There's not a whole lot that confuses Dundee-Crown runner Anthony Manfrin on the cross country course.
For the last three seasons, the junior has worked hard, showed up and outrun a large portion of the fields he's found himself in.
(Andrew A. Nelles/For Sun-Times Media)
But if you were to look up the final standings for last year's Class 3A State Finals race, you would find Manfrin's name at the very bottom.
That's because last year, something happened on the course that threw Manfrin for a loop for the first time in his running career.
"We had about 400 or 500 meters to go," recalled Manfrin. "I was in about 13th place. I looked back to see if anyone was coming up and then I don't remember anything until I woke up in the medical tent."
Manfrin had completely blacked out mid-race. In the offseason, he underwent several tests for heart-related issues, as heart disease runs in his family. None of the tests indicated any cardiac trouble, and the episode was ultimately credited to dehydration.
Manfrin has longed for a chance to set things right during the entire 2009 season. He will get his chance on Saturday at Detweiller Park in Peoria.
"Obviously I was disappointed last season," said Manfrin. "But I just dedicated myself to getting back in shape and trying to get it out of my mind."
D-C coach Tom Smith was just as stunned as Manfrin.
"When it happened, I just felt awful for him," Smith said. "He does everything right and that was just as rare a thing as I've ever seen."
Manfrin has never blacked out in a race before or since the incident last year, and it goes without saying that the fluke nature of the blackout is frustrating. If a golfer competed at the State Finals and four-putted the last two greens to sink his round, that golfer would simply work on his putting in the offseason to ensure that such thing would not happen again.
All Manfrin could do was keep on running.
But even that proved to be a bit of a challenge when Manfrin began the season with a micro-tear in his right calf and missed several of the team's early races.
"It was really tough," Manfrin said of his early season setback. "It had me questioning what kind of shape I was in, but I really wanted to get back for conference because that's when my coach was saying the team needed me."
Manfrin certainly came through when the team needed him, finishing first at the Fox Valley Conference meet and leading the Chargers to a second-place finish.
"Conference was amazing," Manfrin said. "It helped me so much in terms of my confidence and seeing where I was at."
Following the conference meet, Manfrin finished first at the St. Charles North Regional and second at the St. Charles East Sectional.
Barring another unforeseen setback, Manfrin is ready and motivated to put his best foot forward Saturday.
"My goal is top 10, definitely," Manfrin said. "I'm excited to just get out there and put last year behind me."
This will actually be Manfrin's second trip to Detweiller Park this season, as the Chargers ran in the Peoria Woodruff Invitational in September. Manfrin ran in that race, still testing the limits of his tender calf. Smith thought the experience would be therapeutic for Manfrin.
"I felt that it was important to truly move on," Smith said. "He ran right past that spot where he went down and just sort of crossed that mental bridge. He ran a nice race that day and he hasn't looked back."
This year, Manfrin won't be travelling alone. Senior Nathan Prom finished 11th at the sectional to advance.
"I'm really proud of him," Manfrin said of Prom. "He ran so well at the sectional. He really deserves it. It's disappointing to not go with the whole team, but it will be really nice to be down there with him."
Like Manfrin, Prom had to deal with his share of setbacks early this season, battling with a groin injury. His road back to competition was a bit more rocky.
"(Prom) really had to work hard," Smith said. "Early on, we just had him running in the open races until he felt up to it and every week he has just gotten better and better and better."