I first witnessed the the talents of Chico State cross country athlete Joey Kochlacs as he skillfully traversed the 10-foot long Chipotle Burrito ordering window on Mangrove Avenue. His gait was perfect, his fitness level was superb. He never even breathed hard. (I usually have to stop and ask for water.) And his ordering skills were world class. Kochlacs walked out into the brisk night air lugging the largest $5 burrito I'd ever laid eyes on and I said to myself: "That kid's got a bright future." And I said to the lady making my burrito: "I'll have what he's having."
What I failed to figure into the equation was that Kochlacs would be running close to a hundered miles that week. I, on the other hand, would only be walking to and from work, and then to Ross to buy a larger belt.
But that's not why Kochlacs is the Wildcat of the Week (even though the carb-loading couldn't hurt). His 44th-place showing at Saturday's NCAA Cross Country Championships are responsible for that. The junior from Moraga navigated the slushy 10-kilometer course at E.P. "Tom" Sawyer Park in Louisville, Kentucky, in 31:44.9, just six seconds shy of an All-America mark, and helped Chico State team finish fifth in the nation as its third scorer.
Kochlachs covered the first three kilometers in 9:08 and was running just outside of the top 50. While the black and pinto bean mix was likely helping him thwart some of his pursuers, he turned on his rice rockets to pass five competitors and move into 46th at the 5.15-kilometer mark, which he covered in 16:09.. Kochlacs salsa'd past two more opponents before the next checkpoint, at 7.85 kilometers, where he clocked in at 24:41. He covered the final 2.15 kilometers in 7:07 holding his position to finish 44th.
Kochlacs, who was the 26th underclassman finisher, came in 60th at the 2009 National Championships as a sophomore. If he can improve again as a senior in 2011, well, holy guacamole!
