Mike Destache takes home gold at the Roy Griak Invitational

Ben Konstan, Staff Writer|October 30, 2014

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Submitted by Mike Destache

Senior Mike Destache won the Roy Griak Cross Country Invitational, the first winner since 2007 for the Spartans. Destache described what the win meant for his future, “It’s one more thing to say, it’s a big deal.”

Seventeen minutes after he started, Mike Destache crossed the finish line at the Roy Griak Cross Country Invitational at the University of Minnesota golf course, becoming first victor from Saint Paul Academy and Summit School since 2007 at the event.

A near-impossible task is winning a national tournament such as the Roy Griak Invitational. Although Destache modestly denied extra work, Cross Country coach Kaitlyn Frenchick said that, “He [Destache] is constantly doing extra runs on his own to bring his running to the next level.”

Destache himself said that “It is a difficult course, probably the most difficult that we run on.”

Destache had finished third in the event last year; one of his 500 some opponents at this race was one of the people he had lost to last year, so the tension was high.

“He knew he could easily reach it,” coach Frenchick said about him.

“I was hoping to win,” Destache spoke of his pre-race thoughts, “It’s the biggest race, the start’s really intimidating.”

Destache didn’t know he had won the race until the end. “I never really did know that he would win, I felt like I was going slow and someone would pass me,” Destache said. During the race his mind was on running. Destache said: “I was just focused on keeping my pace.”

Destache was happy but not completely satisfied with his running at the event. His dissatisfaction came from the fact that his time last year achieved him third place while being better than his time this year. His teammates didn’t share his dissatisfaction. “They were very excited, much more than I was,” Destache said.

The excitement among Destache’s teammates for his victory lead to improvements in their running game. An interview with coach Frenchick revealed that runners push their limits in an attempt to match what Mike does.

This is the first time a SPA runner has won the Roy Griak Invitational since 2007, when alumni Anne Hart completed the race in 19:44.4 minutes. Destache described what the win meant for his future, “It’s one more thing to say… it’s a big deal.”

Destache competes in the state tournament Nov. 1 at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota.