Distance running gets a bad rap. From American Icon and running trailblazer Steve Prefontaine to notions promulgated in the book and film, "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner, " the image of the cross-country runner is that of a stoic recluse seeking singular glory in solitude.

But, in Chapel Hill and Carrboro, running is a team sport.

It's not merely because "misery" loves company. Somewhere, it may be misery to run laps or trudge through extra wind sprints. What's punishment elsewhere is a passion here.

On the day following the high school meets in Clemmons, where three local teams won championships, four age-group squads from the Chapel Hill-Carrboro Pacers Youth Running Club earned top-three team finishes at the USA Track and Field Cross-country state championships this past Sunday.

The Pacers entered 33 athletes in the annual fall cross-country competition at Hagan Stone Park near Greensboro, which pitted athletes in seven separate cate-gories: Sub-bantam (8-and-under), Bantam (9-10 years old), Midget (11-12), Youth (13-14), Intermediate (15-16) and Young (17-18).

The Youth Boys squad took first place, as did both Bantam Boys and Girls, and the Midget Boys placed third.

"All four of those teams qualified to go to regionals, " Pacers head cross-country coach Meredith Bolon said. "Also, most of our runners qualified to go to regionals anyway."

For the top three teams in each age group last weekend, all their runners qualify to compete at the USAT&F Southeastern Regional Championship in Spartanburg, S.C., on Nov. 21. The top 25 individual non-team runners also qualify for the regional. The top 20 finishers and top three teams in each age group at regionals move on to the National Championships in Reno, Nev., on Dec. 12.

The USAT&F Southeast meet will include all teams from Georgia, North Carolina, the Potomac Valley (Maryland), South Carolina and Virginia.

Going national

In addition to competitors from the Pacers, the Southeast field will include a good number of Pacer alumni who run with local middle schools and a national-caliber Chapel Hill runner competing for the Durham Striders -- the sole first-place local finisher last weekend.

The Striders' Eliza Dekker, 12, who also runs for Durham Academy, has competed on the national stage for a number of years. Dekker posted a first-place finish at the state meet and is likely to be among the top seeds at both regionals and nationals.

"I felt good today, " Dekker said Sunday, adding that her strategy for the next two rounds was simple: "Just to run fast."

A good pace

For the Pacers, top-15 age-group athletes included second-place Girls Sub-bantam finisher Lilly Cook and third-place finisher Ella Pedersen. Will Tyndall ended up in fifth place in the Boys Bantam class, just ahead of Joshua Cannon.

Among Bantam Girls, it was a row of Pacers crossing the line beginning with Molly Palmer in ninth place, and followed closely by Eliza Irwin, Claire Pedersen, and Isabel Drake. Rounding out the first place team were Izze Long and Roxane Bolon.

Henry Tyndall's ninth-place finish among Boys Bantam competitors nipped Kevin Gilland 10th) and Klaas Van Kempen (12th) to the finish line. Other runners on the first-place team included Daniel Falkovic, C.J. Bolon and Zach Reyes.

Connor McDonald's 13th place and Will Owen in 15th paced the Midget Boys team -- which included David Wilke, Harrison Young, Nate Bolon, and Dan Kleissler -- to a third-place finish.

Fresh off an OPAC cross-country championship, Phillips Middle School eighth grader Sam Dunson posted a third-place finish ahead of Collin Vilen's eighth and Hank Bolon's 12tg place for the winning Youth Boys division team, which also included James Willingham, Grant Braam, Asher Carter and Marc Ordronneau.

"I was just about 10 seconds behind first and second, " Dunson said. "I felt okay, but it was kind of hot."

Spring in steps

Over 80 young athletes registered for the Pacers' fall season. While running is clearly only one of the lessons taught through the Pacers, coaches stress that competition remains secondary to an emphasis on participation and self-improvement which is at the heart of the Pacers' philosophy.

"It was a fantastic season, " Bolon said, "and we had a lot of great runners out having a great time with siblings, families, and friends. We went on a great camping trip to Pilot Mountain, and we had around 10 families on that training trip.

"We're looking forward to seeing the Pacers involved in a couple more races in Chapel Hill and Carrboro this fall, as well as a trail clean-up day with Carolina North Forest Management, " Bolon added.

As occurred in the spring, the Pacers invited the newly formed Starting Line Running Club participants for a joint training day.

"We really enjoyed our Pumpkin Run time trials with the Starting Line runners, " Bolon said. "Then we reunited with some of them at the actual Pumpkin 4K Trail Run. Plus, we joined the UNC Club Cross-country team members for a fun relay event last Thursday over on the Finley Field trails, and we also hosted a good number of speakers from the local community who visited our practices and spoke about topics like nutrition, teamwork, stretching, competition, and preparation

"We really appreciate their presence with us as well as all the support from local entities in the community, especially Fleet Feet."

Winning times

Among the Pacers' age-group winners in the Pumpkin Run were: Ella Pedersen (20:34.09), Caitlin Grubbs (23:07.35), Jason Dadolf (20:17.15), Molly Palmer (21:07.56), Claire Pedersen (21:08.28), Klaas van Kempen (18:14.95), Marija Crook (20:09.67), and Connor McDonald (17:12.56). Pacer alumni Colin Vilen (15:12) and Norman Archer (17:04.60) finished first and third place in the Boys 13-14 age group respectively.

In the Race for Education on Oct. 10, it was Pacer Jason Dadolf (25:51.62) who captured the eight-and-under crown, while Ava Mojica (25:05.43) took second in the girls' 9-10 division. Eli Rose (21:05.17) and Connor McDonald (21:21) finished 1-2 in the 11-12 division.

As importantly as any individual or team win at the USAT&F cross-country meet was the fact that the races reflected the first competition for several of the participants.

"It was my first time ever in a race, " Will Owen said. "The Pacers helped me out with tips and stretching. My legs started hurting at one point, but I just had to keep going. Next I think I want to run a 5K."

Beverly Tyndall, the mother of first-time USAT&F competitors Henry and Will Tyndall, was impressed with the meet.

"It was just so beautiful out here, " Tyndall said. "My kids were Bantam and Sub-bantams, and I don't think they really knew enough about this to be nervous. For Henry, this is the first time he's been out here competing. He says he doesn't like competing, but I think he just doesn't like to lose."

Those wanting more information on the next session for the Starting Line in spring, 2010, can visit the "training" link web site at the Fleet Feet website: www.fleetfeetcarrboro.com.

For more information on the Chapel Hill / Carrboro Pacers Running Club program or next spring's track and field season, visit their website at www.ccpacers.org or contact Coach Meredith Bolon at (919) 619-4565.