When Mikka McDonald gets up really early and beats the heat for her early-morning summer training runs, she doesn't even bother asking her younger sister, Tara, if she wants to come along.
But when Mikka, a senior, had the chance to run in the Baltimore County Relays with a teammate, she asked coach Sandra Gallagher-Mohler if her sophomore sister, Tara, could be her partner.
The early-season race, held at Towson High, Sept. 3, lasts six miles and includes each runner doing two legs of 1.5 miles each.
The McDonald sisters went in with a carefree attitude and came away with an unexpected victory in a combined time of 36:12.79.
Hereford, who won the overall team competition over runner-up Catonsville, with an average time of 36:39.83 per tandem, had four runners in its two pairs that placed in the top 25 for the Class 3A 2010 state championship team.
Lauren Kennedy (17th at states) and Emily Vandewater (10th) were second in 36:27.06 and defending state champion Erin Causey and Bailey Wilhelm (21st) were third in 36:41.56.
"It was really surprising," said Mikka, of beating Hereford. "I was following their backs at the beginning because we all know what they are capable and because they've been so fantastic for four years, but I was like, 'Maybe I'll try and pass them,' and I did, and I don't usually do that."
They were third after the first leg and second after Tara's stint. Mikka grabbed the lead in the third leg and Tara maintained it to the finish.
"I was shocked being in third and she (Tara) did phenomenal and it was kind of like I couldn't believe Hereford wasn't completely crushing us," Mikka said.
It was Tara's first taste of intense pressure and she responded.
"When she (Mikka) came in (after third leg), I was really scared," Tara said.
They entered the race with a carefree attitude and just wanted to have fun.
"Going into the race they were relaxed and confident in their training and that's what they looked like going to the line," Gallagher-Mohler said. "They didn't looked stressed out."
Mikka was less stressed because it was only her second season in four years, of either cross country or indoor and outdoor track, where she was completely healthy.
"I've had injuries and this was my first season that it wasn't painful to run," said Mikka, who suffered from shin splints.
But her health wasn't the only reason she wanted to run with her younger sister in the relay.
"I was kind of feeling sentimental about leaving and it was going to be our last year of running together on the same team," Mikka said.
Both sisters have similar times on 3.1 mile courses, which they run in competition, and if Tara can continue at her pace she should get close to breaking her sister's personal goal of 20 minutes.
"I just want a personal best," Tara said.
"Tara is a racer through and through," Gallagher-Mohler said. "If you saw Tara in our 5K time trial during tryouts, she came in fourth, but the time she ran blew it out of the water."
Seniors Sarah Harding and Caroline Cerand, fifth at the county relays (36:51.60), as well as junior Stephanie Norris, are also posting times faster than last season.
"Sarah has done a lot of mental work," said Gallagher-Mohler, noting she has dropped two minutes off last year's top time. "She's ready to roll."
The McDonald sisters have benefited from the leadership of Harding and Cerand.
"Both of them and their dedication and the way they run has really inspired us," Mikka said.
The boys team has also been inspired by a leader of its own in junior Luke Chetelat.
Chetelat, captain as a sophomore, inherits the same role and it's well-deserved, according to Gallagher-Mohler.
"He is phenomenal," she said. "He's the most coachable and most responsible. He naturally has so much to offer, not just physically, but to the overall spirit of the team."
In the boys county relay race, Chetelat and junior Brooks Ward, a transfer from Miami, were the Comets top tandem (5th, 30:37.71) in the meet won by defending state champion Hereford.
Seniors Seamus Ertel, Evan Testani and Nick Nonn also figure to make an impact for the Comets along with sophomores Anthony Huynh, Sam Besse and Kirubel Asfaw.
After doing so well in the county relays, the Comets were eager to run in the Howard County Invitational, Sept. 9, but torrential rain for three days forced cancellation.
The Comets next true test will be the Bull Run Invitational at Hereford High, Sept. 24.