Cheyenne Mountain’s Raegan McRae wins 4A girls individual title, Red-Tailed Hawks girls place fifth
As Raegan McRae crossed the finish line Saturday, she fulfilled a former coach’s words.
McRae collapsed into a trainer’s arms at Norris Penrose Event Center, placed first in the 4A Colorado State Cross Country Championships with a time of 18 minutes, 5.90 seconds and was escorted, eh, carried to a nearby seat.
“My old coach, she told me during a race last year to make it hurt as much as you can,” the Cheyenne Mountain junior said. “If you cross that finish line and you’re not dead, you didn’t make it hurt enough. That’s tough love, but I love her and I’ve written that on my arm for the entire season and it has pushed me through.”
McRae, who ruled the 4A girls roost after a blistering time of 16:52.91 at the Warrior Lincoln Park Classic on Oct. 10, built a 50-meter lead over Summit’s Kayla Broecker as both runners reached the final 400 of the event.
The Red-Tailed Hawks’ star extended that gap to 75-meters in the final 200, but Broecker’s final push challenged McRae in the waning moments. McRae’s lead dwindled to 25 meters as both competitors approached the home stretch, but McRae, remembered the words “make it hurt” she scribbled on her left forearm.
“I was really worried coming up that spike hill and coming into the finish,” McRae said. “I knew I was going to have to kick a lot and my kick isn’t always my strong suit. But I managed. I could feel her on my back and I knew I had to give it my all to win the state title.”
With a brief rest and after McRae recovered with electrolytes, the Red-Tailed Hawks’ champion claimed her spot atop the podium. She finished 13th as a freshman and placed fifth in 2024. Now, the junior owns her first state crown.
McRae completed an interview after the race and clearly recovered the depleted energy from her final push. The rejuvenated McRae shouted into a microphone and praised her coaches and teammates.
“Shout out to Cheyenne Mountain, I love you,” McRae said over the center’s PA system. The Red-Tailed Hawks placed fifth as a team with 141 points and teammate Mia Binnings just missed the podium. Binnings placed 11th at 19:14, three seconds shy of 10th place.