October 26, 2018 at 1:10 p.m.
Flory's finale
Hodag senior prepares to finish high school cross country career at state meet
Flory's finale
Flory will be part of the field of 150-plus runners who will answer the gun this afternoon at the WIAA Division 2 state cross country meet in Wisconsin Rapids. Flory made it as an individual qualifier - his time of 17 minutes, 4 seconds last weekend in Freedom was fast enough for fourth place in the sectional race.
At practice this week, Flory said he's ready for his high school finale, but hopes that it won't be the final cross country race of his career.
"Obviously, I want to go and run as well as I can," he said. "I might be looking to run in college. That's something, I want to appeal to some coaches who are watching."
Both Flory and coach M.J. Laggis pointed to a race Sept. 27 in Waupaca as the turning point of the season. Flory had been running well up until that point, but finished fifth that night with a time (17:39.3) that would have been fast enough to qualify for the state meet in the sectional held at that venue in 2017.
"I think I was just in that good of shape," Flory said. "I've never felt this good during my whole cross country career. The mix of Laggis and coach (Melissa) Krueger working together this year has worked really well. During the Waupaca race is when I realized I felt as good as I did. From then on I felt amazing during the races and I was able to push myself."
Flory parlayed that form into fourth-place finishes in each of his last three starts - Oct. 6 at Tomahawk, Oct. 13 in Rhinelander for the Great Northern Conference meet and last Saturday in Freedom.
With that in mind, Laggis said he and Flory have taken the same approach in training this week. Monday consisted of some weight training and an approximately a four-mile run. Tuesday was a track workout, Wednesday was eight-to-10 miles on a stationary bike. Thursday was a light jog and yesterday was a short tour of The Ridges course prior to today's meet.
"We've kind of stuck with our plan," Laggis said. "It's that taper time of year and we're really trying to mirror last week because he (set a personal record) and he peaked at the right time perfectly. We just want to get it going another week."
"You don't want to change it up too much," Flory added. "Obviously, it's a little more tame than in past weeks because I'm at peak performance right now. It's nice, right now, to be doing what I'm used to."
It's part of a plan that has worked all year for Flory, who said he owes his success this year to the efforts of the RHS coaching staff - Laggis and Krueger.
"From the first practice, they knew my goal was to make it to state and they did everything they possibly could to make that a reality," he said. "I appreciate that so much. It's been great to have them both for the whole season."
While this is Flory's first run in Wisconsin Rapids, he comes in with a working knowledge of the venue and atmosphere having watched former teammate Alayna Franson compete at state in 2016 and 2017.
"I loved watching Alayna run at state and every year it pushed me to want to make state even more," Flory said. "To know that I get to run there, finally, is a pretty amazing feeling."
The Ridges lives up to its name, when it comes to undulation. The course features two 50-plus-foot climbs during the second and third miles of the race. It will be a different test for Flory following three relatively flat circuits in Tomahawk, Rhinelander and Freedom. With that in mind, Flory's readjusted his time goal for Saturday's race.
"Having gone to watch Alayna, I've seen the hills," he said. "I was looking at the stats and I'm just going to try to finish upper-middle of the pack and try to push myself to finish maybe 17:30, 17:40, somewhere in there."
The goal, according to both Flory and Laggis, is to aim to finish in the top third of the field. Flory's target time would put him close to that mark. A time of 17:30 would have placed 57th in last year's D2 state race.
"He's going to rise to the occasion," Laggis said. "He's going to have a great race strategy - we always do and he follows it. With him, it's not about setting the strategy. He know's what he's going to do and you just affirm everything he's going to do. He's going to go out and run a race. I'm just excited to see all his efforts pay off."
Laggis admitted Saturday's race will be bittersweet for him. It will not be the last time he coaches Flory - that coach-player relationship will continue in boys' hockey this winter - but similar to what Alayna Franson meant to the RHS cross country team last year as a senior leader, Flory has carried that mantle this season.
"The thing I've been talking to our younger runners about is that they've had the benefit of hanging with Bridger all year and running with him. They've warmed up with him, watched him race," Laggis said. "Now it's their chance, over the next two years, to be a leader for another kid. And that's how we grow the program."
The D2 state cross country race will begin at 1:10 this afternoon.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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