Last Friday’s Fall Finale was like a lot of our Fall Finales: low 30s and gray skies going quickly to nightfall, our last finisher nearly in the dark. We tip our hats to those like-minded programs which look for a late-season racing opportunity for those not in their top seven: Gustavus, Hamline, Bethel, Martin Luther College, and the University of Minnesota (running unattached this time around). Thanks for coming again this year.

For the real old-timers (pre 1996) who never took part as a competitor or as an official (our top seven every year), it goes like this. The Fall Finale is six days after the conference meet. If we still have daylight saving time, we start at 5:00 PM. If not, as this year, we start at 4:30 and hope nobody gets stuck in the woods after dark.

The race starts on Water Tower Road, between the Prep School and the water towers. The women’s 5K starting line is 30 meters behind the men’s 8K starting line. At the gun, both men and women head for the driveway that drops below the Prep School dormitory, cross the Prep soccer field, and then take a right at the Chapel Trail. After about 500 meters on the Chapel Trail, take the trail which brings you right to the back of the Prep School. Take a left onto the sidewalk which wraps around the Prep School and goes back to Water Tower Road. Now up the “Upper Entrance Road” toward the foot bridge, but take a right to enter the trail where the old SJU Invite course re-entered the woods. Onto that trail and come out on the road behind the Prep School softball field dugouts. Take a right and head back to the entrance road. Take a left and back toward the start. Repeat. The second lap, however, includes a 545 meter loop on the grassy field below the Prep School before getting on the Chapel Trail.

Women run a shorter variation: only one Prep School loop but two consecutive loops on the north end. Men and women use the same finish chute, then we hand out results and top ten tee-shirts at the indoor track.

There is a lot of positive energy. Although the course is 60 percent asphalt, it twice climbs from the lake to the water tower. An honest 8000 meters which runs, I think, about 15 seconds faster than the Como 8K. A chance for a fast time. A lot of fans in a somewhat confined area with the women finishing in one direction while the men run the opposite way. Intimate and hectic. Steve Plasencia first brought his Gophers to the race in 2006. The next day, at the State Meet, he told me “I really liked the collegiality”. Yes.

You can Find Fall Finale and all other results at gojohnnies.com, but a quick shout out to senior Sam Cruz, our first finisher in 26:57. I believe Andy Clasen has Saint John’s best ever Fall Finale time at 26:15 in 2010. If I am incorrect, I’m certain Andy will let us know. Alumni are always welcome. Todd Hierlmaier (2001) and Sam Friesen (2017) joined the fray last week.

Next up: Saturday’s NCAA III Central Regional at Wartburg College, Waverly, Iowa. 11 AM. Wish us well as we do you.

The Fall Finale

By Stewart Pidrimes

The geese fly south, the geese fly low

November’s come, their time to go

Leaves turn red, yellow, brown

Fallen, deep, upon the ground

With blue sky we are rare blessed

Winter soon will be our guest

But not yet done, we toe the line

To run the hillsides one last time

Running tall and looking good