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POST #1 POST #2 POST #3 POST #4
Hello Dyestat!
Rachel's Personal Bests
3 Miles- 17:59
3200- 11:41
1600- 5:14
800- 2:24
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 My name is Rachel Joravsky and I go to Whitney Young, a Chicago Public School on the near- west side of the city. I was born, raised, and currently reside on in Chicago, not random suburb, Illinois. I’ve been running competitively since I was about 13 and I am now going into my senior year of high school. I love running a lot, however it only makes up one of many interests I have. Outside of running I also enjoy theatre (watching it and acting), writing, and I am a big reader. But, since this is a Dyestat blog I will be focusing primarily on any interesting tidbits and happenings that make up my senior year cross country season.
My four years of running at Whitney Young have definitely had its ups and its downs. A few “ups” have been winning cross country, indoor track, and outdoor track at the city level my junior year; qualifying for state cross country freshman year and as a team sophomore and junior year; running a 5:14 at sectionals for track sophomore and junior year and making it down state; and, of course, meeting two life long best friends on. I’ve also had some significant “downs” such as getting tonsillitis sophomore year and being unable to run for a month, and missing qualifying for state track in the 1600 my freshman year by a mere second.
All in all, my running career at Whitney has been a good one despite a few bumps in the road. I cannot believe it is coming to a close which is why I have decided to do this blog to document my last season as a high school cross country runner. I hope you guys enjoy these weekly posts; this is just the first of many.
Shana Tova dyestat viewers! While I was bringing in the New Year with Challah, honey, and family quarrels my team was in Peoria giving a preview of what is to be seen at the 2009 state meet. They put on quite a show ending up with two top 25 finishers (2nd place and 25th) and two PRs. I am proud, impressed, but not at all surprised.
My coach continues to talk about how city schools like us get no respect, how we have tons of nay sayers. I don’t know the extent of this trash talking. I personally don’t have the time or patience to search the web and look at what people who I don’t know have to say about our program. I do know that the times my teammates ran on Saturday are some of the best in the state. I also know that it is my senior year. Now I’ve never been particularly good at math but I can put two and two together. So, seeing as how we have run good times, and that for most of us this is the last year we will be running in high school, I am confident in making the following statement. The Whitney Young Girls Cross Country team is about to beast this year. This city team-- that runs through the smog of the downtown and the industrial zones of the near west side--is going to 1. Take city 2. Qualify for state 3. Finish with several all state runners.
As you can probably see, Saturday’s meet pumped me up, to say the least. I wish I could have been there to experience it all but, hey, religion calls. Anyways, Happy Rosh Shana Dyestat. This is a New Year, a new season, and a new Whitney Young. Get ready.
Hello Dyestat readers. First and foremost, I’m sorry that I have been really inconsistent with my blog. I promised you guys weekly updates, and I’ve only put out two...I have failed you. I mean really? How else are you people supposed to stay up on the riveting drama filled season of The Whitney Young Dolphins, filled with twists, turns, and surprise endings??! I’m kidding obviously, you guys haven’t missed much, and even if there was any really interesting WY Goss I probably wouldn’t be blasting it on this blog. But anyways, this weekend the girls and I got a little taste of summer in October down in Orlando, Florida. Although, we almost died and maintained a perpetual state of stickiness in the sweltering 95 degree weather, I’d say all in all we did pretty well. Personally, my time was not what I would have liked it to be, but hey, when you have first place 20 lb team Mickey Mouse trophy riding back with you in the van, you can’t help but leave with a smile. I mean really who can stay upset about something with Mickey staring at you from the seat over, it’s literally not possible.
It ended up being a really great trip, and although I didn’t achieve the golden brown sun goddess complexion I initially strived for—what would have been a perfect touch for my boho chic, Serena Van der Woodsen homecoming get-up—it was still an awesome time. We bonded, laughed, squabbled when hungry, ate, laughed, debated which park to go to, laughed, shopped, ate again, debated once more on where to go next, marveled at plushies, complained about overpriced food and park memorabilia, gave in and bought more Disney products, laughed, listened to coach’s all knowing wisdom on “optical illusions in movement” while aboard the Disney’s Tower of terror, questioned that wisdom, convinced each other we were getting tan at 4:30 pm, complained about the heat, admired and loved the heat, wore shorts and tank tops, road roller coasters, consumed more food, dreaded returning to the city, complained about long lines, waited in those long lines, struck artsy posh poses, creating Lookbook Chicago runners in Disney world addition, introduced Lookbook childbirth pose to facebook.com, went to bed late, woke up early, and even managed to complete a 1/20th of our homework load on the plane ride back—seriously…best running trip ever!!
