Newman Golf Course is once again hosting a meet in which the Creighton cross country teams will run. Two weeks ago that meet was the Bradley Classic. Today the stakes are higher when they run in the Valley Cross Country Championships. The men hit the course first at 10:30 running 8K, and the women follow at 11:30 running 5K (compared to the 6K they ran in the Bradley Classic).
With the weekend off last weekend, the Jays had a solid two weeks of practice to prepare for this meet. Coach Chas Davis and the runners had the benefit of fall break (October 19-23) to take a mini-break from their academic responsibilities and put more focus on the preparation for today’s meet, as well as enjoying time with their teammates. Davis said:
We kept the intensity of our quality workouts high but lowered their overall volume so that they’ll be as sharp and prepared while rested as ever. They’ve been able to fine tune the last couple gears they’ll need in their “leg speed” arsenal while recovering more effectively. The key from the last couple weeks was keeping our MVC squad in town and training together. It’s something this team has always needed to do with a school break two weeks before our most important meet of the year, but never tried pulling off. For the first time in many of their careers, our runners didn’t have to do anything besides eat, sleep and run. They were professional runners more or less over fall break, and really pulled together as a team during team meals twice daily. That week they spent putting the final elements in place is going to be far more important in the long run than the workouts they did
To achieve a greater “leg speed,” freshman Michael Neisius explained the importance of those practices.
We have had quite a few track workouts and I think that completing them has definitely added confidence.
Senior Melissa Greig mentioned a few of the personal benefits a week off of school can have on a student athlete.
Since academics are pretty demanding at Creighton, fall break allowed us to recover from our workouts more effectively without the stress and sleep deprivation caused by school work.
Freshman Hannah Connealy, the top women’s finisher at the Bradley Classic, describes how having run on this course recently will help the team today.
Having the Bradley (Classic) race under our belt will make our visualization of the race (today) much more realistic. Our familiarity with the course should also help to keep us all focused and relaxed.
As Davis pointed out, there are three runners over the age of 20 on both teams combined and freshman compile 50% of the runners. Two of the seniors on the women’s team, Molly Jergenson (captain) and Melissa Greig, look to lead the women’s team to a good showing. Greig stated the importance of running on a familiar course for both freshman and the veteran runners.
It is very beneficial, especially for our freshman, to run on this course at the Bradley Classic. Our upperclassmen have seen this course before at Regionals in 2007, so this weekend will be third time for some competing on this course.
Jergenson explained how a rested team can run their best race of the season tomorrow.
We haven’t been able to race fully rested yet this year and we haven’t had the workouts and speed that we really needed to perform at our best level. For the first time this year, we can go out and race aggressively without holding back. Tomorrow is just another day for us to go out and take care of what we need to. If we can run this race the same way we have nailed our workouts, I know it’s going to be a great day.
Having over two solid months under the coaching of Davis in his first season, the team is primed to run their best race. Sophomore Stephen Van Gampleare feels the teams are peaking.
I think our team is definitely peaking at the right time. The conference meet is where we all want to have our best races, and I think most of us feel confident we will make that happen.
Even though it has been two weeks since their last meet, the grind of the season started to take its toll. Freshman Mike Hitt experienced some achilles tendonitis and will not be running. Fellow freshman Colin McDonald will run in his place as Mike looks to return for the regional meet on November 14th. On the women’s side, there is nothing to keep any runners out of this meet but are a few items of note; freshman Kara Telfer (hamstring), freshman Statsia Schmatlz (sickness), and freshman Ashley Loerts have battled normal aches and pains.
Davis will look beyond the numbers in determining the success. He sees this race not only as an important meet for this year’s team but as an experience for the younger runners to build on.
We are not going to predicate success on whether we finish above where the coaches’ poll has us, but it wouldn’t surprise me if we did. Based on prior performances, that’s where the coaches should have us. But we are heading into this race with a different team than we’ve brought to the line so far. Whatever happens, if we see our squad putting the experience of the season to use, competing and beating people every chance they get, it will be a successful race for us.