On Saturday, Jan. 10, the Whidbey Island Running Club traveled to Magnuson Park, on Lake Washington, for the last cross-country meet of the season.

This 3000-meter cross country race was different from previous events because runners, regardless of age, ran together. Parents of the WIRC runners were able to run alongside their kids and share in a fun experience. Adding to the enjoyment, for some, was a course turned into a muddy slip n’ slide due to heavy rains the previous week.

WIRC runners Caley Powers, age 13, Dakota Powers, age 11, along with 12-year-olds Samuel Rosson and John Rodeheffer, used the older harriers in the field of 221 to their advantage. Rodeheffer found himself amidst a string of 20-something men who fired him on to an 18th-place overall finish, and first in the mens 15 and under age group with a time of 10:40.1. Caley Powers couldn’t hold back WIRC assistant coach Bill Rodeheffer who had a time of 10:46.9, but held off two runners from the Rain City Flyers of Seattle to capture second place in the mens 15 and under division. Dakota Powers finished fifth and Rosson raced to a 10-second personal record finishing sixth in a time of 11:57.4.

Navigating the churned-up course were first-time racers, Josh Eliasen and Dane Caveness, age 8, Gabe King, age 6 and 10-year-old Miguel Guzman. Guzman finished 18th in the mens 15 and under, Caveness was 19th, Eliasen 20th and King finished in 22nd place.

Representing Whidbey Island Running Club in her first off-season meet was 17-year-old Claire Trepanier who found the footing difficult, but ran a time of 13:14.4 to capture ninth place in the high school girls division. In the womens 15 and under, 9-year-old Laura Rodeheffer placed 5th in a time of 14:02.6. Fourteen-year-old Christina Wicker was 6th, Kaitlyn Chelberg, age 9, finished 7th, Carolyn Wicker, age 10, was 10th and 8-year-old Megan Keating 13th.

The club’s next competition is Feb. 7 in Seattle on a two-mile track at Nathan Hale High School.