To Be A Runner

At cross-country banquets I'm always surprised by how different the runners look. Normally, we see them sweating, panting, in pain. But Thursday night, we got to see them smile, laugh, and cry. We got to see how poised and intelligent they are, and what excellent speeches they can deliver. They thanked the booster club, praised their coaches, and no doubt inspired younger runners from the middle schools who were invited to attend the banquet. It was a beautiful end to the season, and it is the focus of this short video, the title of which comes from Andy Barnett's senior speech.

Listen carefully to the senior runners. Their messages Thursday night are what cross country is really all about.

-- Tom Atwood

Produced by Tom Atwood
© 2007 Edwardsville Cross Country Booster Club
All Rights Reserved
Speeches: Andy Barnett, Liz Speicher, Riley Atwood, Aaron Cole, Jake Nelson, Jordan Staffaniak, Kaci Smith, Lia Saunders, Bridgette Hoover, Brendan Corkery, Andrew Gaines.
Photos: Andy Thomas, Tom Atwood, Roger Mueller
Music: "Our Town," composed by Aaron Copland, performed by the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra.

See you in the spring

Leah Bateman runs the 330 meter hurdles last season at Alton.
Photo/Tom Atwood

Photo of the Day will return early next spring with photos of Edwardsville middle school and high school track and field events.

Runners, volunteers honored at banquet

Abbey Frese and Kristan Hodge pick up their runners' gifts after EHS cross-country banquet.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)
Lia Saunders poses for post-banquet picture with her parents.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Team spirit

Sierra Goldsmith, Hannah Dalla Riva, Stephanie Dalla Riva, and Laurin Wright show their true colors at sectionals in East Peoria.
Photo/Roger Mueller (click image to enlarge)

State meet slideshow

Photos by Tom Atwood
November 3, 2007
Peoria, Illinois
29 photos
(Click on image to link to larger slideshow.)

Total exhaustion

Devon Dudding gave all he had at sectional meet in East Peoria.
Photo/Diane Dudding (click image to enlarge)

Showing their...support

Tiger orange: David Parks endures wet body paint on a chilly day at state cross-country meet in Peoria.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click to enlarge)

Abs for Liz (l to r): Lia Saunders, Alex Wever, Emily Firsching, Kaci Smith, Courtney Smith, Kristan Hodge, and Ellen Atwood.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click to enlarge)

Emily Firsching paints Ellen Atwood painting Kaci Smith...
Photo/Tom Atwood (click to enlarge)


Lia Saunders and Courtney Smith warm up with Liz Speicher (left) before the start of Saturday's state meet.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enalrge)

Liz Speicher ends Tiger season at state

Liz Speicher finishes state meet in 42nd place, runs 3-mile Peoria course in 18:08.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Speicher gets some pre-race advice from coach Steve Chapman.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Lee Speicher congratulates his daughter after the race.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

For Liz, state meet marks end to an amazing cross-country season.
Photo/Tom Atwood (click image to enlarge)

Video: 'a good day for running'

Well, it's just about time for the Photo of the Day staff to hang up their cameras for this season. There will be a few more cross country photos posted here: Liz Speicher at state, the EHS cross-country banquet, and the soda run (if someone sends in those 'gut-wrenching' pictures). Then, in a few months the focus will shift to track and field, and after that, to the Mud Mountain 5k Cross Country Classic. In the meantime, here is one final video. Produced for the cross-couuntry banquet, it's a review of the high school season, and a review of some of the best of Photo of the Day. Hopefully, every EHS runner is represented in "A Good Day for Running." If you see someone missing--or if you are missing--let me know. It's not too late to add something in before the banquet. All videos from the season will be put on DVD and given to each member of the cross country team. Thanks to all the photographers who sent photos, and thanks to race starter Babe Stahlhut for inadvertently providing the title to this video (below). Hope you enjoy it.

Produced by Tom Atwood
Photographers: Andy Thomas, Roger Mueller, Beth Warneke, Val Sweatt, Tom Atwood, Stephanie Cann, Jeanne Cullen
Music: Symphony No. 3, Third Movement, by Aaron Copland
Performed by the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra

Good luck, Liz!

Liz Speicher will run at the state cross country meet Saturday in Peoria. (Above, she moves to front at Class AAA sectionals last week, finishing 10th overall.)
Photo/Roger Mueller (click image to enlarge)

Boys' team loses nine seniors

Nine EHS seniors will not return to the boys cross-country team next year. Each graduating senior is pictured below.
Andrew Wright

Ben Wilkenson

Nehemia Robenstine

Jake Nelson

Andrew Gaines

Brendan Corkery

Aaron Cole

Andy Barnett

Riley Atwood