A flash, not a flash in the pan

Frank Lagrimanta opened the 2006 cross country season as if he were chasing something that barely eluded him the year before.

The Timberlake High senior won at the Post Falls River Run two weeks ago, beating 2004 5A state champion Michael Armon of Coeur d’Alene. He followed the win up last Saturday by winning at the Coaster Cross at Silverwood, topping 2005 5A state champ Sawyer Bosch of Borah.

So it could be argued that Lagrimanta, the 3A state champ last year, is the top runner in the state regardless of classification. But that’s not the statement Lagrimanta was trying to make.

“I think a lot of people thought I was a fluke last year,” Lagrimanta said. “I wanted to prove myself in the state and not just in 3A.”

Lagrimanta understands why some may have thought he was a flash in the pan a year ago. After all, he went into his junior season, his first in cross country, with no mileage base from the summer. In fact, he debated whether he would turn out for cross country at all.

He finally came out three weeks late. He didn’t have enough practices to run in Timberlake’s first meet. His debut came at the Coaster Cross. His time was 17 minutes, 5 seconds.

But after winning the state title last fall and then taking gold in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters and running the anchor leg on the winning medley relay at state track last spring, Lagrimanta decided to get serious about running this summer. He logged 553 miles.

So what difference does training make? Consider that Lagrimanta finished the flat 3.1-mile course at Silverwood in 15:43 – 82 seconds faster than he did a year ago.

“He’s very gifted,” Timberlake coach Shawn Lawler said.

“He’s a stud, the real deal,” Armon said. “He deserves a lot more credit than he’s given. He’s shortchanged a little being at a 3A school. He’s not a fluke at all.”

What impressed Bosch was Lagrimanta’s throttle-to-the-ground approach from the start of the race until the finish.

“It was really gutsy. He pushed it from the start,” said Bosch, who finished 3 seconds behind Lagrimanta. “I thought he was going to slow down eventually. But he never did. He never let me pass him.”

Lagrimanta’s biggest challenges this year are likely behind him. He could throw it into cruise control the rest of the season, especially in 3A. But he won’t. He only knows one style – run as fast as he can until he hits the finish line.

So Lagrimanta has had to come up with an artificial challenge of sorts to push himself until the end of the season. He wants to match the state titles and times of Bonners Ferry graduate Forest Braden, who captured two 3A state cross country titles and several individual state titles in track.

Braden, an All-American and fifth-year senior at Boise State University, won the cross country title his senior year by 1:12.

“He told me my times are a little faster than his right now than when he was a senior,” said Lagrimanta, who met Braden at the Flathead Lake Distance Running Camp in Montana this summer. “Getting to meet him was really inspiring.”

Lagrimanta and Braden raced against each other this summer at the Rathdrum Fun Run, a 5-kilometer race. Lagrimanta jumped out to a quick lead the first mile, but Braden closed strong to finish in 15:58, 21 seconds ahead of Lagrimanta.

“It was good to see his back while I finished,” Lagrimanta said. “He’s one of the top (collegiate) runners in the nation.”

Lagrimanta also met Montana State University coach Dale Kennedy at the camp. Kennedy made a home visit in July. Lagrimanta has an interest in civil engineering and said the only college he’s looking at right now is MSU.

“He said I’m at the top of his list,” Lagrimanta said. “I have a feeling I’ll get a call from him soon.”

It’s something about beating the last two State 5A champs that brings immediate credibility.