KC’s Harrison speeds to Shiprock Invite win

SHIPROCK

Kashon Harrison knows only one speed – fast.

Even though the Kirtland Central junior finished first at the Shiprock Chieftain Cross-Country Invitational nearly a minute ahead of the next runner in a time of 15:16.4, Harrison knew he was could do more.

“It’s just speed (that I need to work on),” he said. “It’s enough, but really it’s not.”

Harrison had a solid start despite a last minute change in the course due to weather-related problems. He said the change had no affect on his performance.

“It was OK, it didn’t matter at all,” he said. “It was pretty fast, I got a good start.”

Harrison took his rightful place at the front of the pack early and kept the lead throughout the race.

“I wanted to have that mentality to keep going, keep pushing myself,” he said.

As Harrison neared the finish line, the second runner had barely entered the football stadium.

Harrison said he was happy with his win but even happier to lead his team. He said it was also his best race yet. He said his time before the race was around a 15:30.

“I’m doing pretty good,” he said. “I got a lot of energy and I’m pretty much helping my team out.”

Miyamura’s Ty McCray was leading the third and fourth runners, Chinle’s Josiah Tsosie and Isaiah Honyumptewa, but with 200 meters left to go they went shoulder to shoulder. Tsosie was the one who caught McCray at the finish line for second place.

Tsosie thanked his teammate, Honyumptewa.

“We’ve been having a competition since junior high,” Tsosie said. “We don’t like to lose to one another, so he pushed me. When he took off I went after him.
“Then we started closing the gap on the Miyamura guy,” he said. “I knew it was going to be a sprint between me and my teammate, but he fell a little bit behind.

I knew the Miyamura guy was close enough, so I just kicked whatever I had left and then I pulled out second place.”

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