There are few experiences in college cross country better than preseason training camp with the team. It is the perfect transition from the care free summer of easy runs to the beautiful significance of fall running.
The day before you leave for campus, you get to tell those horrible coworkers at your widget factory summer internship to take this job and shove it (or you politely nod as they shower you with hugs and cupcakes and "going away" Hallmark cards). Then, you enthusiastically pack all of your shower sandals and Bob Marley posters into your parent's mini van, pick out your outfit for the next day and you're off the next morning practically bursting with relief and energy and curiosity as to if there will be any hot new freshman on the women's team. There are never quite enough, though.
The week itself is full of training, of course, but the majority of it is hanging out and shooting the shit with the team. Whether it is waiting around for a meeting to start, sitting around after a run, or lingering in the dining hall slowly eating cookie after cookie from the "athlete's only" free buffet, there is a uniquely calm camaraderie and frenetic sense of humor that is everywhere, and that feeling is rare in life.
This is what makes the training week so unique. It is the sense of shared purpose and hope and energy during the actual training that is a stark contrast to the calm and the humor of the down time. The balance of the two elements is what makes cross country such a distinctive and beautiful athletic atmosphere.
With all of the over enthusiastic training and the long periods of down time during this week, no team can deny themselves the indulgence of overanalyzing their prospects for the upcoming season.
"This is the year we make nationals!"
"This is the year we win a conference championship!!"
"This is the year we beat cross town rivals Crapsandwich State at the all-New Jersey championships!!!!!"
Whatever the goal, it's most likely too lofty and the team will end up slowly failing at trying to achieve it (What? Just saying). But that is what you're supposed to do at the beginning of the season. Everything is possible. Everything is magical. And running six 4:50 miles in November don't seem that out of the question. What would distance running be without limitless hope followed by crushing disappointment?
Right now, teams across the country are wrapping up their preseason camps and eagerly anticipating the 2008 season. As you read this, Portland's David Kinsella is saying he's gonna get that NCAA championship this year and Wisconsin is saying they can still do it without Jerry Schumacher and Colorado is saying, simply, HOLY CRAP, what's happened to our red headed step child that everyone refers to as the Big Twelve?
Here's a quick list of what some other notables are saying:
**NCAA XC's lone Olympian, Galen Rupp: "Sheeeeeeeeiiit. NCAA? 'Dems my beeetches, son. True talk homes: I let dat goofy McDougal dude win last year, b."
**Iona Athletic Director Patrick Lyons: "My hat? Where to hang it now?"
**Colorado: "Where the hell did THIS come from?!"
**Texas: "Well, that was nice. While it lasted"
**Stanford: "What happened to us?"
**Oregon: "Do we even have to show up?"
**Tom McArdle: "Remember me guys? Huh? Huh?"
**Oklahoma St.: "Well golly, folks, we're just happy to be runnin'. We don't wan'na start no trouble"
**Mark Wetmore: "What the frick dude, COME ON!"
And, since this kind of serves as my season preview, here are six things that we know going into this coming season:
**Oregon is a monster. A big, green and yellow, light-footed, fancy pants monster. No one likes them but they are clearly the favorite this year.
**Oklahoma St. is like a mule with a spinning wheel. No one knows where they got all this talent, and darned if they know how to use it. They are the wild card this year, could be the champions, could be 10th.
**Wisconsin is the dark horse this year. They still have a lot of talent lingering around, but this program is at a cross roads. It will be interesting to see if new head coach Mick Byrne, former coach of the large overseas contingent at Iona, will foster what is already at Wisconsin or try to change it in the mold of his former Iona teams. This is definitely the team with the most to prove.
**Galen Rupp should be unbeatable as the individual champion this year. Of course, he just finished his summer track season, but he has until November and that is plenty of time for a guy with his talent and resources.
**German Fernandez is the greatest thing Oklahoma St. has seen since sliced bread. Of course, sliced bread just got to Stillwater, OK about three years ago, so that isn't really saying very much. Nonetheless, the Germ has loads of talent and might very well lead Oklahoma St. on a national championship run this year. If guys like Ritzenhein and Goucher and Solinsky can come into the NCAA and finish top ten as freshmen, than there is no reason Fernandez doesn't come in and finish top five this year.
**Matt Withrow might finally have his year. This poor guy had one amazing race followed by a very good race three and a half years ago at the USA national XC championships, and he has never stopped hearing about it. The poor guy has been haunted by expectations of matching his one great performance and never has come close in NCAA competition. Withrow, along with his mates from that stellar recruiting class of 2004, Stu Eagon and Christian Wagner, have to be feeling a sense of urgency going into the season, especially with a new coach.
Thanks for tuning in folks. Apparently, there were a few "races" this past weekend. Check them out here. The meat grinder will start up in full force this coming Thursday with a Thirsty Thursday preview of the weekend's meets and a look at the national rankings. Until then, feel free to add to my list of things we know going into the season and athlete quotes in the comments.
