to the event however, as one of the founders, does not halt Charboneau from his hopes to one day medal at the Kent Soda Mile once again, if not win it all. If anything, Charboneau may very well have seen himself go from a favorite to a dark horse―a fantastic position to be in for an event as unpredictable as the soda mile.

Raftis has experience like no one else in the field (except for Esparza, of course), having appeared in all six Kent Soda Mile events, and registered for his seventh this coming weekend. His 2017 championship victory came at the expense of Charboneau, who took last in the race. Since then, Raftis began to find himself going slower and slower, as the lead pack grew further and further away. He found himself in a great position at the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic, however, as he drew close to a fading Esparza in their respective final laps, but did not have enough to respond to Esparza’s final 50 meter burst to finish off the podium. Raftis’ 9:19 PR is more acceptable than Charboneau’s if his plan is to finish in the top 3 this weekend, but he must make an overt risk of taking it out against the leaders if he expects anything like that, or risk depending on the factors out of his control to clinch another medal. Until then, the two-time DII XC All-American must accept that his accolades and credentials are no match for the Kent Soda Mile.

The Kentlake Falcons

So brave, yet so controversial of a header. It is what it is, however, as the fact is the Falcons currently own the majority of the registered lineup in this year’s Winter Classic meet. A couple have been named, but that barely breaks the surface.

Among the remaining individuals is none other than Nathan Morrisson―a dark horse that was recognized for being the select few to have earned a trip to the Washington State Cross Country Championship meet. Morrisson in his two appearances hasn’t produced the best results, however, as his 11:33 PR leaves something to be desired, however, it is miles better than his debut performance in harsh conditions. Morrisson, one year since his debut, should surely put himself in the position to post up a time that is more indicative of his fitness, unless the chug takes a toll more than we think.

To keep him company in the pack should be a familiar name to Nathan, as they share the same last name of Morrisson. Introducing the first women’s Kent Soda Mile competitor to the Winter Classic meet this year is Madeline Morrisson, an NCAA Division II athlete like Raftis, who originated from Kentlake like several others that have come through the event. Madeline is at the tail end of her collegiate career at the University of New Haven, where she has earned PRs of sub-5 in the 1500, sub-10:20 in the 3000 and 18:31 in the 5000. Her enthusiasm in joining the fray her first time should hopefully bode well for the history-maker, as she will be taking on one of the most competitive Kent Soda Mile fields to date.

Last, but certainly not least, is a name that was supposed to have competed in a race five months prior, but never did. That individual would happen to be Connor Foley, to his misfortune. Foley, one year out of high school competitive running like Ulrigg, may face an uphill battle in his first time out, but his PRs of 2:13 at 800, 4:44 at 1600, and 17:53 at 5000 should hopefully elevate his confidence in taking on an intimidatingly new event in the chug-and-run mile.

It is clear that even with the absence of Samuel Ayele at the startling line on December 28, the quality of the competition has not lowered one bit, with exciting matchups, redemption stories needing conclusions, and dark horses and first-timers looking to shock the system, the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic meet will witness one of the hungriest groups of runners looking to cash in on the opportunity to achieve local soda mile glory.

Yet time is still ticking until race day, and with five days left, the registration period is still open for new competitors! Sign up now to take on the Kent Soda Mile challenge, in what should be the biggest competition to date!

Register today!

THE LATE CHAMPIONSHIP RECAP

With just ten days separating now and this year’s Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic, we’re left asking what happened five months prior, on the same track, for the 2019 Championship?

Ayele claims title as King of Kent Soda Miles

Samuel Ayele cemented his legacy in the record books after his dominant performance in July, securing his first flagship Kent Soda Mile Championship and his third individual title. He is the first to win back-to-back events, and the first to win both the Championship race (2019) and the Winter Classic meet (2017 and 2018).

Ayele crossed the finish line spraying in 7:17, leaving the meet record unbroken for the first time in the events history (a record also belonging to Ayele, at 6:57). After four appearances, he has won three titles (half of all the titles in the events history), while setting three top-5 all-time performances.

Ayele is undoubtedly the favorite for any future Kent Soda Mile event, but beyond his accomplishments, there were eight competitors in the race behind him, each who had either breakthroughs, slumps, or shockers to produce a strong field in the end.

The dark hornet

A typical debut in the Kent Soda Mile often comes with a degree of ignorance, as they soon find out the challenges and horrors that make the race what it is. Jacob Dickson entered the competition with a similar lack of awareness, but in spite of that, he proved that no matter what, on the track, he was a force to be reckoned with, as he produced the third-best Kent Soda Mile performance of all time with his 7:32 run.

Dickson stuck on Ayele’s heels for the majority of the race, and even with an ever increasing gap between them, he closed hard on his record performance, earning him the honor of Fastest Debut since Evan Eggerud-Bozorth’s 7:39 last year. Dickson surely has put himself in the conversation to dethrone the King at the 2019 Winter Classic -- given he competes at the race -- and should surely be in the race to push for the meet record, if not the world record.

The battle for bronze

Behind the dominant pair was a familiar battle which took place just seven months prior, at the 2018 Winter Classic. This time for bronze glory, Rowan Ulrigg, Jesse Singh, and Brian Esparza all vied for the final spot on the podium.

Ulrigg and Singh shot out like rockets from the gun, with record chug times of 11 and 13 seconds paving the way for a blazing start from the rest of the field. The pair struggled to keep up with the hot pace alongside Ayele and Dickson, however, so much so that Ulrigg suffered a devastating late penalty lap heading into his fourth lap of the race, which left Singh with the opportunity to snag the bronze medal. However, just as the gap between boys to men grew, Esparza was cutting down on his gap from the fifth-lap penalty, and started to gain on Singh with 300 meters to go. In the homestretch, Esparza injected a final surge past Singh, who was unable to respond, to claim his fourth bronze medal.

Each finished with personal bests, as Esparza finished in 8:51, followed by Singh in 8:54. Ulrigg survived his personal battle with the penalty lap in 10:22.

The chase pack

Anthony Raftis certainly had the most credentials heading into the race, but it was not enough to produce anything more than a 10:55 finish after a breakthrough collegiate junior year. The DII XC and Track national qualifier struggled through his chugs that day, leaving him too far behind to make up the hot pace the leaders set out on and maintained throughout the race. Raftis’ 9:19 personal best from the 2018 Winter Classic indicates that he is far better than what was seen today, but his previous string of lackluster performances has turned more into the norm than what he is comfortable with. Except a bounceback by the All-America in the 2019 Winter Classic.

