Kelly Lynch at Richland
Kelly Lynch is a Senior at Mead High School. Mead High School has remained a national power team, having successfully transitioned a coaching change from Pat Tyson to Steve Kiesel.
The Mead Boys Team is ranked 4thby Dyestat ,NW Region.
Kelly had just finished his sophomore year when the head position change was made.
As with any change, the kinks needed to be ironed out, Kelly feels the transition was smooth, the success of the team with Steve Kiesel’s second year at the helm, is the proof.
Kelly is aware of his position in this years impressive group of top contenders. He is also a patient and deliberate competitor who sees each races with a specific step to make in his climb to this years end game.
He is careful not to take too much to fast, to do what he needs to do to take the right information form the race to allow the next races’ success.
His race plan for the Saturday Oct 6th Richland Invite.
Try to get the best place finish as possible to give the team the best chance to place high in the meet.
Keep ahead of the North Central runners who beat him at Bob Firman Invite, Andy Kimpel and Leon Dean
Stay with the lead pack and work on moving ahead of the teams to beat thru the race.
This race brings a long list of talent to the stat line, if fact the top 20 runners all posted sub 16:00 times in the 3 mile course.
Joey Bywater of Lake Stevens took an early lead, using the long downhill past the first mile, setting up a solid 30 yard lead from the main pack.
Kelly Lynch settled into this pack sizing up Mitchell Brigs of Jackson and Kevin Rosaaen of Wilson. Also in this group Rigoberto Jimenez of Royal and Andy Kimpel and Leon Den of NC.
The job; Stay with the pack, beat the Mead duo, place high for the team
Coming to the 2 mile mark, just approaching the same long downhill Joey used to surge ahead of the pack, Rigoberto Jimenez makes a move, Kelly takes the cue and they both surge ahead of the pack. In this one move, Kelly checks off 3 of his race goals. Kelly felt good and moves ahead leaving Rigoberto who eventually drops to 6th place.
Now the plan changes a bit, 30 yards ahead is Joey Bywater. Kelly Lynch watched this runner outperform his competitors for several years now, before Kelly found himself on the A list, he watched with respect and interest as if trying to learn from the best.
Kelly is at the top of the list of elite Washington performers, he is now an able and deserving competitor of Joey Bywater.
Kelly is a patient and deliberate athlete. He know what it takes to get to top. He know that each level of performance requires a firm footing on the step before. Take one step at a time and don’t skip any. You may need some little bit of information or nerve or self knowledge when you are at the next race.
He was 30 yards behind Joey at the 2 mile point. A fair distance but one possible to shorten. By the 800 he was 20 yards ahead and by the end of the race he was 5 seconds behind Joey.
Kelly finished this race with a plan for the next one, he left the race a few steps closer to the State Meet. He learned a few more things about the other athletes, about himself and about the process to success.
Kelly ran a 15:11 to place second behind Joey Bywater 15:06
Kelly is a Senior at Mead High School
He attended the 2006 State track meet
He has competed in 2 State XC meets and qualified for Borderclash once.