Emily had this to say after her race.
This whole experience has been amazing. The Foot Locker and Nike people have done so much for us. I came in here and wanted to get top 25. I didn\'t know how much potential I really had. I think part of the reason I did so well was because a lot of people doubted me because I didn\'t have that great a season. But this end of the season I really wanted show everyone that I was better than they thought I was.
I started out a little slower than I usually do. I usually go out faster, but since it was a little bit of a hilly course, I thought I\'d go out slower to try to conserve some for the hills. The start and first mile were really hard because everyone was fighting for position. My stride is really long, so it was cutting me off. Once we got to the big hill, it started to spread out more and I got into position and started to really run my own race. I tried to work up through the race, passing people. The second loop, I worked hard coming down the hill and just sprinted the hill to the finish. And I passed two people coming in the little downhill of 100 meters at the finish. It was a good thing I guess, because it was 15th, which is the last all-American spot. I had no idea, I was just hoping for a good place.
I wanted to do Foot Locker this year, because i couldn\'t run last year. It seemed like something that would be really good for my high school career. It takes a lot to get here. Everyone here is amazing,
from first to last, you know how hard they worked to get here. It was fun to get to know the people you\'ve always heard about... people like Aislinn Ryan. I talked with her a lot, and she had a lot to tell me about running -- she knows what she is doing. She talked to me about racing. And I got to talk to Suzy Favor Hamilton, who is one of my idols. She told me to just now worry about anybody else, and that helped me. Sometimes people get caught up and they worry about beating someone in particular, and what you really have to do is go out and run your own race.
Ben had this to say after the race:
I think I could have done better. I had a really bad race today. I just didn\'t feel 100%. I did everything right. It\'s just been a long season and it has taken its toll.
The first mile was pretty quick. I hung on to the leading pack. I got out way too slow and was at the back of the main pack for the first mile. The second mile, going through that hill was tough. I got through the first time all right. Coming down I felt great. But the 2nd time up the hill, it was almost like a walking pace.
Coming down the hill and to the finish I just tried to hang on. I was passed by a couple of people. The two ahead of me were juniors, and so am I. So I\'m looking maybe to win it next year. I would like to have more hill workouts later in the season to help prepare.