Behind, Nathan Morrisson exacted some revenge on his unimpressive debut from last winter, setting a new personal best 11:33 soda mile. Though Morrisson’s track times indicate he should be on par with Ayele and Dickson, his chug times, especially his first ones, lend to him playing catch-up in the running portions of his race. With some chug training, Morrisson could very well push to sub-10 territory.

Morrisson and Raftis are perfect displays of showing that even with some of the best credentials on the track, it may not always transition the smoothest once sodas are added to the mix, and takes a special kind of guts to fight through -- literally and figuratively.

Chad Jimenez initially arrived to the event as a mere spectator, and “Jacob Dickson’s friend,” and left as contestant #3, competing in his first Kent Soda Mile alongside his friend. Unprepared and unsure of what to expect, Jimenez finished his debut in 13:45. Some might argue that it wasn’t much, but to suddenly find yourself thrown into the fray like the Soda Mile and come out with all 48-ounces of lukewarm Mountain Dew in your gut shows… well, shows how much guts you have.

Of course last, but certainly not least, was our Tortoise of the Year award recipient, Van Tha Bik Lian, the former distance runner-turned-sprinter-turned-pole vaulter, made an attempt to be competitive in the early minutes against Raftis. However, soon after Lian found himself sidelined to upchuck the contents in his stomach, leaving him penalized, and morale at an all-time low. Lian was unable to contest with anybody else, including his own personal best of 13:56, as he settled for last place in 15:12. Lian might admit he’s not the best fit for the event, but his go-to attitude when he does compete lends us to believe he has the type of guts that he can’t hold himself back from, to push himself to back-to-back appearances at the event, and hopefully more to come.

So, what next?

After all this is said and done, the past is now the past, as we look ahead to an event that is just 10 days from the time this article is being posted. And we ask ourselves, what’s next?

The event has always thrived on fresh new faces and gritty veterans willing to take on the challenge of the Kent Soda Mile, and thus, up to 60 individuals, new and old, have received invitations to this year’s Winter Classic, because as we all know, this event wouldn’t be what it is today without YOU!

Who will come out of the woodwork in ten days?

Who will prove doubters wrong?

Who will put themselves into the limelight?

Who will add themselves onto the List?

All of this and more will be answered in ten days at the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic!

RACE WEEK ISSUE

Just four days remain until our daring field of athletes take to the line for the fourth annual Kent Soda Mile Championships, and while entry declarations continue to come in, our current lineup has already made for an interesting story.

Athletes from opposing Kent schools make up the majority of our temporary start list, making for what looks to become a war between programs. Welcome to the Battle of Kent.

Samuel Ayele leads the field as the favorite to win it all. After securing his second Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic title in 2018 with a meet record time of 6:58, rumors have sprouted up of a world record attempt in this summer race. Even though his first time competing in the flagship Kent Soda Mile was a dud, finishing in 11:02 for sixth, three minutes from his personal best, he has never looked better than now, rounding out his 2019 track and field season with personal bests at 800 (2:06), 1600 (4:34) and 3200 (9:55) meters. Ayele may very well be on a level of his own heading into this year’s event.

However, the Founding Fathers have experience unlike anyone else in the field. Made up by Anthony Raftis, Brian Esparza and Zacharie Charboneau, every member of this exclusive group hungers to retain old glory.

Raftis currently shares the record for most appearances at the competition with Esparza, at a perfect five for five. However, no performance of his has really shined out since his 2017 run where he won his first and only championship in a previous record time of 10:38. Since then, Raftis has been unable to recreate the same magic as that day, as his times became slower, and his position fell lower. Until the 2018 Winter Classic, where he was able to secure his best run yet in spite of the downpour that unleashed on the muddy Meridian track. Raftis cranked through to his new personal best time of 9:21, good for #9 all-time. The run showed he has more up his sleeve than any of his results since the golden run, and after a breakthrough collegiate season at Queens, where he finished All-American in Cross Country, and secured a national qualifier to the D2 Track & Field 10K, Raftis has made it known that he is going to come back with more firepower than ever before.

Esparza shares a similar yet wholly different story. He has finished on the podium in almost every instance he’s competed in a Kent Soda Mile, securing three bronze medals and one silver medal, as well as showcasing one of the most drastic drops in times, from the slowest-ever 39:15 that still stands today, to a #7 all-time 9:09 personal best. However, the 2018 Winter Classic saw his streak finally break, as he was unable to achieve a fourth-straight personal best, finishing in 9:18 for fourth place -- one spot from the podium. Now, without much else left on the line in this competition, Esparza can focus on the main achievement that his decorative career as a Kent Soda Miler lacks -- the coveted Kent Soda Mile Championship.

Charboneau was the inaugural Kent Soda Mile Championship back in 2016, when the field only included the aforementioned three. His run at the time was thought nearly unbeatable, and it wouldn’t be for another year until we got to see what kinds of chops he’d deliver this time around. However, the 2017 Kent Soda Mile Championship was just the beginning of a downhill for Charboneau’s career, as he’s seen last place, a DNS, a narrow miss from the podium, and a down poured dud behind competitors he’d crushed just a couple years prior. Every race until now, Charboneau has been viewed as one of the expected names to reclaim the throne. This time, however Charboneau stands as an underdog in an event he once owned. With only a 9:59 personal best, he severely lacks the endurance and speed to match his competitors in a foot race, but Charboneau’s hard-to-contest ability in chugging will always leave him a threat to anybody who thinks they can contend with the former champion.

However, a storm came down during the 2018 Winter Classic and that was in the form of two unprecedented names (and a downpour) posing as the greatest threat to the throne this Saturday.

