In the entire history of VA distance running there have been many great runners. We have had Sarah Bowman (Brown), Erin Keogh, Weini Kelati, Aurora Scott, and the list keeps going on. But right now it is a year where we potentially have three of the greatest five distance stars ever in VA all running in their final XC State Meet.
Kate Murphy's Athlete Profile
These three superstars and some of the greatest athletes ever for VA are Libby Davidson, Rachel McArthur, and Kate Murphy. They combine for over 20 individual state titles in just three years meaning that have averaged seven state titles between them every year they have been in high school.
Rachel McArthur's Athlete Profile
This Saturday all three will be in action just one last time as they attempt to each win another state title and shatter the old state meet course record. That course record is 17:14 run in 2014 by Libby Davidson. This year will of course be the year to break it tough. Both 6A and 4A will be running on Saturday which means a firm fast course. It also looks like the weather will cooperate and that of course means we should have the shortest grass in three years making for the perfect combination.
This Saturday will be the day the course record is lowered below 17 minutes. When you have all these factors and the fact two of these girls will race each other it just means you gotta be ready for some fast times.
Each of these athletes is talented in their own ways. Libby may not be the track superstar but she is a XC beast. She has finished 6th twice at Foot Locker Nationals and is looking for a big win this year out in San Diego. She also holds the state meet record and let's not forget is actually a sneaky good track runner as well.
Libby Davidson's Athlete Profile
Libby is definitely better at the longer distances but this past indoor season she finished as the national runner-up in the two mile and ran one of the fastest 4x800s ever in Virginia history. It is only fitting to know that even if Kate and Rachel break the meet record, she will be the final athlete out on the course this year with 4A running last. It is up to her to keep her record.
Overall Libby has run 16:56 for XC 5K's and 16:40 for the 5K indoors.
Rachel, just like Libby, has been a star for quite some time in the state. Just hours after Caroline Alcorta left it seems, Rachel jumped right into the spotlight by winning the 2014 6A State title. She did so over Kate Murphy who was the runner-up. She crossed the line in 17:43 and would go on two weeks later to run 17:16 to win NXR-SE.
Last year was going to be huge but you can never know or choose when injuries will strike. Unfortunately she was beset with injuries nearly all season and it really caught up with her late in the season. Despite being injured though she was on pace to run 20 seconds faster than she had previously done which meant, healthy last year she was in 16:56 shape.
Though that really stunk last year having her miss states, it creates the most epic storyline this year as she will return as a defending champion since she has yet to defend or lose her state title. She will of course be facing off with another defending state champion in Kate Murphy.
Kate Murphy, though equal to both of these girls on paper for XC, has risen to another level of stardom thanks to her gritty will to win in the Mile and 1500. She was not a superstar her freshman year or even early in her sophomore campaign but by the end of outdoors that year she was a bona fide superstar. She went on to run 4:07 for the 1500 and 9:10 for 3K last year. She even made it to the Olympic Trials Semi-final this past year. She has run 17:11 this year and 16:34 for 3 Miles. She is well on pace to run 16:50 this year.
She says she is a track runner but her story is the same as the other two... she may have some weaknesses but lets be honest, all three of these girls are really good at all distance and middle distance running. They are strong athletes and each of them could compete for a state title in anything 500m and up.
Simply put, each has their strong point and a valid case for being the best of the three. No matter who you cheer for or want to win this weekend, it is amazing and we are lucky to have all three at the same time. This meet will be an end to a dynasty of these three but also the perfect opportunity to run fast enough so that we never forget this weekend.