The Creighton cross country teams are in South Bend, Indiana, this afternoon for the adidas Notre Dame Invite. WBR caught up with head coach Chas Davis to talk race results, future goals, and what to expect this weekend from his men’s and women’s teams.
WBR: Can you share your thoughts and insights about the past two races for both your men’s and women’s squads? What are your impressions about your teams’ efforts at the Woody Greeno and Dean White meets?
Davis: It’s been so early that we’re still watching people figure some things out. With so many runners that are very new to collegiate cross country and the distances involved, it’s taking some time before they are really going to be knowledgeable and experienced enough to use the fitness and physical tools they already have. We’ve also trained straight through every race so far, so combined with some fatigued legs, a round of cold and flu that has made it’s way through the team (and coaching staff), and plenty of youth, we haven’t really expected fireworks yet.
That said, we have been pleased with the efforts and attitudes over the past couple weeks. Our harriers are showing up prepared to race while keeping the bigger goals in mind. They are figuring out the purpose of these early season competitions and the experience we’re trying to gain out of it.
That’s not to say we’re not seeing some tangible payoffs on paper. We had seven women faster at Woody Greeno than our number one girl on the same course last year, and most of our men ran considerably faster. At Dean White, we saw several people compete better and faster than the last time they were out on that course two years ago. Also, we left our “Top 7” squad at home for that meet, so a number of our runners found themselves in unfamiliar territory and stepped up to the challenge. The puzzle is still coming together, but the elements of the formula are starting to coalesce.
WBR: Your teams have almost a month’s worth of races under their belts. How are they feeling? How have they progressed in terms of your ultimate goals for the teams this season?
Davis: That’s what we’ll find out at the Notre Dame Invite. This race should be a very accurate checkpoint and provide some reality for where we stand. We haven’t really let go of the reigns yet…now we will.
Women’s Woody Greeno Race Video
WBR: An important race looms large this weekend in South Bend. How excited are your runners (and you, as coaches) about running at the Notre Dame races on Friday? What kind of atmosphere should they expect?
Davis: There are well over 40 teams spread over two different races — the gold and the blue divisions — with 17 nationally ranked teams between the men and the women. This is about as big of a stage as there is, especially at this time of year. These kids have never been a part of something like this before, so there is definitely some excitement. I’m not sure though that such a young squad really realizes what they’re truly a part of…and I like it that way to a degree, some naïveté is a good thing.
But for all intents and purposes, the “racing” season starts with this race. The conditions should be great as long as some predicted morning rain doesn’t last too long. They should be well rested, fresh, and sharp enough to make the best of a very fast course. The atmosphere is going to be intense…but better they are exposed to it and learn how to handle it now than later.
WBR: Who from your squads will be participating in the races? Of these runners, who are a few individuals to watch closely, based on their most recent efforts?
Davis: On the women’s side, Hannah Connealy, Kara Telfer, Jaque Parker, Melissa Greig, Molly Jegenson, Celeste Lorenzo, and Ashley Loerts will run. For the men, Steve VanGampleare, Jared Dittman, Mike Hitt, Casey Jergenson, Mike Neisius, Tom Shimp, and Mike Farley will race.
Watch the freshmen Connealy and Hitt. They’ve been looking fabulous in practice and as young as they are…watch out when that light goes on. The fire is already hot with both of them, the talent and wheels are there. With their first couple college races under them, they’re starting to figure the 5k and 8k out and some impressive things are going to happen.
Dittman and Greig are the veterans to watch. They really haven’t had the chance to really let loose this season yet…they’ve both been completing workouts that would have been impossible for them a couple years ago, and now they are breezing through them. We could see some massive PRs out of them on this course.
Lastly, don’t forget about Casey Jergenson and Parker. This will be Casey’s first race of the season because of a slight hamstring problem that kept him out of Lincoln. Having seen him in practice, I’m dying to see him throw it down in his first race. Parker rolled an ankle in the first race and took a bad fall in her second, so we really haven’t seen what she’s capable of yet. That could change in a hurry at Notre Dame.
WBR: You’ve talked with us often about your ultimate goals for this year’s teams; what do the goals look like this weekend? What do you expect?
Davis: Many of our goals have been lifestyle and preparation goals that will have them ready for what they will see in this race. So, the most important elements are already in place — the planning that has gone into it, the training, the recovery, the attitude, and the approach. By the end of the race I expect to have tangled with some teams who otherwise would have never seen us coming and to have demonstrated that we are a fundamentally different machine than this team has been in the past. As long as we’re getting out there with some fire, not just over the first mile or in the last 200 meters, but in those tough middle stretches, the fast times will come.
WBR: A little bit off topic: Congratulations on your wins in the Corporate Cup men’s 10k and the Omaha Half Marathon in consecutive weekends. What was your impression of the running community in Omaha during both weekends? How has the running community supported your teams so far this season?
Davis: They reminded me what I missed about Omaha in the past. It was great being a part of the running community in Oregon. It was a completely different world, with some of the biggest names and faces in the sport. As exciting and exhilarating as that was, though, sometimes it made you wonder if people took some of this stuff a little too seriously…a little too “life and death” at times. Don’t get me wrong, this stuff is important, but at the end of the day, there are more important things out there.
The Omaha running community can keep things in better perspective at times, and the people involved are a little more down to earth. And boy, they are supportive. I’m almost embarrassed when I hear so many people supporting me out on the race course when the route doubles back on itself. It’s great being back in a pond I can be a little more competitive in as well (he laughs). We had our team out at an Omaha Marathon aid station and we are planning to remain involved with the Omaha running community more and more in the future. We hope that through these efforts, people will realize more and more that we do in fact have a competitive team and that we are another Creighton program they can get excited about and cheer for.