The first is Husky product Jesse Singh. Singh made his low key debut at the inaugural Winter Classic, where he finished last place out of eight athletes in 15:44. One would assume that he’d be one-and-done after such a performance, like several names before him. However, he came back the following year for the third annual summer race to show everybody what he’s truly made of, as he improved his finishing position to fifth out of 11, and smashed his personal best with a 10:13. One would assume that for somebody who doesn’t do much chugging nor running on his free time, that we’ve essentially seen the best of Singh. However, one year after his debut run, in a downpour storm on a muddy track, Singh earned his spot in the record books, after recording his current best of 8:59 for his first medal at third place. He is the fourth person ever to go under the nine-minute barrier, behind champions Samuel Ayele and Evan Eggerud-Bozorth, and with his official declaration heading into this Saturday, Singh is without a doubt one of the few names expected to upset the King, and solidify an up-and-coming story unlike any other.

However, in the way of his rise to glory is the underrated Falcon of Black Diamond, Rowan Ulrigg. Hardly being acknowledged for the 2018 Winter Classic beside Nathan Morrisson and Nick Shepard, Ulrigg proved himself to not only be a recognized name, but remembered for years to come. Ulrigg shout out like a cannon in the first lap of his debut race, and it surely worked out in the end, as his hot pursuit ended in a runner-up finish behind the current meet record holder, with a historic 8:54 debut time, making him the third person to accomplish the sub-nine-minute feat. Ulrigg returns now having completed his last track and field season with Kentlake, and is without a doubt a favorite to make the podium once again, if not win it all entirely.

In the back end of our current lineup remains a small yet interesting battle between contrasting backgrounds. The aforementioned Morrisson comes in, once a dark horse expected to take the competition by storm, now a name caught with the wind, seeking vengeance following his dud of a debut (ninth in 14:58). His track and field accolades following his final season with the Falcons were impressive however, as he finished with personal bests at 800 (2:06), 1600 (4:35), and a seasons best of 9:50 for 3200. Kind of sound familiar? In spite of his debut dud, Morrisson is expected to make a rebound and put himself up with the pack his next time around, and with rumors being that his training has been “soda mile-focused” this summer with his posse, he may very well be able to contend with the top names.

However, in the 2018 Winter Classic, an unthinkable name finished before Morrisson. I’m talking specifically about Van Tha Bik Lian. A former distance runner turned sprinter turned pole vaulter, Lian was a name many thought to be dead last, as his attitude and experience with running for the sake of running has dwindled dramatically since his one year of cross country in 2015. However, the results don’t lie, and the fact that his eighth place finish in 13:56 put himself ahead of the likes of Morrisson goes to show that anything really is possible at the Kent Soda Mile. With both of these names returning, however, it should be interesting to see if Morrisson can indeed counter the pressure and make his rebound, or if Lian can once again show that running accolades really are no match against pure guts.

Now, to wrap up this lineup, is none other than our new names entering the game.

An assortment of fresh names from programs new and old are entering the unforgiving Kent Soda Mile, and we can only read off what we expect of them based on what they’ve accomplished.

Beginning with William Dougherty. Dougherty has been a name that’s been in the hush of expected newcomers since the introduction of the Winter Classic. However, he’s finally coming into the chug zone this Saturday. A hybrid of grass runner and pole vaulter, Dougherty boasts a 5K personal best time of 19:26, while also having soared as high as 10-6, showing he has a knack for several individual events (as he also hurdles as well). Sharing likeness to the distance crew as well as fellow vaulter Lian, Dougherty should feel no pressure around a familiar group of faces, but how will he handle what appears to be his first ever mile race in his high school career, no less with the addition of four cans of sodas? Only Saturday will tell how this story will unfold.

Connor Foley is the new Falcon name that is coming to the chug zone, replacing the likes of former champion Evan Eggerud, as well as Montana student Nick Shepard, Foley is no slouch on the track. Foley owns personal bests of 2:13 for 800, 4:44 for 1600, and 17:53 for a grassy 5000. Not much is known about Foley, but one thing can be said, is to no longer underestimate what a Falcon can do (*cough* Ulrigg *cough*).

Last but certainly not least, it’s the man from out of town, Jacob Dickson of Enumclaw. Certainly the odd man out in a field dominated by Kent names, Dickson owns one of the hottest resumes on the track besides only Raftis, if his 2:01 800 and 4:29 1600 personal bests are any indication of what he is capable of. In the same class as Ayele, Dickson is surely the dark horse name to watch this Saturday as he makes his debut in a race where his credentials should certainly strike awareness within the field, if not intimidation.

We can only wait to see what other names pop up on the entry declaration list, so stay tuned on The Sprite Report to read who else is competing on July 27, 2019.

. . .

"BRING THE HEAT"

05.13.2019 - 1:08 AM

THE TWILIGHT ISSUE

It's been over four months since The Storm struck the City of Kent... and everyone has been left wondering: what HAPPENED on December 29, 2018?

Well tonight, we finally find out what occurred during the second winter edition of the most spectacular carbonated race in the State of Washington! The aftermath of the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic!

The King has risen from the ashes

In the third annual Kent Soda Mile Championships on August 18, 2018, we witnessed the fall of what seemed to be the prodigy in the carbonated mile scene. Samuel Ayele, who boasted an 8:07 Soda Mile personal best going in, could not achieve the coveted back-to-back championships, settling for 6th place with an 11:02, extending his suffering with a penalty lap on top of a rather unimpressive performance.

It appeared that the curse would continue of previous champions remaining unable to reclaim the throne, despite Evan Eggerud-Bozorth coming in as the favorite to win the 2nd Winter Classic. In the end, the curse was broken, but not by Eggerud-Bozorth. Ayele would defend his Winter Classic title from a year ago, posting an unprecedented new standard once again for the Kent Soda Mile record books, as he finished with a mind-boggling 6:58 meet record to show that his summer debut was nothing but a fluke.

We have seen dominance in the past, but nothing that was sustained as long as Ayele's utter ruthlessness. Despite the literal storm wailing on the field and the competitors, he went out in hot pursuit of the leaders in the first lap after a 19-second chug, to record what was likely one of the fastest first laps in Kent Soda Mile history, with a 66-second run (a 1:25 first lap overall). He maintained his position by maintaining all his chugs within the mid-30 second range, whilst his running intervals averaged a sub-5:00 minute mile pace (his splits specifically adding up to 4:55).

It was a true showcase of not only the type of fitness Ayele was in that day, but just how competitive the event will become in the future, as threats towards the world record of 6:02 by Erik Gonzales of California has been thrown around.

However, there is more to this story beyond just our King of Kent...

