"I just try not to think about anything the day of the race," said Barger.
D'oh!
It sure is hard to argue with his methods, as the senior comes into Saturday's state meet having won 10 of 11 races this season, including last week's Region 8-AAA meet at Unicoi.
The Class AAA boys championship will begin at 11:30 a.m. at Carrollton High School.
Barger is considered the favorite to win the state title, along with St. Pius senior Brendan Hoban -- the only runner in Georgia to beat Barger this year.
"Clearing my mind helps me calm down," Barger said. "I don't think there is anything more I can do to prepare for the race that I haven't already done leading up to it so I try not to overthink things."
But don't think he takes things nonchalantly, as Barger has another motivation that keeps him focused.
"I'm afraid of losing. I hate losing," he said. "That, probably more than anything else, is what drives me to win. I don't know that I do anything different from anyone else. I just don't want to lose, so that keeps me going."
Hoban managed give Barger his one and only taste of defeat this season at the Coach Wood Invitational at Gainesville State College, nipping him in the final yards with a powerful kick at the end.
"(Hoban) just stayed with me the entire race and just kicked it at the end," Barger said. "He's the only one I haven't been able to pull away from in the final mile."
Eagles Landing senior Zack Sims and Woodward Academy junior Nathan Vassey, the defending Class AAA champion, are also considered contenders for the title this year. Vassey, however, is not at 100 percent as he is still recovering from an injury suffered during track season back in the spring.
As for strategy during a race, Barger has just one simple game plan.
"I just try to race the people in the race," he said. "I don't worry about times or getting a fast start or kicking at the end. I just try to focus on the best runners and stay with them.
"But I feel that where I usually get the advantage is in the last mile. I just feel like I have more left at the end. I don't really hold anything back but I don't really know if it's finding another gear or anything. I just feel that that is where, for some reason, my strength is. There's not much to my strategy. I just try to keep things simple."
Barger is no stranger to success on the big stage. He won the 3,200-meter state title as a sophomore in the spring of 2009 and finished fourth in last year's state cross country meet. He also finished ninth in the 2008 cross country meet.
The senior is hoping to put the icing on the cake of his high school cross country career Saturday. He plans to run track in the spring and hopes to attend West Point and run for the Black Knights on the collegiate level.
"I didn't really appreciate (winning the 3,200) as a sophomore because I knew I had two more years," Barger said. "I have a better understanding now of what it means and it would be a great way to top things off as far as cross country goes. I'm going to do everything I can to win and help the team win the state title."
-- NOTE: Barger is just one of a number of area runners headed to Carrollton on Saturday. In Class AAA, North Hall's boys and girls teams, along with both West Hall teams will make the trip, as will Gainesville's boys and Chestatee's girls. White County's Jessie Dotson (Region 8-AAA individual champ) and Gainesville's Sara Hayes will also run in the meet. ... In Class AAAA, Flowery Branch's boys and girls will compete -- the Falcons boys are looking for their third straight title and first Class AAAA crown. ... In Class AA, Dawson County's boys and girls, Jackson County's girls, Jefferson's girls, East Jackson's girls, Union County's boys and Buford's girls also qualified. ... Lakeview's boys also qualified in Class A.
Cody Barger
http://accesswdun.com/article/2010/11/233529