KATELYN TUOHY VS PARKER VALBY BREAKDOWN: NCAA Cross Country Championships Women's Individual Preview

"Katelyn Tuohy vs. Parker Valby. Apologies to the other women in the field, but no one except your parents is picking you to win this one. (And because I just said that, you now have the necessary motivation to prove me wrong!) Between her storied high school career, marked by winning four NXN titles, and her complete dominance last year, it sorta feels like Tuohy should have won nine NCAA cross country titles by now. However last year was her first, and this year will not be given. Florida’s Parker Valby only has one career win against Tuohy over hill and dale, but it came this season at the Nuttycombe Invitational. A 12-second victory is substantial, but October 13th is not November 18th."
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[@jonb9194]

Apparently, the biggest change to this rivalry and story is Parker's newfound health and performance. Anything can happen during any race, but her course record at Nuttycombe in miserable conditions indicates she has abilities that have not been showcased yet. I also wouldn't assume she needs to have a lead going into the last half mile to win anymore.

[@danielkendall7131]

A healthy rested Touhy is unbeatable on a tough course like this, she’s a workhorse and she’s patient, this will be Touhy’s biggest challenge. 🥇

[@jameswooten6008]

Touhy has course record when she won ACC Conference title in 2022. Going to be great individual race between Tuohy and Valby and team race between NC State and NAU. I think Tuohy needs to be more like high school Tuohy on Saturday.

[@jamesdennis5699]

The hills pay the bills. Katelyn all the way

[@hikerJohn]

Words of wisdom LOL 👍 I'm rooting for Katelyn because Ive seen her in action so often but I'm nervous :o)

[@AlGreenLightThroughGlass]

V: turbo diesel maxed out steady pace v T: supercharged gas surging. Time will tell but on current form its Valby

[@jimrabbit96]

1.Tuohy 2.Valby 3.Ramsden 4/5.The Alabama duo.

[@jessa813]

It’s definitely going to be close with tuohy and valby I genuinely believe it’s going to come down to the last 100m of the race

[@goatbloat8233]

Everyone has their bullshit opinions and mine is that Touhy is still gaining fitness and Valby has already peaked. Having said that I have no idea which one will win. Valby will push pace and run from the front (duh). Touhy's current shape will dictate how it ends. It looked like a runaway last year and Touhy ended up crushing her in the last k. Valby is running better this year though. This is really difficult :) My only big hope is they both run well. If one has a bad day then it will ruin how spectacular the build up to this race has been. My fear here is that Valby was running in ordinary shoes and there was speculation that her gait was off in her last race. She still won handily.

[@WithBACON]

Valby wore the Nike Vaporfly 3 at regionals, not trainers.

[@goatbloat8233]

@@WithBACON Ordinary was not the right term. I just meant she wasn't wearing spikes (although perhaps there is no need on that course). I just heard someone express surprise about it.

[@WithBACON]

@@TimMarshall-er9qk True, but she seemed to to have coasted the last kilometer.

[@WithBACON]

@@goatbloat8233 I hear you. There has been a rumor going around that she wore Nike Pegasus training shoes for this race, perhaps because the profile vaguely resembles that of the Vaporfly 3s.

[@terryellinger5745]

Guys there are more than two people in this race that could pull it off on a good day

[@hikerJohn]

It's not about who's approach is best but who is in the best *condition*, who is strongest and fastest. The track conditions might also play a small part, the grass length, if it's wet or dry . . . It's basically a horse race.

[@ak8990]

It’s been well over 10 years, but I think I ran this course before in XC, and if it’s the same course I’m thinking about, it’s a rough course! It kicked my butt when I raced it!

[@TongueOfCrow]

the best content in distance running

[@danieltikusis5239]

Tuohy needs to run 5ft behind Valby for most of the race and pass Valby with 200 yards before the finish.

[@hikerJohn]

She needs to stay withing striking distance knowing Valby is faster than she was last year.

[@anthonystrazzo1896]

The first female version of Prefontaine will take it. Tuohy right there. Can't wait.

[@jamesdennis5699]

Let’s not forget, as great as Prefontaine was, he faded to 4th in his Olympic quest.

[@Juggernaut186]

Valby

[@tgltyty]

no way does Katelyn finish 3rd . I say she either wins it or its a dead heat. :)

[@CLTRunningR]

I like his take! I want to say Valby

[@armand45]

Gonna go with Katelyn

[@zealwebber8064]

Parker Valby will win and be NCAA Cross country champion 2023

[@ksteege]

The only reason maybe you can say the Ok State course is fast is because the weather was perfect firm ground there were very very little parts of that course that is not up or down - almost nothing other than the first 800m that is not up or down tough course for sure. It tracks but I dont think UF will be in the mix.

[@tonydiaz2541]

Hope Tuohy doesn't run like she did at US Nationals over the summer!

[@p2bp2b]

if this is less of a rhythm course it’s tuohy all day

[@user-jb1tw2er5b]

i think the pressure is going to push valby to go out too fast and then tuohy will take over around the last 2k

[@terryellinger5745]

That strategy worked once for Touhy I'm going to give Valby credit to be smarter

[@christiansantana4869]

Tuohy FTW

[@AN-cy7xm]

Valby.

[@MrMakemyday3]

CNN ??? you just showed your colors- bye

[@CitiusMag]

LOL

[@aidanoc19]

Is it 8km? a rougher course, Touhy's strength could possibly pay dividends.

[@lizzyverish6121]

6k!

[@ianbusche1471]

Women always run 6k, men run 8k then move up to 10k

[@runner2008]

I wouldn't rule out a couple of the Alabama runners.

[@LaxStixTactics]

Valby already beat them both twice this season.

[@melissashabazz9280]

@@LaxStixTactics but barely at regionals

[@LaxStixTactics]

@@melissashabazz9280 If you watched that race she was comfortably winning going into the last 1k and then clearly took her foot off the gas. She beat them both by more than 30 seconds at SECs I don’t think either of them can beat her or Touhy.

[@wlpaulins]

Tuohy will win, no way could she drop to third. Looks like this course is built for Tuohy. With all the hills and uneven terrain I can't see Valby maintaining a stay ahead speed. I think Kelsy Chimel with her strong NCAA history can't be ruled out of the mix. The Alabama girls should be strong, maybe the Duke girl, too. Northern Arizona has a decent girl's team to go along with their outstanding men's team. It looks like it will be warm in the 70's. Not sure who are better warm weather vs cold weather runners. May the best girl win.