The Dark Horses reign supreme once again

Just as we witnessed a curse become broken, another pattern remains strong.

Newcomer Rowan Ulrigg came onto the track that day as likely the most overlooked of all 13 runners in the field (excluding perhaps the man who DQ'd once again). Thus, like any Soda Miler would do when they aren't being recognized as a threat, he went out and showed everybody, both veterans and first timers, who he was exactly, by throwing down an 8:54 debut performance -- the fourth-fastest performance in the Kent Soda Mile All-Time list, and the third-fastest debut in Kent Soda Mile history.

In the previous article, we mentioned how Ulrigg "should surely surprise his competitors by what he can do in his debut." To say that was an understatement would be an understatement in itself. Ulrigg left away as the runner-up in his first time, becoming just the 3rd person to also break the 9-minute barrier alongside Ayele and Eggerud-Bozorth.

Ulrigg's performance sets a new pattern in stone, with the last three years presenting a new challenger absolutely crushing it in their first time around, though we can only wait to see what happens in the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Championships to see if he can avoid the sophomore slumps that Ayele and Eggerud-Bozorth suffered, alongside every other previous champion before them.

That wasn't all, though, as we saw the rise of a not-so-new star on the scene, with Jesse Singh throwing himself onto the podium with the FOURTH-EVER performance under 9-minutes, thus making this (easily) the fastest podium finishes in the event's three-year history. Singh has been going nowhere else but up since his debut at the inaugural Winter Classic, where he posted a last place effort of 15:44 for his first time, finishing behind seven other runners that day. Since then he has returned two more times, with what seemed like a breakout performance at the time, as he finished 5th in a 10:13 PB at the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Championships. The level in which he would improve though was severely underestimated, as he finished through the storm with a new PB of 8:59 to record the fifth-fastest run, and become the fourth-fastest in history. Seeing as he doesn't fit neatly into any kind of pattern (such as the curse of the champions and dark horses rising to the occasion), it's hard to doubt Jesse Singh as the safest threat to Samuel Ayele, the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Championship, and the 6:58 meet record if his consistency continues. But only time will tell...

The rest of the field

In spite of the harsh downpour that came down (coincidentally right when the race began), we got to see an impressive field overall!

Fast turnover in the last 50 meters gave a great show for the competitors and the viewers when Brian Esparza and Anthony Raftis stormed down the final straightaway to a close finish for 4th and 5th place, with 9:18 and 9:21 respectively. The pair of veterans have toed the line on five separate occasions each (since the event's inception), and they show no sign of stopping heading into this year's Kent Soda Mile Championships. Raftis' insistence that his time will come, and with his 9:21 Soda Mile PB, All-American status in the 2018 NCAA DII Cross Country Championship, a 14:25 5,000 meter PB indoors, and a 29:52 10,000 meter PB outdoors (which punched him his ticket into the 2019 NCAA DII Outdoor Track & Field Championships), it's hard to doubt his grit and determination with un-carbonated races may soon find its way into his carbonated performances, to claim his second Kent Soda Mile Championship. Esparza was not too lucky in his fifth return back to the event, as he witnessed his streak of podium finishes end before him. Nevertheless, Esparza remains unchanged in his determination to one day win the title, seeing as he remains the only veteran left to do so. We can only imagine what the skirmish between these two rugged meet directors will play out late this summer.

On that note, Zacharie Charboneau, one-fourth of the Founding Fathers to the Kent Soda Mile, finished behind Raftis and Esparza. Although not his best time (10:33), Charboneau shows the potential to be able to threaten the podium with his 9:59 personal best in the summer of 2018, but unless he were to begin a new training regimen consisting of consistent running, his chugging abilities will only be able to make up for so much compared to the likes of Ayele, Raftis and more. We'll just have to see if the inaugural champion can come around once again this summer to finish on the podium once again.

The heavyweights in Kenny Garcia and Kyle Hein were met with new highs and lows. Garcia, with a 9:03 PB, was met with a similar fate to Charboneau, as his lack of aerobic training with KMXC, alongside a sickness on the day of the race, left him unfit to chase after a new PB, let alone the Championship. Garcia finished the day with an 11:21 for 7th place, but should see better days on the weeks heading into the 2019 edition to claim another medal -- if not the Championship. Hein, on the other hand, was able to seek redemption for his 21:24 debut in the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Championships. Despite looking unprepared with no proper racing apparel, not to mention the significant difference in the weather his second time around, Hein was able to complete the race in a solid 16:27, a new PB, and without a penalty lap at the end of the day.

The newcomers

Unlike the aforementioned names (excluding Rowan Ulrigg), the following names hadn't experienced the Kent Soda Mile before, let alone in a downpour like we witnessed. Van Tha Bik Lian saw the next best performance out of the group. Despite not having ran a distance race since 2016, and adding on a penalty lap to the end of his run, he was still able to clock in a 13:56 debut, a solid performance for somebody who was extremely apathetic to the idea of competing in such a race. Behind him were two Kentlake names in Nathan Morrisson and Nicholas Shepard, who have seen better days, as they finished in 14:58 and 15:36 respectively. Perhaps the hype of their former teammate stacked on too high of expectations for the pair of Falcons, or perhaps we are only just seeing the beginning of what they have to offer, and will show what is up their sleeves in the 2019 summer edition...

The Fall of the Outsider

And just as quickly as he rose to Kent Soda Mile, the Curse of the Champions struck once again, as Evan Eggerud-Bozorth posted a last place finish in 20:14, one of the slowest performances in the history of the Kent Soda Mile, and the second time a champion came in and anchored their title defense race. With news saying Eggerud-Bozorth won't be appearing at the 2019 Kent Soda Mile Championships to defend his title, we are left with a couple of questions...

Will he be able to bounce back from this horrid attempt at a title defense, and better his 7:39 PB?

How will Samuel Ayele fare as the man with the target on his back following his second championship? Will he become the first-ever to win both the Winter and Summer titles?

Who will rise to the occasion? Will somebody new claim the podium, if not the Kent Soda Mile Throne? Who else will make their first-time appearance to the gut-wrenching, ever-so-spectacular event? WHO WILL BE THE 2019 DARK HORSES TO WATCH OUT FOR?

Who will claim the Kent Soda Mile Throne?

We find out as the countdown begins...

