The Whitefish senior and favorite in the Class A boys' race at Saturday's all-class state cross country meet in Missoula hopes to leave his mark on running's long distance landscape, especially after some close calls throughout his high school career.
Coco is the top returning placer from last year's state meet. He finished fifth behind a talented group of seniors, who've since moved on. Coco has clocked the fastest time in the state this fall - regardless of classification - and it's on the same course as this weekend's meet no less. In essence, it's his show on Saturday.
Or perhaps enemy as Coco found out.
Without guys like Casey, last year's champ, Torgison, the runner-up, and even Hamilton's Ben Jessop (third) and Dillon's Logun Norris (fourth) pushing the field, Coco has been flying solo.
“It's a whole 'nother race running alone,” he said. “I found it changes the dynamics, all the aspects.
“When you hit the wall, going into the second or third mile, if you have competition around you, it makes it easier. You have all these mental games that help. Even if you feel terrible, you keep going from the other competitors pushing you. When you don't have that it really screws with your mind. You have to take your mind off of it.”
Coco has never won an individual state title in either track or cross country. His first title would likely not be his last, though, as he is favored to dominate the 1,600- and 3,200-meter races this spring. Coco was state runner-up to Casey in both events last May.
Whitefish coach Bill Brist recalls Coco's battles with last year's seniors, especially the state cross country meet on Helena's Bill Roberts Golf Course, and believes they helped shape the runner Coco is today.
“I remember it wasn't a good race for him, it was just different and it caught him off guard. But the other kids ran well,” Brist said. “It was a unique thing with so many good seniors and Drew was used to running with them, and now all the sudden he's running by himself. It wasn't like there were a bunch of good juniors out there running together. He was used to running with this good pack of runners and when they left, there was a vacuum left to be filled and he's the one.”
Coco certainly didn't disappoint this fall. He's won all six of his races, including last week's Northwestern A divisional meet, which he finished in a blistering time of 15 minutes, 9 seconds. That's just two seconds slower than the time (15:07) he ran at the Mountain West Classic, which invites many of the region's top runners, including states like Washington, to compete on the University of Montana Golf Course.
“Last year in track is when he realized he could run with the state's top runners, and he's probably better at it now,” Brist said. “But he realized, ‘This is pretty cool, maybe I could stand out or get a college scholarship; maybe I can do something here.' That was a motivator for him. He always knew he was good at (running), but he's taken that next step... into a rarefied air, so to speak, of an elite high school runner.”
Coco came into high school a speedy guy, but it wasn't until midway through his sophomore year that Coco intensified his dedication to long-distance running. He cut junk food from his diet, with Mountain Dew being the first to go. He adopted an earlier bedtime, with 10 p.m. being optimal. “I do a lot to get an extra edge,” he said.
And then there's his training. It's not just better, but smarter.
Coco logged 1,000 miles in the winter months between cross country and track and field seasons. He says he's kept similar workouts for his offseasons since then, but doesn't log them. During the season Coco runs “quality miles” says Brist.
It was during his sophomore year of cross country that Coco suffered a freak abdominal injury that sidelined him for the entire second half of the season.
“It was not your typical running injury,” said Coco, of the pulled oblique muscles in his side. “I jumped into the season too fast. I only ran 11 miles that summer and in those first couple of races I just tried to get after it, and you can't do that, I guess. I learned from that.”
Coco's growing pains, as well as his efficient offseason training and smooth race technique, are just some of the things Brist enjoys most about his top runner.
“When you see him run you don't see a lot of change in his form, whether he's uphill or down,” Brist said. “He is so smart with how he handles his tactics. He goes out with a plan, but he's able to change it too, if he needs to. He's just gained a lot of experience over the years.”
“You make mistakes and you learn from it,” said Coco, who heaped praise Brist's way, too. “That guy knows everything about the sport. But the more you run the more you learn. It's as easy as that.”
Without Coco, the Bulldogs finished third as a team in 2006, leaving some to wonder what would have been.
“We had a good team that year,” Brist said. “With him we would have had a shot at a title. We really missed him that year.”
In 2005 as a freshman, Coco finished 16th at state - just one place off earning an all-state recognition - with a time of 16:45.06. That, of course, was the last year the state meet was held in Missoula.
The UM golf course is a site that Coco likes for his own reasons, “it's all grass, the killer hill, and the last mile is kind of a gradual downhill, so you can turn over a fast last mile split,” he says, but more importantly he believes it will suit him well this weekend for a little shot at history.
Though he won't say it, Coco is within reach of one of his goals - the Class A state record held by current UM distance runner Lynn Reynolds, who finished in 15:03 in 2006 in Helena, while running for Dillon.
“I don't like speaking too soon before I race, but I'm going to run as fast as I can,” Coco said. “If I leave the course knowing I left everything on the course, if I do that, I'll be satisfied.”
Coco did allow himself to consider the chance of breaking Reynolds' record.
“That would be really cool,” he said. “It's definitely a little dream of mine. It's been in the back of my mind the whole season.”
“He's got the ability to approach that time,” Brist said. “And if everything works out, the weather, how he feels that day, he could do it. He's raced all the top runners in the state, he knows what they have. He'll set a strategy that works for him, but his No.1 competitor is probably that clock. If he races that clock, he'll be fine.”
And as for that baton that was figuratively passed on by last year's seniors?
“It's anyone's turn, whoever has the most guts,” Coco said. “I'm going to give it all I got. I'm not going to let up.”
Whether Coco wins or loses at state he's likely heading to the Nike regional meet in Boise for a second straight year. The meet, scheduled for Nov. 15, is a chance for top runners in the West to get noticed by universities. There's also a national event later on and the Footlocker meet in California in December.
“If he does good at those, all of a sudden he gets on the big radar,” Brist said, “but first on his radar is the state meet.”
Coco says he's already been offered several scholarships, including in-state, but he's in no hurry to make a decision on college.
“I don't know what the future holds,” Coco said. “I have some time to decide, but I don't want to wait until the last minute either.”
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