The times turned in by Hanne Thomsen (16:11), Jude DeVries (14:52) and Tiernan Colby (15:08) for the 3 mile course at the Rancho Invitational are mind blowing.
The fastest 3 mile times reported in the nation so far to athletic.net this season are 14:53-boys, 17:05-girls.
The RC Invitational is run on the Rancho Cotate campus and is basically a flat course making it faster than most.
In 1992 the course was run at 2.75 miles and stayed that way until 2008 when it was lengthened to 2.97 miles.
The race was actually named the Rancho Cotate Invitational in 1993.
The 2.97 mile course was used through 2019 but 2020 and 2021 were lost to the covid pandemic.
This year the course was forced to have to change again and is measured at 3.00 miles.
Many of the greatest runners from this area have toed the line on one of the three courses.
Rancho Cotate Invitational
2.75 miles 1993-2006
2.97 miles 2008-2019
3.00 miles 2022-
Although the course has changed over the years I thought it would be fun to make a list by the mile pace the runners ran.
Thomsen, DeVries and Colby all ran at a faster pace than anyone before. See below.
Very few girls in the nation can even hold Thomsen’s pace for two miles much less three.
Girls
pace distance time
5:23.7 3.00 16:11 Hanne Thomsen, Montgomery 2022
5:26.5 2.75 14:58 Julia Stamps, Santa Rosa 1996, 1994 National Champion
5:36.0 2.75 15:24 Phylis Blanchard, Rancho Cotate 2003, NCS I Champion 2002
5:40.0 2.75 15:35 Sara Bei, Montgomery 1999, National Champion 2000
5:44.4 2.97 17:03 Jacque Taylor, Casa Grande 2009, State Division II Champion 2009
5:45.5 2.75 15:50 Jenny Aldridge, Maria Carrillo 1999, NCS II Champion 2001
5:51.3 2.75 16:06 Trina Cox, Santa Rosa 1998, State I Champion 1997
5:52.9 2.97 17:28 Julie Nacouzi, Montgomery 2009, 2nd State Division II 2009
5:53.5 2.75 16:12 Kim Conley, Montgomery 2003, Olympic Team 2012
5:53.9 2.97 17:31 Rylee Bowen, Sonoma Academy 2014, Runner of Year 2014
5:57.1 2.75 16:22 Jacque Taylor, Casa Grande 2006, Runner of Year 2006
5:58.6 2.75 16:26 Amy Robinson, Maria Carrillo 2002, Co-Runner of Year 2004
5:59.9 2.97 17:49 Lauren Kraus, Maria Carrillo 2011
Boys
pace distance time
4:57.3 3.00 14:52 Jude DeVries, Montgomery 2022
5:02.7 3.00 15:08 Tiernan Colby, Sonoma Academy 2022
5:03.0 2.97 15:00 Hugh Dowdy, Petaluma 2009
5:03.3 2.75 13:58 Steve Laurie, Maria Carrillo 1998, NCS III Champion 1998
5:05.4 2.97 15:07 Brian Schulz, El Molino 2016
5:05.8 2.75 14:01 Brian Cole, St Helena 2006, Co-Runner of Year 2006
5:06.7 2.97 15:11 Sterling Lockert, Petaluma 2008, 101 degrees, Runner of Year 2008
5:06.7 2.97 15:11 Forrest Shaffer, Petaluma 2010
5:07.7 2.97 15:14 Ryan Douglas, Petaluma 2012
5:08.0 2.75 14:07 Celedonio Rodriguez, Elsie Allen 1998, State III Champion 1998
5:08.0 2.75 14:07 Blake McDowall, Montgomery 2006, Co-Runner of Year 2006
5:08.4 2.97 15:16 Efren Reyes, Piner 2012
5:08.8 2.97 15:17 Luca Mazzanti, Santa Rosa 2016, Runner of Year 2016
5:09.1 2.97 15:18 Daniel Pride, Santa Rosa 2015, Runner of Year 2015
5:09.8 2.97 15:20 Reesey Byers, Santa Rosa 2009, Runner of Year 2009
5:09.8 2.75 14:12 Sterling Lockert, Petaluma 2006
Here is a quick look at the races that produced the old course records.
September 6, 1996
Julia Stamps had already won the National Championship two seasons earlier and kicked off her senior season setting a time of 14:58 on the 2.75 mile course.
The boys race was won in 14:49 and the closest girl to her was teammate Trina Cox at 17:01 who would be the Cross Country Division I the following year.
September 14, 1998
Steve Laurie would run the 2.75 mile course in 13:58 to defeat Celedonio Rodriguez in 14:07.
Laurie would be the NCS III Champion that year but Rodriguez would take the State division III title.
September 4, 2009
For the 2.97 mile course that ran from 2008 to 2019 both the boys and girls records would be set in 2009.
Hugh Dowdy crossed in 15:00 to beat Reesey Byers 15:20. Byers would go on to win the Runner of Year for 2009 and be the first to break 9 minutes in 3200 meter run for the Redwood Empire that spring.
In the girls race Jacque Taylor would break her own course record (17:47) clocking 17:03.
Julie Nacouzi would place second in 17:28.
Taylor would finish the year as the State Division II Champion with Nacouzi taking second.
Photos by Dave DeSelle at the 2009 Rancho meet.