The 2019 Kent Soda Mile Championships

July 27, 2019 at Noon

Meridian Middle School

#BringTheHeat

The Storm Has Come!

Nearly 140 days since the finish of the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Championship in August, and we return for another edition of the Kent Soda Mile Mid-Winter Classic! A war is about to unfold in the dirt track of Meridian Middle School, but until then, let's take a look at this year's lineup in what should be a quality showing!

The Returning Veterans!

This year may see the very first time our current champion and meet record holder will be unable to appear for the competition, as Evan Eggerud-Bozorth has not officially committed on his intent to compete after blazing the course in a record-breaking 7:39 for the championship in his debut--28 seconds faster than last year's Winter Classic performance, set by Samuel Ayele, of 8:07.

2017 Winter Classic Champion Samuel Ayele, however, has officially committed, and is one of the few particularly standout names in this year's Winter Classic. Coming off of his junior cross country season this Fall, where he was able to produce his first sub-17:00 minute performances, with an overall 16:53 personal best, Ayele looks to make up for a rather disappointing attempt to defend his championship earlier this year, running 10:59 for 6th place, continuing the trend of every champion being unable to defend their crown and meet record, or even being unable to make it onto the podium. Ayele looks to undo such curse, however, setting his eyes on reclaiming his title of Winter Classic champion, and with his previous performance of 8:07 in his debut last year, he certainly is the big gun to look out for this time around.

In his way, however, is a name with a reputation for his drinking abilities, and having a championship of his own to his name. 2016 Kent Soda Mile Champion, Zacharie Charboneau is setting his sights high, particularly on reclaiming the championship as well. Although Ayele has the upper hand on Charboneau in terms of times (both with and without soda on the track), Charboneau has the remarkable skill of chugging his cans down at a rate unmatched by most contestants in the history of the competition. His balls-to-the-wall approach in his pacing, of going out hard no matter what, should surely aid him in his quest to finally reconquer the big one as he did in 2016, where he won in a time of 11:07 (at French Field no less, before the meet was moved to Meridian Middle School). After missing out in three separate occasions, with his 13:13 for last place in his 2017 defense attempt, DNS'ing in the first Winter Classic, before his big comeback in 2018 by being the 7th-man under 10:00, with an overall personal best of 9:59 for 4th place, eyes should be set on Charboneau to finally return in a big way since his debut in 2016.

If it wasn't enough, 2017 Kent Soda Mile Champion Anthony Raftis also looks to put himself in striking distance to rewrite history by becoming the first repeat champion in Kent Soda Mile history. Being just one of two names to have competed in all previous Kent Soda Mile competitions, Raftis boasts experience unlike most competitors. His personal best of 10:38 was the big determining factor in his championship run in the summer of 2017, but he's been unable to match such performance since then (13:30 the year before in 2016, 11:27 in the Winter Classic, and 12:43 in 2018). Although his strategy of keeping the soda in by any means necessary has caused him much trouble in being able to crank out fast times, his momentum should hopefully aid in his already gutsy and determined approach to the run, after becoming a Division II All-American at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, followed by a newly-minted 14:25 personal best in the 5,000 meters. With such accolades, it would be foolish to count out Raftis as a candidate to become the first two-time champion.

Behind all the previous champions is a name which has seen a remarkable history in the Kent Soda Mile, from producing the absolute slowest performance in the competitions history of 39:15, to now finding himself with more medals than any competitor combined, the 'Bronze Medalist', Brian Esparza is determined to finally score the big one, and become a first-time champion at this year's Winter Classic. Esparza has seen constant improvement in his performances that has blessed less than a handful of names, as he's run 39:15 for 3rd in 2016, followed by 10:39 for 2nd in 2017, then 9:42 for 3rd in the Winter Classic, before cranking out a personal best of 9:09 for 3rd once again in the 2018 Championship race. Esparza has acquired the title of being 'the most decorated athlete in Kent Soda Mile history', finishing on the podium and earning a medal with each competition he has run, of which has been four, a feat only shared by co-meet director Anthony Raftis... but he remains in the shadow of his opponents, as he misses just one shade of medal to his name, and that's the gold. With plans to keep his streak of podium finishes going, he will surely be aiming to accomplish it, but this time, in 1st place, to earn his first-ever Kent Soda Mile Championship.

After this bunch is a rather peculiar name to read among athletes that have boasted faster times on the track without the carbonated beverages. But if the Kent Soda Mile has taught us anything, it's that times don't truly matter, but more about guts, and that is certainly what 2018 Runner-Up Kenny Garcia has upon returning for his 3rd appearance to the Kent Soda Mile. In his debut during the 2017 edition, Kenny Garcia struggled among a lineup consisting of a handful of names, majority of which were the veterans from the 2016 debut of the event. He managed to squeak out a 12:50 for his first time, beating out former champion Zacharie Charboneau, who struggled getting out the hot dogs he ate 30 minutes prior. It wouldn't be until one year later when we witnessed Garcia return to the track at Meridian Middle School, after a season of distance running under his legs, that he would show out in a big fashion, becoming a true dark horse of the show by becoming the 3rd-fastest man in the history of the Kent Soda Mile, with a 9:03 personal best, taking out several remarkable names and former champions in his awake to earn his first medal in the event. Garcia returns, and though he may not exactly be in the type of shape he was after the 2018 Track & Field season, he surely has no less of gut (both literally and figuratively) than he did in any of his prior showings, and a championship would be a reasonable next step after his 9:03 silver medal performance.

Lastly is another name that managed to roar back in surprising fashion, and that would Jesse Singh. Singh returns to the track for his 3rd showing as well, after he debuted to the scene during last year's Winter Classic, to an underwhelming 15:44 for last place, an expected time for someone who hadn't run competitively in years, and was debuting in the Kent Soda Mile. However, his return back for the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Championship came with lessons learned, and training under his legs, and its benefits certainly showed, as he was able to explode with a 10:11, a massive drop (the second largest gap of improvement beside Esparza, and ahead of Garica), that came with a 5th place finish, just 12 seconds behind Charboneau. If Singh were to return to similar form in time for the Winter Classic this year, he should not be doubted as a candidate to claim his first medal in the competition, especially if he were to produce another outstanding jump in improvement.

