Mud, Sweat, Tears—or Are Those Raindrops? Scenes From Nike Cross Nationals

What do you get when you put 404 highly competitive runners on a golf course in the Pacific Northwest in December? Mud, and lots of it.

That was the story at Nike Cross Nationals, when the country’s best high school cross-country teams and many of the top individuals raced on the Glendoveer Golf Course, in Portland, Oregon. The conditions were challenging: In heavy rain and cold temperatures the fairways quickly turned to slop.

Newbury Park High School narrowly wins the boys team title, champions emerged: Senior Nico Young of Newbury Park, California, set a course record in the boys’ race and led his team to a national title, too. And senior Katelyn Tuohy of North Rockland, New York, made event history as the first three-time winner of the race. Saratoga Springs won the team title. Photographer Matt Trappe was there to capture the action for Runner’s World.

The boys’ race, with 203 runners, begins at Glendoveer Golf Course.

Within 150 meters of the starting line, competitors’ legs are covered in mud

Nico Young, of Newbury Park High School in Thousand Oaks, California, was the prerace favorite, and he gets a fast start.

Puddles—or maybe they’re small ponds—pockmark the course.

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But from the mud.

Katelyn Tuohy knows she is facing a deep field of challengers, and she looks over her shoulder several times during the race.

Brooke Rauber (left) and Charlotte Bednar approach the finish line. Rauber is seventh in 17:38.6, and Bednar is eighth, 2 seconds back.

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Tuohy wins her third consecutive NXN title by less than a second in 17:18.4. Taylor Ewert (in blue) is second, and Sydney Thorvaldson is third.

since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books.

Young breaks the tape in 14:52.3, a course record.

The boys raced first, making course conditions worse for the girls’ race.

Boys wait to hear the results of the team race. The Temecula team is second by four points behind Newbury Park.

Published: Dec 09, 2019 6:01 PM EST.

The Kinetic team from Saratoga Springs, New York, celebrates winning the girls’ team race with 78 points.

Newbury Park High School narrowly wins the boys’ team title.

Cole Sprout (right) finishes seventh, and he is consoled by Connor Ohlson from Dakota Ridge High School, who is fifth.

Taylor Ewert, who will run for the University of Arkansas next year, hugs a competitor after the race.

A team stands proud, together.

Spent runners catch their breath after the finish line.

Young breaks the tape in 14:52.3, a course record

Young breaks the tape in 14:52.3, a course record is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World Virtual Races With the Best Bling, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!