O'Laughlin and Lalumandier lead the way at the Runnin' Red Invite

Katie Lalumandier and Ian O'Laughlin run during Saturday's Runnin' Red Invite
PHOTOS / ALEX STAAB

Metamora, Ill. - It wasn't exactly the most convential way to run the 44th Annual Runnin' Red Cross Country Invitational at Metamora's Black Partridge Park, but with the COVID-19 pandemic still active, the races found themselves split into two days.

Once Saturday came around, it was finally the turns for the Lady Runnin' Red and Runnin' Red to take it to their home course. 

For the girls side of things, once the race got into a comfortable spot after the start, a group of three began to pull away, featuring two girls from Eureka and one from Bloomington. Beyond that was Lady Runnin' Red junior Katie Lalumandier. 

After being in that position when the groups first became visible in the central area of the course, those places essentially stuck. With Lalumandier having more space between her and that pack, she says it can be hard to truly determine whether or not she likes it that way.

"I definitely like the pressure of having someone on. It makes me go faster. It's (the space between the top 3) easier, but to run fast, you have to have that pack with you."

The 10th place finish and a time of 18:57 is something that Lalumandier comes away happy with.

The fourth race of the day saw the Runnin' Red absolutely dominate. Metamora was responsible for five of the top nine. For those unfamiliar with how the sport works, the top five runners count towards your team score, and the lowest score wins. 

Ian O'Laughlin, a senior for Metamora, established an early lead, but it wasn't the biggest of leads by any stretch. Right behind him was teammate and fellow senior, Hunter Roedell. O'Laughlin and Roedell stuck together for nearly the entire race before O'Laughlin pulled away late and won not just their division but the entire Runnin' Red Invite with an impressive 15:01 official time. 

51st year Head Coach Gene Jones says that, although O'Laughlin didn't break the 15-minute mark, he's quite pleased with how he ran today's race.

"It's usually this meet that someone gets on that list," he said, referencing an all-time top times list the program keeps track of for the course. "With the boys list, you've got to break 14:45 to even get on our Top 25 list. That (breaking 15 minutes) was his goal," Jones continued.

O'Laughlin thought that with the modified race setup, he was able to take advantage to a degree.

"It's good being able to go in group three, so we can see the times before us, so then I have an idea of what we need to run," the senior said. O'Laughlin did also note the possibility of the fourth group having a "outstanding performance", but says that having two groups to play off the times of is better than zero. 

With O'Laughlin, as mentioned, having pulled away late in his race, he says he prefers a more grouped together race.

"It's definitely nice, space-wise. I do prefer being packed in more, that way you can get out and know where all the competition is."

Next week, the Runnin' Red and Lady Runnin' Red will be part of the 2020 Mid-Illini Conference Cross Country Meet at the legendary course of Detweiler Park in Peoria. Races are taking place on Friday, October 16th. It's a race that Coach Jones is looking forward to. A race that features the headlining matchup of Ian O'Laughlin versus Wilson Georges from Limestone, someone Jones refers to as "an excellent, excellent runner". 

The duo are familiar with each other, competing since grade school. They're raced in the same race twice this fall, with Georges finishing first in both. 

It's been quite the strange season, but Katie Lalumandier adds that it's one of those things where you have to "go with the flow". 

Everyone went with the flow, and the two days of the Runnin' Red Invite were a success. 

However, it's not the last race at Black Partridge Park this season. Per Coach Jones, the Runnin' Red are also hosting the Regional Meet on October 24th. Detweiler Park will get to hold a major postseason race, just not the State Finals. Peoria Notre Dame hosts the Sectional Meet on October 31st.

Metamora senior Ian O'Laughlin runs during Saturday's Runnin' Red Invite while Dad
 (Metamora Superintendent Sean O'Laughlin) looks on. PHOTO / ALEX STAAB

Top 10 Girls Individuals:

  1. Anna Perry (Eureka - Jr. - 17:22.3)
  2. Ali Ince (Normal Community - Fr. - 17:23)
  3. Alexi Fogo (Eureka - Sr. - 17:41.9)
  4. Kaitlin Skeate (Bloomington - Sr. - 17:53.2)
  5. Lyndsey Wolters (Normal U-High - Sr. - 17:56.2)
  6. Emma Skinner (Morton - Jr. - 17:57.6)
  7. Maria Stedwill (Peoria Notre Dame - So. - 18:14.9)
  8. Eleanor Fournier (Canton - Sr. - 18:27.9)
  9. Lauren Sanderson (Normal Community - 18:45.3)
  10. Katie Lalumandier (Metamora - Jr. - 18:57.4)
Top 10 Boys Individuals: 
  1. Ian O'Laughlin (Metamora - Sr. - 15:01)
  2. Hunter Roedell (Metamora - Sr. - 15:18.8)
  3. Josh Weeks (Morton - Fr. - 15:29.7)
  4. Cade Zobrist (Morton - Jr. - 15:45.3)
  5. Jackson Ward (Washington - Jr. - 15:48.6)
  6. Stan Melkumian (Macomb - Sr. - 15:55.9)
  7. Tommy Murray (Riverdale - So. - 15:57.7)
  8. Yonas Wuthrich (Morton - Fr. - 15:58.4)
  9. Henry Welsh (Dunlap - So. - 15:59.6)
  10. Drae Heiple (Pekin - Sr. - 16:00.4)
Top 10 Girls Teams:
  1. Normal Community (82)
  2. Eureka (83)
  3. Peoria Notre Dame (131)
  4. Morton (149)
  5. Dunlap (157)
  6. Normal U-High (191)
  7. Pekin (192)
  8. Metamora (205)
  9. Geneseo (206)
  10. Washington (207)
Top 10 Boys Teams:
  1. Metamora (57)
  2. Morton (87)
  3. Pekin (119)
  4. Dunlap (166)
  5. Normal U-High (191)
  6. Peoria Notre Dame (198)
  7. Dee-Mack (211)
  8. Normal West (217)
  9. El Paso-Gridley (224)
  10. Washington (229)

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