And now is time to announce the names making their debut in the Kent Soda Mile, these are:

The First Timers and Dark Horses

In light of the unfortunate news of Evan Eggerud-Bozorth being unable to defend his crown and meet record during this year's Winter Classic, a trio of names should surely make up for his no-show. 'The Falcons', Nathan Morrisson, Rowan Ulrigg, and Nicholas Shepherd all take to the dirt track at Meridian Middle School for the first time to hopefully cement their own names, along with their school's, in Kent Soda Mile history. Nathan Morrisson would be the standout of the bunch, as he finished his senior season of Cross Country this Fall, with a personal best of 16:06 at the NIKE Twilight Invitational, as well as his second appearance in the 4A WIAA State Cross Country Meet, not to mention a 4:39 1600m and 9:48 3200m personal bests set in his junior season of Track, Morrisson undoubtedly has the potential to take it to the aforementioned veterans in his first go run around in the Kent Soda Mile, especially in regards to the running section of the race. Behind him would be another standout name in Nick Shepard. Shepard comes from the snowy land of Montana for this Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic, but beforehand, he was a Falcon like a number of his fellow competitors, where he produced fast times on the track, particularly 4:31 1600m and 2:06 800m personal bests before departing from Kentlake. It is unknown what type of shape he may be in, but if it is anything reflective of what he's done on the track in the past, Shepard will surely notch himself as as threat for a podium finish, if not a top contender for the title overall by being the second-fastest overall over middle distance events (the first being Anthony Raftis). Last of the bunch would be Rowan Ulrigg, another senior year this year, who boasts personal bests of 18:37 over 5,000 meters on the grass, as well as a 5:18 over 1600 meters on the track, Rowan has displayed an admirable determination to take on the challenge of four-sodas, four-laps*, and should surely surprise his competitors by what he can do in his debut.

Behind this remarkable trio would be the clumsy duo of Royal alumni, coming from the University of Washington, in Van Tha Bik Lian and Ghislain Bugingo. Both former participants in KMXC, Lian and Bugingo each possess different talents that could potentially prove beneficial in their debuts in the Kent Soda Mile. First off would be Lian, who has displayed a natural talent of speed time and time again, being able to run 54 seconds over 400 meters when trained, his gift of speed could give him the ability to push the pace hard early on in the race, and considering his recent incident involving chugging a cup of syrup without being fazed, Lian could certainly make a name for himself in the early stages of the competition if he were to burn out the favorites in the race. Beside him would be Bugingo, who has gained a reputation for his lung issues early into his cross country season. Though his senior season was shorted in 2017, Bugingo certainly possesses an endurance in running that Lian has lacked for quite sometime, and could put himself in the chasing pack, especially if he can gauge himself during the competition. With just four to five laps between the start to the finish, rather than 12.5, Bugingo could certainly make a statement in his first showing at this year's Winter Classic.

One of the younger names on this list besides Ayele, William Dougherty will also be making his Kent Soda Mile debut under the KMXC name, with an outrageous personality that could actually push him through the mental challenges of the race. He has a number of talents to his name, from being a cross country runner for the last three years, to showing a passion for the hurdles come time for track season, and now has even taken up pole vaulting, this along with his general determination and persistence to being the best in academics, yet maintaining just a wacky personality unmatched by any of our competitors in this year's lineup could make for a dangerous concoction of a first-year that could be worth watching in three days.

Rumors have it too that there are a number of names that have been withholding until the day before the Kent Soda Mile to confirm (or deconfirm) whether they will be attending in the Winter Classic, and such names certainly hold some spice that can turn to a full-blown blaze once they make their debut. Such names include a cousin of the Correa family, Brock O'Neal of Eastern Washington, Mark Proudlock of KMXC, and possibly Austin Bass of University of Washington.

Whatever might be the case, there is certainly one thing that is an absolute fact coming into this year's Kent Soda Mile Winter Classic Championship, and that is...

Anything is Possible. The Storm Has Arrived. December 29th.

Kent Soda Mile Mid-Winter Classic 2018

Registration is open until Friday, December 28! Don't miss out on your opportunity to compete in the Kent Soda Mile!

08.12.2018

Upset City in Kent

This year's Kent Soda Mile Championship proved a few things: (1) that practice does make perfect, or at least as perfect as this event has ever witnessed, (2) that there is one tried and true route to success in this grueling race, (3) don't EVER underestimate the dark horses in this game.

What Went Down

An impressive field of athletes and drinkers alike made for a tense start to our competition this year, and likely factored in to the blazing first lap to our historical event! We witnessed many iconic moments and milestones being made through the course of the four-to-five lap run, which lasted up to 21 minutes this year. It was safe to say though, that no big name was safe from an upset, as this was by far a race which will go down as having the most unexpected results all throughout it.

To start off, we saw two new faces in our top 3 podium finishes, one of which was the dark horse from the outside, Evan Eggerud-Bozorth, who scorced the dirt track this year with a blazing 7:39 meet record, in what should go down as one of the most dominating performances ever in Kent Soda Mile history -- the only other considerable candidate being Samuel Ayele's 8:09 from the Winter Classic.

It was then a close race for the next two spots, which were claimed not too long after, first by the 2017 returner -- and not who you'd expect consider who ELSE was returning from 2017 -- Kenny Garcia! He was able to shatter his previous best by nearly four minutes, with a jaw-dropping 9:03! Good for a #3 all-time performance. Just behind it by only six seconds though was none other than Brian Esparza, who only extended his streak by one more medal, placing third in 9:09 -- a new #4 all-time performance -- adding onto his already impressive resume. The only proclaimed Big 3 favorite heading into this competition that performed even remotely well was Zacharie Charboneau, who was knocked out of a podium spot thanks to a sudden blunder at the chug zone with his last can remaining, but was able to secure a new personal best of 9:59 -- he is the sixth Kent Soda Miler to have gone under 10 minutes, and the #7 all-time best. The last man that was able to say he ran a new personal best at this year's Kent Soda Mile was Jesse Singh! An unexpected turnout, Jesse was able to keep it in this year, and claim the accolade of Most Improved, dropping more than 5 minutes from his previous best, going from 15:44 to 10:11 for 5th place.

