By Jeremy McDonald

jeremymcdonald73@gmail.com

STAYTON, Ore.–  It has taken some time for Chemawa’s Dylias Jose to grow accustomed to the Oregon weather from where the junior is from in Arizona.  But regardless, the Braves distance runner has settled, gotten used to the weather and has improved his times in the 1,500-meter race. 

Chemawa has been known traditionally for their running and distance runners in the past, and Jose isn’t too far off pace with how his times have been dropping this season.  Having gone from 5:38.4 on March 17 to 5:28.07 Friday at Regis in Stayton.

“I feel like it’s getting better, I’ve been improving since my first meet, I think I was at a 5:40 and I brought it down to 5:38, 5:32, and now I’m staying under 5:30 at 5:29, 5:28,” said Jose of his season.  “I’m starting to get use to (the weather).  At first, I was always shaking, I was always cold and the wind, it always got to me.  Now I’m improving with the wind.”

The Boys 1,500-race was split into two separate heats Friday with Jose in the second wave of runners.  For much of the race he was up front, either in the lead or hovering around third entering the final lap.  But that was when fatigue sank in for the Chemawa runner as his paced slowed entering the final 200-meters as he trailed towards the middle of the pact coming down the stretch of his second 1,500-meter race in two days.

“I felt like I could’ve done better, but I was tired and my legs were really weren’t there and just with this wind.  Fighting with the wind and it kind of got to me.  I had the speed, but for me, it was more of the mental block that slowed me down a little more on what I felt,” Jose said, finishing 18th in the race with a field of 28.  “But outside of that, I did well.  i PR’d again and it’s my last meet.  I may have not gotten first or Top 3, but I’ve been getting better and better due to the fact that I PR’d.”

Jose ran a 5:29.10 at the 2A/3A JV District Meet Thursday where he finished third.  But before he called it a day, Jose finished 24th in the 800-meters with a time of 2:35.03, also a PR for the Braves runner.

Jose’s teammate Kaiden Farris wrapped up his freshman campaign Friday as well as the Chemawa frosh ran a 14.20 in the 100-meter dash.

“I’m learning a lot from this.  I definitely have a lot more to focus on next year since I got a feel for it this year,” said the sprinter from Alaska.  “Not just dedication and focus but technique and consistency (too).  That’s usually where it is.  I felt like I could do better, but I did pretty good.”

Farris PR’d in the 100-meter dash at the Nestucca Icebreak with a time of 13.23 and PR’d in the 200-meter dash 3A/2A Special District 2 Meet at East Linn Christian with a time of 27.83

Photos By Jeremy McDonald