By: Nathan Bloechl — nathanb@977thebolt.com
Des Moines, Iowa — Let’s blame it on those darn track spikes again, shall we?
For the second consecutive meet, Humboldt sophomore distance runner Bryce Gidel has been snakebit by faulty laces, this time she thinks she paid the price for it.
“I think I got so nervous before the race that I quick-tied it and got on the line” a frustrated Gidel said post-race. “Coach [Clasen] told me multiple times to doubleknot them but what Coach says sometimes goes in one ear and out the other.”
Gidel had her eyes on a top-finish tonight after placing 2nd overall in 3A at the Drake Relays. Unfortunately, mother nature had other ideas on a steamy day in Des Moines.
“Going into today, I thought I could place high, but just coming into this race I was unprepared, I spent too much time in the sun” Gidel explained.
Gidel usually isn’t long for excuses, in fact she may be one of the most competitive high schoolers I’ve met, but she wasn’t shy in saying that the weather had something to do with her performance today.
“I wasn’t used to [the heat], you know in cross county season you have this all the time, but that was a long time ago.”
Despite today’s effort Gidel remains confident about the rest of the weekend — not only for her — but her teammates as well.
“Just got to live and learn” but make no bones about it, as Gidel looked at me, “I’ll be ready.”
Gidel’s official time was 10:52.96. Ellie Friesen of Crestwood won the event in 10:15.43.