After these five impressive performances were when we began to see the bearish performances by some of the aforementioned names from our 'King of Mount Dew' article. The first would be our former Kent Soda Mile champion heading into this race, Samuel Ayele. Samuel faced setbacks in this year's competition, with a blunder during the chug zone ultimately costing him his title, his meet record, and ultimately his race. He would have to settle for a 6th place finish behind the top 5, at an unfortunate 11:02 -- a second off from #11 all-time, and eleven seconds from cracking into the top 10 all-time. Next would be the now four-time veteran, Anthony Raftis. His recent downtrend since his golden race in 2017 has been hard to watch, as he was one of the last few to come out of the chug zone each time he entered it, costing him valuable time, setting him back all the way to 7th place in a 12:43 effort. Not too long after him was Winter Classic Runner-up, and last Big 3 favorite, Fanuel Weldeselassie. A long time away from distance training didn't help him secure a fast time, a podium finish, or a good race overall, as he trailed back to 8th place this year, after multiple blunders, each one big enough to stop him dead in his tracks to kneel over and empty his guts, he crossed the line in a whopping 13:03 -- what would be a respectable time in 2016 and 2017, now is considered decent at best. Lastly was the supposed mighty dark horse in Dre'Shawn Purdy. His unwillingness to upchuck the contents of his cans, as well as his struggles to deal with the pain, ultimately pushed him back to an abysmal 9th place finish, in 15:47 -- the #4 slowest-time in Kent Soda Mile history.

Our last two contestants showed resentment to the idea of being penalized, and it set up for a wild last lap for them. Daniel Drake and Kyle Hein staked out at the last can for as long as there was soda in their cans. Drake set off at a considerably hot pace, as Kyle quickly chugged his final drops before setting off after him. Their competition lasted for a good amount, but at about 200 meters to go, Drake was able to run away with 10th place, as Hein ultimately succumbed to his urges, and threw up just about everything that was in his gut. He would ultimately have to finish the last 600 meters solo for last place, but not without the cheers and encouraging words by his fellow competitors, in what was still a show out performance for his Kent Soda Mile debut. They finished respectively in 18:47 and 21:24.

So with that recap over, what exactly was proven on this day?

What was Proven

First and foremost, that keeping it down is the most successful method for this race -- if you can also run fast while you're at it. Each year, the champion has been able to lock a dominant (or close call) victory thanks to the combination of four laps and fast running. The title and meet record have yet to survive more than one event, as we have witnessed it drop by nearly 3 and a half minutes since the inaugural race in 2016. That doesn't mean that this streak will continue, however. This year we witnessed for the first-time only one person go under the previous meet record -- Evan running 7:39 to surpass Samuel's 8:07. The 2018 silver and bronze performances of 9:03 and 9:09 were able to surpass last year's 2-3 finish of 9:35 and 9:42, but they came nowhere close to touching the #2 all-time run. This just shows that the meet record is getting tougher and tougher to beat with each race, and it is only a matter of time until it reaches a point where training is required to muster up a perfect enough race to beat it. This new 7:39 might just be the one to stand the test of time.

And as stated in the first Sprite Report article, the new faces and dark horses are to always people worth watching, as this year was no different, with Evan, being both new and a huge dark horse, claiming the title, alongside the returning dark horse, Kenny Garcia. Another 1-2 finish secured by these guys just means that every returner, every past champion, every veteran needs to watch their back when we list off next year's potential dark horses. Not only that, but as stated by our meet director Anthony Raftis, this is a race that anyone can win, or at least, perform really well, as proven by Jesse Singh, who showed out with such an impressive performance, he was able to solidify himself from being the 2nd slowest Soda Miler ever, to having a top-10 all-time performance. Which means rather than underestimating, or overestimating ANYBODY in this race, you need to be prepared for any surprises that can come up in front of you and behind you.

Lastly, is that these races are truly getting faster and faster each year! Although only one participant was able to overtake the previous meet best, the top-10 all-time listing was completely shifted, as up to half of the previous top-10 performances were taken out! The 2018 race was able to claim the #1 (7:39), the #3 and #4 (9:03, 9:09), and the #7 and #8 (9:59, 10:13) best times, meaning now that in order to be able to break into the top-10 all-time, you need to be able to run faster than 11 minutes (10:52 to be exact), and to be top-5 all-time, you basically have to run faster than 9:30 (9:35 to be exact), but in all actuality, it's more like it's going to take a borderline, if not a full-on sub-9 effort to do the job. That is unbelievable, and with the field just getting bigger and faster each year, we can only wonder what is going to come the next time the Kent Soda Mile is held.

There is word that there will be another race this Winter, and all we can tell you about it for right now, is that it should be a Classic.

The Storm is Coming.

December 29, 2018.

B.E.

08.03.2018

King of Mount Dew

The 2018 Kent Soda Mile Championship is fast approaching, with eight days separating now and the biggest race in its history. With that being said, let’s go ahead and check out this year’s lineup, which fields some of the best athletes to the walk the dirt track towards achieving Soda Mile glory.

'The Big 3'

Samuel Ayele headlines this year’s competition as the reigning champion, after winning the coveted title at the Winter Classic in his debut, and is looking like a strong candidate to defend the championship for the first time ever. However, such a feat will not be simple with the likes of Winter Classic runner-up Fanuel Weldeselassie and former 2016 champion Zacharie Charboneau challenging him for the title.

All three competitors have credentials unlike any other in this year’s lineup, with Ayele boasting the groundbreaking meet record of 8:07 as his personal best, which was done at the Winter Classic. Although we cannot forget how Weldeselassie raced shoulder-to-shoulder alongside him for most of the way, at some points even having a favorable lead, before it was relinquished with 250 meters to go after a blunder sent him back one penalty lap, ultimately costing him the title. With his personal best of 9:35, though, we can only wonder what Weldeselassie is truly capable of if he could hold it in for all four laps and take the race out in a similar fashion, this upcoming competition is bound to be his redemption year for the graduated Charger.

A challenger that neither of these two have faced before, though, is someone by the name of Zacharie Charboneau. Charboneau, who is considered as one of the Founding Fathers behind the event, has (technically) been on an absolute tear in the two appearances he has made in this event. In 2016, he was able to destroy his fellow competitors with an undoubtedly respectful 11:07 personal best, which currently stands as the #7 all-time performance, and during his 2017 title defense, he was en route to obliterate not only the field but the meet record he set last year, with a staggering 250-300 meter lead on the rest of the field. Until the third lap, where he came face-to-face with the lunch he had just hours before the competition, which left him in a desolate state, only able to muster up a 13:13 performance, leaving him in a humiliating last place finish compared to last year’s high. After not appearing at the Winter Classic, Charboneau is expected to make his anticipated return against the strongest field ever lined up for the event, and is not only targeting the championship, and the meet record of 8:07, but going as far as even challenging the world record of 6:02 set in Southern California last year in the official Dew Mile.

