Monta Vista High School made history on Friday, September 6th, hosting its first-ever 3200 Madness! run. This event brought together the cross-country teams from Lynbrook Vikings, Santa Clara Bruins, and our Monta Vista Matadors for a unique three-way distance running competition.
The day unfolded with seven thrilling heats of 3200-meter races – two for girls and five for boys – each featuring 15 to 30 athletes. Instead of traditional FS/JV/Varsity divisions, we sorted runners by projected race times, ensuring each heat was as competitive as possible.
Our Monta Vista athletes shone brightly, with Anika Bhandarkar and Tanay Parikh setting the pace for the day. Anika blazed through her race in 11:46, claiming the top time for girls, while Tanay led the boys with an impressive 9:50 mark. But the excitement didn’t stop there. Boys’ Heat 4 provided edge-of-your-seat drama as Isaac Yan clinched victory after a fierce last-lap battle with Jonah Chang. Together, they overtook a leading pack of Lynbrook and Santa Clara runners in what proved to be the day’s most competitive heat – the top seven runners finished within ten seconds of each other!
By the end of the day, Monta Vista had secured three individual heat wins, with Santa Clara and Lynbrook each claiming two. When scored as a cross-country meet, Lynbrook teams took first place in both boys’ and girls’ races, with Monta Vista securing second place. Complete results for every runner are available on XCStats for those interested in the details. Heat by heat results are also posted.
But beyond the times and placings, what truly made 3200 Madness! special was the opportunity it provided our athletes. From seasoned veterans to first-time competitors, everyone got another taste of competition as the season kicks off. There’s something irreplaceable about the experience of having runners from other teams around you – it develops a kind of competence that practice alone can’t provide.
We all know about pre-race jitters – the nervousness and anxiety that come with any performance situation. But here’s the thing: we need to go through these emotions to grow. Each race is a chance to improve our ability to manage our feelings and channel them into peak performance. It’s important to remember that a bit of nervousness (or a LOT of nervousness) is natural when doing something challenging that matters to us, whether it is a cross-country race or a physics test.. It’s our body and mind’s way of preparing to do our best.
What’s truly exciting is how these skills translate beyond the track. Whether it’s taking a big test, going through a job interview, or speaking in public, the ability to harness pre-event anxiety into positive energy is invaluable. The more we practice in these high-pressure situations, the better we become at delivering our best when it counts–in athletics and in our lives.
The success of 3200 Madness! was evident the very next morning. At our optional Saturday morning practice, the energy was palpable. Athletes who showed up were buzzing with excitement, animatedly discussing the previous day’s races as they warmed up and did drills together before heading out for a long shakeout run.
In the end, 3200 Madness! was more than just a competition – it was a celebration of effort, growth, and community. Congratulations to every athlete who participated, and a big thank you to all the coaches who made this event possible. Here’s to many more exciting races to come!
And…thank you to our captains for organizing a three-legged relay-race after the competition. This was so fun, and even Mrs. Flatow got involved with a little coaching! Brilliant way to end with both laughs, and a way for teammates getting to know each other better.
