A week after the AAU National XC Championships in Tallahassee, Florida where young runner Greyson Romero, from the Penguin XC and Track Club, won the national championship in the 7 to 8-year-old age group, Romero caught a plane, with his dad, to Louisville, Kentucky, laced up his racing spikes one more time to compete in the USATF Junior Olympic XC Championships.
Romero was going to try and achieve a great feat, so in a bid for immortality amongst the running gods, he wanted a shot at a second national championship, just one week apart from each other.
It was hosted at the same course that the Adams State men’s and women’s teams competed at on Sept. 30th, Tom Sawyer State Park.
Some say that runners are glutton’s for pain, and the Penguin Cross Country runner, Greyson Romero fits this example perfectly. He was the only Penguin from the San Luis Valley representing the club at the USATF Junior National Meet. He did not disappoint any of us, as he ran to win, showing great pride and fearlessness.
As the race was going to begin, all 267 runners, 7 and 8-year-olds lined the starting line. Romero was considered one of the favorites along with the returning champion, Deshawn Turner of Las Vegas, Nevada and a couple others that were mentioned.
The weather was great, compared to the week before in Tallahassee where it poured rain all day. Louisville was calling for rain and possible tornadoes, but not until the late morning early or afternoon hours.
The race began at 9:40 a.m. EST, as the leaders and favorites shot out to the front of the race. Turner, Romero, and a few others were amongst those favorites. The 2k race was a hot pace from the gun. Romero’s coach told him not to take the lead at the beginning but to just hang in the lead pack and let the others duke it out in the beginning. He told him to try to stay relaxed till the halfway mark of the race.
That is what the young runner did to near perfection. At about the halfway mark, Romero took command and started to break up the pack. He had a couple meters lead, but right at the mile mark, Turner pulled up beside Romero and it appeared to be a two-runner race with 400 meters to go.
Romero drew first blood with about 300 meters left and started to sprint for the finish. Turner responded with his own sprint, and as the lead vehicle pulled off the course to the side, Romero was a little confused and followed the Gator lead vehicle and had to almost stop and side step the vehicle and continue his sprint to the finish.
Turner was not fazed by the vehicle mishap and took a lead and would finish in 6 minutes, 54 seconds. Romero tried to gain his stride back to get to the finish and cross the line in 2nd place, but he was caught right at the line finishing in 6:57.55 nipped at the end by Hernandez of California in 6:57.51.
We are proud of Greyson’s effort and courage. He nearly pulled off a tremendous feat, and his parents, coaches and his teammates are inspired because of his accomplishments.
Because of his efforts, Greyson’s parents were contacted recently by the USATF Colorado organization and he will be recognized as the outstanding 8 and under male Colorado USATF Athlete of the Year, not only in cross country but track and field for 2023.
The 3rd Annual Colorado USATF Awards Celebration will take place in Denver on Jan. 27th, 2024.
The Penguins would like to thank all their supporters, fans, parents, runners and coaches for all their hard work and dedication and a special thanks for helping to fundraise for club expenses. The Penguins hope to keep achieving great accomplishments, making fond memories and having fun!