Together, these three are bound to push what was believed to be possible in this competition, and they will single-handedly shake up the entirety of the top-5 leaderboards if they are able to go out in meet record pace--whatever that may be after August 10. With such a heavy spotlight on these three, we are almost asking ourselves not if, but in what order will these three be on the podium once the race is completed.

Veterans with eyes on the prize

Despite what has already been mentioned about this year’s favorites, there are still many names that deserve recognition heading into this year’s competition, that may put themselves in medal positions through their experience with the competition, such as these veterans:

Anthony Raftis is the first name to deserve recognition under the title of veteran. The former 2017 Kent Soda Mile champion is one of two people to appear at all three events organized under the name. As one of the Founding Fathers and co-meet directors, Raftis has built himself as a strong candidate to challenge the big three for a podium finish, boasting a favorable #4 all-time performance set in 2017 as his personal best, at 10:38, which also saw him win the Kent Soda Mile Championship, as well as impressive finishes of 11:27 for 4th place at the Winter Classic, and a 13:30 runner-up silver medal finish at the inaugural meet, Raftis has been the most consistent competitor in the history of this meet, and although his best time has yet to crack under 10 minutes, Raftis should be expected to run it with the favorites to reclaim the Kent Soda Mile Championship and meet record once again, in an effort to become the most decorated Kent Soda Miler of all time.

Alongside him is Brian Esparza, the last of the aforementioned Founding Fathers of the event, and the other co-meet director. Although Esparza has never won the coveted Kent Soda Mile championship, he has made history of his own by earning himself podium finishes at every Kent Soda Mile event that has been organized. The first coming from the inaugural 2016 competition, where he was automatically awarded the bronze medal. He upgraded to silver medal position at the 2017 meet, finishing behind none other than Anthony Raftis himself. Esparza would ultimately round out his medal collection with another bronze medal at the Winter Classic, behind only the champion Ayele and Weldeselassie. In spite of owning the slowest time ever recorded in Kent Soda Mile history (39 minutes, 15 seconds), Esparza has gone on to build himself an impressive resume, with three medals, and two top-5 all-time performances (#3 all-time 9:42 from the Winter Classic, and #5 all-time 10:52 from 2017; both done with the added penalty lap). He is definitely a strong candidate to battle through the big three to earn himself yet another podium finish, if not the championship itself.

Watch out for the dark horses

A noticeable trend that has occurred in every Kent Soda Mile competition since the inaugural meet has been the outstanding presence of “dark horse” competitors in the final leaderboards, which began with Jordan Stoffel earning himself an impressive bronze medal in his debut race, unfazed by the experienced trio of the Founding Fathers, he was able to pass the previous meet record by six seconds, with an 11:01 personal best, which remains as the #6 all-time performance. And of course, how can we forget this winter’s dark horses in Ayele and Weldeselassie, who captured an outstanding 1-2 finish together in their debuts, shattering the previous meet record with personal bests of 8:07 and 9:35, breaking through the sub-10 barrier for the first time for the #1 and #2 all-time performances. It just goes to show that whenever someone is predicted to make an impact for their debut, it is bound to come true. This year looks to be no different as we go through the considerable candidates to make some of the biggest upsets in Kent Soda Mile history:

Local prodigy Dre’Shawn Purdy has certainly made himself known, gaining the attention of Kent after finishing his first year of high school athletics with personal bests of 2:08, 4:43 and 17:42 to his resume. With such credentials, while also reportedly working out harder than ever before this summer, Purdy is setting himself up to be a major threat to this year’s lineup, and anyone would be foolish to undermine him, as his presence sends off similar vibes like his teammate, Ayele, as well as Weldeselassie, heading into their Winter Classic debuts. Watch out for Purdy to have the best chance at making another upset occur at the top of the leaderboards.

With last year’s duo in mind, it would only make sense to bring in another outsider that has the potential to make waves in his own way. Evan Eggerud-Bozorth, Kentlake graduate who now attends the University of Washington, has made unbelievable leaps and bounds in his fitness, become much more adept to the longer distances. As a matter of fact, he claimed a major victory with this year’s Kent Cornucopia 5K, finishing with an impressive 17:39. Eggerud-Bozorth has even gone out of his own way to experiment the sensation of a carbonated four-lapper, by testing the waters with seltzer, supposedly completing his practice run in a staggering 9:20. If that fact holds true, then he may very well be in the talks to threaten the meet record of 8:07 alongside many of the names listed above, if not even debuting in a podium finish, or better yet, claiming the title in a historic effort, making him the first-ever non-Royal to accomplish the feat. We can only wonder how we will do with lukewarm Mountain Dew, and true competition pushing him to the bitter end.

Last but certainly not least, we may have ourselves an unexpected challenger in Kenny Garcia. Although his track and road racing credentials aren’t as highly recognized as many others listed above, he has something that the other dark horses mentioned do not have -- Kent Soda Mile experience. This may come into play during the middle stages of the race, learning from his past experience, which can ultimately set him apart from the other two. Not only that, but his #10 all-time performance cannot be discounted, with a respectable 12:50 personal best from his debut race last year, Garcia is determined to disprove everyone else, and make them think twice about what a heavyweight is truly capable of.

What you should look forward to

With all of this mind, it is important to narrow down what fans of the event should anticipate for the August 10 event. Simply put, the 2018 Kent Soda Mile Championship is en route to become the most historic edition of the competition we have seen yet, with so many names having the capability of shifting the leaderboards, including the top-5 all-time performances, the number of athletes that are in the talk to place on the podium, and just in general the incredibly stacked lineup, all eyeing the Kent Soda Mile Championship and claiming the meet record, we are set up to have ourselves the most exciting race organized by the Kent Soda Mile Committee to date. All there is left to do now is to wait and see on August 10th, at noon, who will come out on top. The favorites. The veterans. The dark horses.

B.E.

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