With regionals coming up fast, the cross-country teams are preparing for their biggest meet of the season.
“We aren’t training much differently than for any other meet,” head coach Andrew Krug said. “The bulk of the work that the runners are doing is done.”
During practices, the runners are told to bring down the volume of their running so they can run fast times of the season this weekend.
While the runners prepare for this meet as the most important of the season, Krug sees it another way.
“We are treating this meet like any other meet and trying to make sure to control the controllable,” Krug said.
Some of the things Krug and his runners can control are how much the team is resting during the week leading up to the big race, what the runners are eating and if they are hitting their paces.
Krug also hopes to improve in ranking after this weekend for both the men and women.
The men’s team placed 27th overall at last year’s meet and are looking to improve.
The men are looking to have freshman Nathan Doyle and Ethan Vinson up front, both who have a chance of getting all-regional honors, which is top 35 in the meet, and qualifying as individuals for the NCAA Division III Championships on Nov. 22 in Ohio.
Doyle is preparing differently then he would for any other meet and is hoping to place at least 35th overall.
“I’m getting a lot of sleep to prepare for the upcoming meet,” Doyle said.
The women’s team last year finished 16th overall last year and are looking to improve as well.
“I think our women’s team has a chance to surprise people with our placing and definitely improve from what we did at SUNYACs,” Krug said.
Senior Katie Ehmann is training a different way.
“I’m decreasing my training and doing enough volume,” Ehmann said. “This week’s run probably won’t be more than 30 minutes per day.”
Ehmann, like Doyle, wants to aim for at least 35th place overall at the regional meet.
Last year, Ehmann finished in the top 35 and her ultimate goal this year is to get top 35 again.
Email Paige Passman at paige.passman@cardinalpointsonline.com.
