JaQuavious Harris, the reigning JC National Champion in Cross-Country at SLCC, took 3rd in the Autumn Classic.

Below is his account of the race (from Strava):

“We all got out hard, the pack was aggressive, but fair. I’m really impressed, there were like 14 guys in the leading pack still halfway through the race. Then Casey Clinger put his foot on the gas, and then we went for it. After .5 miles later, it boiled down to Casey, Creed Thompson and me.

This race felt pretty easy still for me(the high mileage is really helping me) but then I felt so good that I took the lead and made a surge .84 to go; unfortunately I wasn’t specific enough to know when to go and just went off of feel. I thought I had it, normally when I take a surge if I feel I’m going to win a specific race, I go for it. But I think I underestimated that Casey literally finished 5th in the Olympic Trials finals, and Creed also ran in the trials in the 10k, so these guys aren’t as easy to close on as other competitors that I’m used to running with.

I kept the lead until 400m to go and they both passed me. I still closed pretty close to them and proud of what I did. Even when I got passed, I still fought and didn’t let it get to me like I normally do if I get passed in races. I truly gave it everything in the tank the last 400 meters.”