Tolland High senior Rebecca Langlais just threw down a serious marker for her final cross country season, repeating as a winner at the 43rd Wickham Park XC Invitational this past Saturday. She absolutely owned the Small Division race, clocking in at a personal-best 19:02.3. That’s not just a win, that’s a statement, especially since she shaved time off her Medium Division win from last year (19:28.2).
No One’s Been Able to Stop This Kid All Season
Look, this isn’t some one-off performance. Langlais has been on a tear all season, grabbing either first or second place in all seven of her races, including Central Connecticut Conference meets and invitationals. Her Wickham victory marks her first invitational win this fall after a couple of second-place finishes. She took second to Avon freshman Madison McGarry at the Blue Dragon Invitational back on September 11, and then again to Hale-Ray freshman Ashley Brining at the 14th Harry Geraghty Invitational on September 25. But guess who she beat by over 13 seconds at Wickham last Saturday? Yep, Ashley Brining, who finished with a 19:15.4. That’s a serious comeback and shows she learns from every race. Her coach, Kate Tellers, sums it up perfectly: “What has made her such a good runner is her consistency. She always has a plan and she follows it. She knows the times she wants and she gets after it.” You gotta love that kind of grit!
Goals So Big, You Can Practically See The Finish Line
Langlais isn’t just running for fun, she’s got her eyes on some massive goals. Her top target? All-New England, meaning a Top 25 finish on a fast course up in Maine. She’s “very excited” about it, and who can blame her? But before that, she’s got the Class SS state meet where she’s “crossing my fingers that I can do” “take the win,” and then performing “as well as I can at Open with such a great field for Connecticut this year.” Her love for Wickham, calling it “my favorite place” where she’s raced “so many times” and even helped out since intermediate school, shows her passion for the sport. This dedication translates off the course too. Tellers mentioned how Langlais “didn’t just start running more miles” to improve. Instead, “She started training harder and smarter. She mixes up her workouts and found the benefit of what getting some time in the weight room can do for you as well.” That’s the kind of comprehensive training that leads to personal bests like 19:02.3.
More Than Just a Runner, She’s a Leader
It’s not just her personal times that impress. Langlais is a true student-athlete, excelling in the classroom and helping out the younger generation of runners. “What she does for the overall cross country program in Tolland is amazing,” Tellers stated. Langlais volunteers at the running club in the summer and you’ll find her at “every middle school meet, volunteering her time to help and to talk with the kids.” That spirit of volunteerism was passed down from her mom, Jill Langlais, who ran at East Hartford High back in the early 90s under legendary coach Bill Baron. Baron himself said Jill “was a very important” runner for him. With the Class SS state meet on the horizon, Rebecca Langlais isn’t just running for herself, she’s running for her team, her community, and a legacy. Get ready, Class SS, she’s coming for that title!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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