La Jolla High School

About the
program

Where we are
Building something

La Jolla has had a decades-long legacy of success and character building in the community. But recent progression has been notable.

La Jolla XC boys placed 3rd in the San Diego CIF Championships, narrowly missing a berth to State, and came in #9 in the San Diego County merge. The boys sent two individuals on for the second year in a row. In 2026 we are poised to be one of the top teams in the county.

La Jolla Girls XC have had a great few years, led by nationally ranked runner Chiara Dailey. The girls have placed top 4 at the CIF State Championships the past three years.

Non-negotiables
What we expect
01
Six days a week
Monday through Saturday, rain or shine. Each workout builds on the day before. Consider that before you commit.
02
Show up on time
Morning practice starts at 6:25 sharp. Afternoons at 3:45 sharp. Sharp means sharp.
03
Respect the coaches
Tell a coach 24 hours ahead if you will miss practice, and the head coach if you are out sick from school. Communication is the whole job.
Absences. Doctor and dentist appointments, driving lessons, test prep, college visits and other school activities are unexcused — schedule them around practice. After three, we will sit down with you. Sick or injured is excused; if you are injured, check in with a coach daily.
Sample week
A typical week
This is a sample. It will not look like this every week, and weekend times are subject to change — changes go out in the group chat.
Monday3:45 PMafter school
Tuesday3:45 PMafter school
Wednesday6:25 AMbefore school
Thursday3:45 PMafter school
Friday6:25 AMbefore school
Saturday8:30 AMlong run
Sunday—rest / optional lift
Getting in
Tryouts

Tryouts are the first week of August. You run a three-mile course without stopping.

Follow the plan on the Summer Training page and even a beginner should have no trouble with it.

PE credit: freshmen and sophomores must be enrolled in 6th period. Missed practices affect your PE grade.

Clearance: you must be cleared through La Jolla High for athletics before running with us — see ljvikings.com.

How it works
Levels and races
Varsity
Seven athletes. Only the top five score, and your score is your place. Lowest total wins, like golf — a perfect score is 15. Sixth and seventh runners displace other teams. Mostly determined by ability, but attendance and attitude count.
Junior Varsity
Scored the same way, with much bigger fields because everyone races. That is what is great about cross country — everyone gets to race.
League
We compete in the San Diego City Conference, Eastern League: four league meets plus a championship in November. That championship is the last race of the season for JV.
Invitationals
Weekend races across San Diego and California. Some varsity-only, some open to everyone. The team pays for these, so tell a coach early if you have a conflict.
CIF
San Diego and State championships are varsity only — usually our top ten stay out and train for them. Placement at San Diego CIF determines who moves on. State is always the Saturday of Thanksgiving weekend, in Clovis.
Mission
Develop a competitive culture of hard work and commitment. Build friendships and health. Teach athletes to own their development and become students of the sport, whatever their talent level.
On the course
Seven score for varsity. Everyone else races to move up. The pack is the point.
Beyond the racing
Team life
Team dinners
Two or three pasta dinners a season at a teammate’s house within running distance of school. Parents bring pasta, salad, garlic bread, dessert and drinks. 5:30 to 6:30 — they eat fast. It is one of the athletes’ favorite nights.
Saturday runs
Team runs most Saturdays, usually meeting at De Anza Cove at 8:00 AM. Some weeks we do pancake runs and finish at a coach’s house.
Shoes
Start the season in a new pair of training shoes. They do not need to be expensive, but they do need to be a quality high-mileage shoe. Milestone in PB and Roadrunner Sports both give discounts to La Jolla runners.
Nutrition
You will be sore, tired and hungry, especially the first few weeks. Eat high calorie with lean protein, fruit and vegetables, five times a day counting snacks. Water with a little Gatorade beats straight Gatorade.
Support
Fundraising

High school sports in SDUSD are not pay to play. The district covers some of what it takes to run the team, but not everything. Fundraising covers uniforms and sweats for varsity and JV, team shirts, strength and agility equipment, and the end-of-season banquet.

Help your athlete take part in one of our fundraisers, or donate to the La Jolla High Foundation and specify Cross Country.

Donate to XC
The Record Board

All-time top 5

Fastest La Jolla marks ever recorded at each distance, boys and girls.

Boys
3 Mile
1
Jett Dailey
14:53.7
2025
2
Aaron Chu
15:27.7
2026
3
Alex Eve
15:32.0
2010
4
Owen O'Keefe
15:38.6
2024
5
Keegan Durfee
15:40.1
2024
Girls
3 Mile
1
Chiara Dailey
15:28.2
2024
2
Kirra Fisk
16:54.5
2022
3
Daphne Mayer
18:02.2
2023
4
Hannah Aalaei
18:05.8
2024
5
Allison Gray
18:10.8
2025
Boys
5,000 Meters
1
Pat Green
15:19.0
1983
2
Mike Oleata
15:28.1
1980
3
Alex Eve
15:32.0
2010
4
Murat Kayali
15:38.0
2004
5
Jett Dailey
15:53.8
2025
Girls
5,000 Meters
1
Chiara Dailey
16:44.4
2024
2
Kirra Fisk
18:05.6
2022
3
Hannah Aalaei
18:30.3
2025
4
Navah Lipsky
18:36.2
2024
5
Lauren Pischel
18:44.0
2006
By Class

Class records

Fastest mark ever run by a La Jolla freshman, sophomore and junior.

Boys · 3 Mile
FR
Jett Dailey
16:10.5
2024
SO
Jett Dailey
14:53.7
2025
JR
Jett Dailey
14:57.0
2026
Girls · 3 Mile
FR
Chiara Dailey
16:34.8
2022
SO
Chiara Dailey
15:54.2
2023
JR
Chiara Dailey
15:28.2
2024
Boys · 5,000m
FR
Jett Dailey
16:20.9
2024
SO
Jett Dailey
15:53.8
2025
JR
Pat Green
15:34.0
1981
Girls · 5,000m
FR
Chiara Dailey
17:27.3
2022
SO
Chiara Dailey
17:07.3
2023
JR
Chiara Dailey
16:44.4
2024
Marks from Athletic.net. Ties broken by date.
Program record holder

Chiara Dailey

The fastest girl in program history at both cross country distances — and the only La Jolla runner holding the freshman, sophomore and junior class records in both. Three trips to the CIF State meet.

3 Miles15:28.22024 · School record
5,000 Meters16:44.42024 · School record
Also holds the FR / SO / JR class records in both events
The staff
Your coaches
Adam Dailey
Adam Dailey
Boys Coach
Five-time All-American at Arkansas and a two-time SEC champion at 10,000 meters. Ran 28:34 at the 2000 U.S. Olympic Trials, twelfth in the country that year. Founded Ludus Sports; now runs Bronco Surf Capital. Lives in La Jolla.
Eric Avila
Eric Avila
Girls Coach
A 3:55 miler. Four national titles and six All-American honors at Southern Oregon. Won the 2021 USATF 1 Mile Road Championships and finished seventh in the 1500 meters at the 2021 U.S. Olympic Trials in 3:38.
Ciarán Lane
Ciarán Lane
Assistant Coach / Strength Coach
A former collegiate athlete who now runs Ascension Performance. An expert in physical therapy, training and injury prevention, and new to the LJXC staff this season.