So as I freeze at my computer desk in Chicago’s 30 degree weather-- icicles forming at my nose and my fingers numbing from frost bite—I do wish I was back on the sunny streets of Orlando. But I know Florida was only a part of what made our trip so amazing, ultimately it is about the great company and companionship. To quote a teammate “we could of went to Vermont, and we would have had a good time,” (no offense to Vermont residents). This trip was a great way to remember my senior year season, and in 50 years when I am old and grey I won’t recall what my time was or the name of the girl that finished ahead of me, but I will definitely remember the shenanigans that took place with my girls after the race.
p.s I will be posting pictures soon. Also for those who don’t know Lookbook.com is an artsy clothing website, and let’s just say that WY has given the site a new meaning.
 For me, Sectionals 2009 will always be thought of as the day that I ran 2.5 miles with only one shoe. There is no better way to remember one of the most climactic races of my Cross Country season than with mud stained legs and a soggy left foot. However, things weren’t always this way. There was time on Saturday, October 31st that I wore a pair of light, winged racing spikes, just like the rest of the girls in the race. I started off strong, my shoes harmoniously working together—right foot, left foot, right foot, left foot. I ran near the front of the pack, my breathing was fluid, and my legs were loose. All in all, it felt like it was going to be a good day for Rachel Joravsky. Then tragedy struck, as some girl stepped on my left heal, leaving my spike half on my foot and half off. Ahhh, I was so angry. I yelled an obscenity that is far too inappropriate to say, or rather write, on Dyestat.com. For a couple of meters I ran with my shoe half on. It was quite a struggle, I mean it’s hard enough walking with your shoe like that, but running with your shoe hanging on by a thread is virtually impossible. I sighed, shook my head, and effortlessly kicked off my spike. 
At first, running with one shoe wasn’t that bad. It was actually quite liberating; I felt like a wild hominid silently stalking my prey in the marshes of Niles West high school. Then, I hit the puddles—my liberation was over! I went from strong nature woman to wet homeless person in less then 5 seconds. Going through puddles in spikes is enough; splashing through mud in socks enters a whole other level of discomfort. Not only was my foot freezing, but I had absolutely no traction. I slipped and fell at the southwest corner of the course, and got up damp and fuming. I was ready to turn around and slug whoever was behind me. Of course I didn’t, I was way too tired for that, and furthermore, I didn’t have the balance to do a quick 360 in the mud.
So, I stuck it out and continued my race. Clearly delusional from anger, I pondered if it was possible to contract frostbite from running through puddles in 40 degree weather, and I prayed that the field had been cleared of the goose poop that was there last Tuesday. Luckily, in the end it all worked out: I finished with a decent time that was faster than what I’d run my last two years at Sectionals (which makes me wonder…perhaps I should always run with only one shoe); best of all, my team, finished 2nd; and I got my left spike back--now I can wear them as a pair at state.  Wow, what a fairytale ending, I finished the race, made it down state, and my spikes are once again a happy couple. I can see this as a plot line for a movie entitled “My Shoeless Endeavors.” I’ll write it up as a screen play and have Coach Geiger sell the rights to Disney next year when the team returns for the WALT DISNEY WORLD® Cross Country Classic. But seriously, shoe or no shoe, Whitney Young is returning to Peoria next Saturday, and we have never been more ready.
I’m being somewhat sincere here. Although I didn’t PR at the Niles West Sectional race, I still feel strangely accomplished. For one, my team made it down state. I am running in Peoria for the fourth year in a row. Two, I did better this year, shoeless, than I did my Sophmore and Junior year—you have to wonder should I perhaps always run with only one shoe. And third, my team got second place. All in all it was a good day, despite and I am sure that because of my shoeless circumstances I will remember this Saturday for years to come. |
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