When Andrea Nelson toes the start line today at the 3A state cross country meet at Sun Willows Golf Course, the senior from Shadle Park might feel a little off.

WALLA WALLA -- When Aaron Nelson climbs out of bed these days, he checks his breathing, tests his limbs, searches out any new aches and pains.

SPOKANE -- For the last two years, the Richland girls have played second fiddle to Central Valley in the chase for the Eastern Region cross country title.

SPOKANE -- For the last two years, the Richland girls have played second fiddle to Central Valley in the chase for the Eastern Region cross country title.

CLARKSTON -- Tri-Cities Prep won its first-ever boys district championship, putting five runners in the top nine to end St. John-Endicott's three-year title run.

The last time the 4A/3A Eastern Regional cross country races made a stop at Spokane's Wandermere Golf Course -- just two short years ago -- it was a memorable day for the Tri-City running scene.

PASCO -- John Talbot of Liberty Christian covered the Road 36 Course in 18 minutes, 30 seconds, which was good for second place behind Granger's Joe Saliedo at the Tri-Cities Prep Invite.

Coming off back-to-back elite invitationals and with district races a week away, most of the Tri-City schools will be dialing back their workouts.

RICHLAND -- Erin Hegarty issued the challenge.

Ultra competitive. A ferocious worker. Mentally tenacious. And, of course, overflowing with talent.

YAKIMA — In one of the premier cross country meets in the Northwest, the Mid-Columbia turned in an elite performance Saturday at the Sunfair Invite at Franklin Park.

Tim Herrington knew there would be some bumps along the road. Taking over a start-up program at a new high school, Herrington faces what all varsity coaches at Chiawana High face this school year: a season with no seniors.

CONNELL -- Royal junior Ethan Tonnemaker won the 38th annual Connell Invitational by 28 seconds, leading the Knights to the 1A boys team title.

KENNEWICK -- With the graduation of the area's most dominant running talent, the Southridge boys seemed poised to fall out of consideration as one of the Mid-Columbia's premier programs.

YAKIMA -- Justin Yoke led a decisive move that allowed Kamiakin to finish 1-2-3 and sweep a seven-team CBBN meet at West Valley.

HERMISTON -- Hanford junior Erin Hegarty set a Brooks XC meet record, zipping through the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 41 seconds to win the girls race.

RICHLAND -- How impressive was Erin Hegarty's performance at Hermiston's Brooks XC Fest last weekend?

PROSSER -- Ellensburg's Jeffrey Ott and Selah's Karisma Martinez won the individual 5k races in a CWAC meet at Art Fiker Stadium.

UNION, Ore. -- Hermiston's depth was led by Antonio Ortiz among the boys and Kimberly Macias in the girls as the Bulldogs won the Catherine Creek Scamper.

SPOKANE -- Sophomore Anthony Armstrong led a trio of Kamiakin runners who clocked under 13 minutes on the 2 1/2-mile Shadle Park course.

How impressive was Erin Hegarty's performance at Hermiston’s Brooks XC Fest last weekend?

PASCO -- Liberty Christian won the boys team title, but Nick Lumetta of Tri-Cities Prep won the individual race at Big Cross in Pasco.

KENNEWICK — Grades and running.

CONNELL -- Kyle Brightman of Kiona-Benton took third place in the Connell Jamboree, a cross-country meet dominated by Ephrata's boys and girls squads

KENNEWICK -- Here is the runner-by-runner look at the Tri-City Herald's 2008 All-Area boys cross country squad:

KENNEWICK -- Here is the runner-by-runner look at the Tri-City Herald's 2008 All-Area girls cross country squad:

Andrew Gonzales came into the fall with every expectation of becoming just the third runner from the Tri-Cities to win a state cross country title.

BEAVERTON, Ore. -- The Washington boys were overwhelming winners Sunday at the 10th annual Nike BorderClash in Beaverton, Ore.

PASCO -- Andrew Gonzales was halfway into his bid for a state title, and he knew trouble was on his heels.

PASCO -- A funny thing happened at the state cross country championships Saturday.

--4A boys

PASCO -- Today's state cross country championships will no doubt answer many intriguing questions.

RICHLAND -- Class 4A: Time -- 2:30 p.m.

PASCO -- Class 4A race: Time, 1 p.m.

KENNEWICK -- On this day two years ago, Andrew Gonzales was feeling the butterflies.

POMEROY -- Nick Lumetta covered the 5-kilometer course at Pomeroy Golf Course in 17 minutes, 59.9 seconds to win the Southeast B district tournament.

No one can accuse the members of the North Central cross country team of being socialists, because they do not like to spread the wealth.

RICHLAND -- It's not historic, but it's pretty dang rare.

BEND, Ore. -- The Hermiston boys, led by district champion Jordan Ringe, qualified for state for the fifth straight season, losing by one point to Summit at the Intermountain meet.

WENATCHEE -- The Richland girls ran away with their third straight district title Thursday, finishing with less than half of second-place Davis' point total in the CBBN 4A race at Walla Walla Point Park.

It is a tale of two vastly different district races today at Hanford and Wenatchee.

WAITSBURG -- Nick Lumetta covered the 5-kilometer course in 18 minutes, 1 second to win and lead Tri-Cities Prep to a clear win over St. John-Endicott.

KENNEWICK -- The Southridge boys wrapped up second place in the CBBN cross country dual-meet standings Thursday by edging Kamiakin at a seven-team meet at Lawrence Scott Park.

Here are the 2008 Mid-Columbia cross country standings:

Today marks the end of the dual-meet season for CBBN teams and the beginning of the march to their respective 3A and 4A state meets.

DAYTON -- Nick Lumetta's third-place finish helped the Tri-Cities Prep boys to finish second in a nine-team meet at Dayton High School.

RICHLAND -- All Andrew Gonzales wanted to do was get out fast, run hard and push the pace under 15 minutes.

RICHLAND -- All Andrew Gonzales wanted to do was get out fast, run hard and push the pace under 15 minutes.

CONNELL -- Royal's Ethan Tonnemaker won by 32 seconds in a SCAC cross country meet at Connell High School.

A critical eye on Jordan Ringe's impressive running résumé reveals an interesting item.