We are three weeks away from the official start of California's cross country season so it's crucial to take a look at the state's arguably most important distance, 3 miles.
While the CIF State Championships finish on a 5K course, the 3-mile dominates the regular season, offering a consistent benchmark for athletes and teams. In fact, the top three returners from last year's state meet; Chiara Dailey, Braelyn Combe, and Millie Bayles; also lead the 3-mile returner rankings illustrating it's predictive power.
One runner to watch closely is last year's breakout freshman, Grace Smith. Although she ranked 17th as the top returner at the state meet, she ranks fifth among 3-mile returners. Another year of experience will be beneficial for the Claremont runner making her a threat when November rolls around. Additionally, she clocked 2:07 in the 800m this past track season to finish second at the CIF State Championships
On the team side, Buchanan boasts a fantastic four in the 3 mile l...