This weekend, on Nov. 9, runners Ean Thielbar and Ariel Kirkpatrick will be representing FHN in the Cross Country State Finals in Jefferson City. They are led

by head coach Sean Fowler. Both Thielbar and Kirkpatrick give their coaches a lot of credit for making them into State competitors.

“My focus is on getting them ready,” Coach Fowler said. “It all depends on what they want to hear, or where they are.”

Thielbar is a senior, and he has been running since he was a freshman. Kirkpatrick is a junior, and has also been running since she was a freshman. They have both had their best season yet. Kirkpatrick has set personal records each race and has dropped 50 sec. off of her best time, while Thielbar has beaten some of the best runners that he has faced and has had some of his best times yet. Even with their success this season, both runners are very nervous for the State Finals.

“I’ve never been to State before, so I’m more nervous than excited,” Thielbar said. “But since I have my friends and Ariel, it gives me confidence.”

Kirkpatrick said something similar on the subject.

“I’m excited, but I’m very nervous too because I’ve never run State before,” Kirkpatrick said apprehensively. “I’m just really glad my team is going with me. Having them there will make me push myself even more.”

Both Thielbar and Kirkpatrick have been training and running hard all season.  That is how they managed to become one of the top 30 runners in the state of their gender and compete in the State Finals. Thielbar ran a 17:30 in Sectionals, and place 26 in his division. Kirkpatrick ran a 20:35, and placed 23. They and the coaches agreed that their training has been very difficult, but the runners have done well this season, and they should do well at State. Kirkpatrick’s main goal was to make State, and all she wants to do at State is compete and do her best. As long as she does that she’ll consider it a good day. Thielbar’s goal for State is to beat his teammate Brandon Chac’s time of 18.05 from last year’s State competition.

“State is just like every other meet,” Thielbar said positively. “You’ve go to treat it like any other meet in order to not freak out.”

Thielbar has been treating it just like he has each of the previous meets this season. He has not varied his training all season, and his consistency is how he thinks he made it to State. Kirkpatrick has also had the same training all season, and has remained a consistently good runner this season. Their consistency, though, doesn’t mean that they’ll do well. Running can be very unpredictable. Injuries can happen at any time, so they can never know how well they’ll run on any given day.

“Everyone trains. Everyone competes,” Coach Fowler said. “And it all depends on how you run that day.”