Northern California group featuring state champions and national finalists formed during pandemic is motivated to perform well in Florida in what might be only chance to race against out-of-state cross country athletes until next fall

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

It was a December to remember last year for Riley Chamberlain, Cate Joaquin and Harper McClain, as three of the top distance runners in Northern California all qualified for national cross country competitions.

Following a fall to forget in their home state as a result of several cancellations or postponements linked to the Coronavirus pandemic, they will again be racing Saturday against some of the elite athletes in the nation, only this time representing Loomis Elite Distance Running Club at the AAU Cross Country National Championships at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.

Coached by Damon Chamberlain, Loomis Elite has Del Oro freshman Jack Sindt entered in the boys 13-14 division and fellow ninth-graders Karissa Chamberlain and Angie Gutierrez scheduled to represent the group in the girls 13-14 division, although all freshmen have the opportunity this year to race the full 5-kilometer layout instead of only the 4-kilometer distance scheduled for the younger division.

But the biggest opportunity for Loomis Elite will be in the girls 15-18 division, with two-time California Division 3 state champion Riley Chamberlain of Del Oro, reigning Division 5 champ McClain from St. Helena, Division 2 all-state competitor Joaquin from St. Francis High in Sacramento, former Division 2 state finalist Natalie Wieland of Ponderosa and Division 3 state finalists Hannah Wirth, Emilie Merz and Ashley Carey from Del Oro.

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“I think it’s really special and it’s almost more special than all of us splitting up and being at different schools and racing against each other,” said Riley Chamberlain, a two-time Nike Cross Nationals finalist in Portland, Ore.

“It’s really cool that the running community all comes together to run together and race together, even though we all know we’re on separate teams, it’s cool that we can be teammates at least for this one time.”

All the Loomis athletes have been evaluating their fitness and improvement with track time trials during the summer and fall, but Wieland has been the most active in recent months, competing in the Nike Cross Virtual program with three sub-18:30 efforts in 5-kilometer races, placing 27th out of 154 competitors in the championship week.

“It’s an opportunity to get some times on the board, even if it’s not quite the same as racing and you don’t get that same experience of having the competition and the official aspect of it,” Wieland said. “But it’s still a really great chance to see where you’re at and kind of get a feeling for what you can expect for the season to come and build anticipation for that season to see if this is where I am now, then where can I be in two or three months.”

With the California Interscholastic Federation already announcing earlier this week the cancellation of the state championship meet, which was scheduled for March 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno, and the uncertainty of high-caliber racing opportunities during the proposed regular season in January and February, the Loomis Elite athletes have placed even more emphasis on the AAU event, since it could be their only chance to measure themselves against accomplished out-of-state competitors.

“Even though other people have been racing and have had other opportunities, I think it will just be great to see what we can do despite not having a season,” said Joaquin, who competed last year at the Foot Locker national final in San Diego.

“I think it’s super cool and it will definitely be telling of the future. I’m just grateful for an opportunity to race against some of the best runners in the nation and I’m really looking forward to it.”

Loomis Elite is expected to compete in the first wave against other scoring teams, including Kokopelli Racing – featuring state champions Riley Stewart of Cherry Creek and Bethany Michalak of Air Academy – and other Colorado-based clubs such as the Colorado Penguins, Colorado Coyotes and Trail Distance, along with the Florida-based IMG Academy and fellow California club Pacific Coast Shockwaves.

“I really enjoy the motivation behind this group and we all have a common goal and we’re really excited to work hard every single time we come out here. It’s just a super enjoyable experience,” McClain said. “I also feel like we’re really fresh and we have that really good training behind us. All of us are really excited and motivated about everything leading up to this meet.”

Among all the time trials Loomis Elite athletes produced in recent months, the 16:48.2 achieved Nov. 7 by the Oregon-bound McClain in a 5,000-meter event at Healdsburg High was perhaps the most impressive, elevating her to the No. 6 all-time performer in state history.

“It was really reassuring and I was really excited to hit that time, especially after having a lot of struggles around when COVID started, it was a really big motivation to help me push toward right now and toward helping the team, and I’m super excited to actually run with a team this time in an actual race event,” said McClain, who advanced to NXN in her first high school cross country season last year.

“I’m excited I was able to hit that time and it’s something I’m looking forward to running again.”

Chamberlain ran 4:44.80 in a 1,600, with Joaquin clocking 4:54.79 in June. Chamberlain, who finished fourth as a sophomore in the 3,200 state final in 10:21.31, added a 10:25.77 effort in August, followed by Joaquin in 10:33.77.

“We’ve been hardcore training all the way through COVID as if we were going to have a season. Whether we do or whether we don’t, we all love it and we’re all running because we love it, so I’m just excited that we finally get a chance to race and run together and be teammates,” Riley Chamberlain said. “I feel very in shape right now, probably the best I’ve felt in a while, and I think it’s thanks to all the girls I get to run with and train with. We’re all pushing each other and we’re making each other better.

“It’s super exciting and super special to have all of us together. I’m just looking forward to seeing how fast I can run, because right now, I have no idea.”

Although Damon Chamberlain assembled the nucleus of the group from Del Oro athletes, many having past experiences with the Buffalo Chips Running Club, the presence of Joaquin, McClain and Wieland have quickly established Loomis Elite as not only one of the most impressive groups in California, but the entire country.

“It means a lot to me. I’ve raced with Riley back in middle school, so I’m just really happy and grateful to be on an actual team with her and it’s really special to me. I’m super excited to see what we can all do when we come together,” Joaquin said. “Being able to train with Riley and Harper and Natalie has really given me reassurance and made me a better runner. I really hope the race Saturday will be a reflection of everything we’ve done so far.”

The idea of a December cross country debut is unique to all the Loomis Elite athletes, but the decision to travel to Florida and race on one of the most prestigious courses in the Southeast – with Apalachee Regional Park scheduled to host the 2021 NCAA Division 1 Championships in November – was one made with a specific purpose and focus.

“It’s going to be really awesome to have a real event, finally, after all this time, and to do it with a team, not just as an individual or by yourself, but actually to have a group of girls and we can all work together to hopefully score really well as a team and have a ton of fun, too,” Wieland said. “And having that competition, it helps to get faster times, because time trials are great, but it’s just not the same.”

It will also be a group on the starting line in Tallahassee bonded by their ability to handle adversity, with their collective resolve and mental toughness increasing with every workout completed, and every negative COVID test recorded.

“I haven’t really been able to have this chance to run with athletes who are this fast before, especially all of them together, so it’s just been really unique and just a really amazing experience,” Wieland said. “It’s the ability to take hard days and know that it’s not always the end of the world when maybe one little thing happens that isn’t perfect, you’re going to get back up again and you’re going to keep going, and the world is going to keep spinning. To know that and to keep that perspective really helps mentally in training and in life, as well, and I think we’ve done a great job of supporting each other.”