Cross country teams train for upcoming season by competing in distance events at track meets

By Josh Griffin

Off-season training is an essential aspect of preparation for Division I collegiate athletics. Cross country is no different, as the men's and women's cross country teams at Santa Clara train in a nontraditional cross country season.

Both the men's and women's cross country teams have competed in three track meets in the 5K (3.1 miles) and other distances over the course of the spring. The competition and training programs are essential to preparing for a successful fall.

"Running at a high level is a year round commitment, so running track prepares us for cross country by gaining experience and building confidence into the fall," said junior Ricky Brackett.

The unique style of training and different distance competition for track is also beneficial for the runners.

"The competitive track season allows for a chance to build up fast twitch muscles that we break down during cross country training," said freshman John Hinman. "Also, by trying to get used to running a faster pace at 5k, hopefully the next season you can take that pace out to 8k."

Women's Head Coach Tom Service agrees: "The spring program helps provide a base for the fall season as well as added concentration on speed and flexibility. Having the competition of spring meets also provides a fun, relaxed atmosphere for staying in shape.

Both the men's and women's teams have welcomed strong performances from their runners. On the men's side, Hinman tied the school record in the 5K in only his first season at Santa Clara. The women have had numerous outstanding individual performances, according to Service.

"Following her outstanding improvement in cross country, sophomore Katie Hansen continues to shine on the oval," said Service. "A real pleasant surprise has been newcomer sophomore Tara Rooney, whose times have announced that she will be a factor to be dealt with in the fall."

Additionally, team leaders sophomore Robin Bell and junior Milena Basile have both set personal bests this spring.

Despite the success under the structured cross country spring training program, the distinction remains important that it is a "nontraditional" program. This style program differs from perennial cross country powers like the University of Portland - winners of the last 26 West Coast Conference men's cross country championships - which has a full varsity track and field program that also competes in the spring.

As a freshman, Ben Gauen, currently a junior on the cross country team, joined with current junior Heath Packard and head men's cross country coach John Maloney to make a formal proposal for the university to add a track and field program.

The proposal outlines key components of the prospective program that included references to several similar Catholic universities with strong cross country programs. The University of Portland, for instance, competes only in distance events in the track and field season and does not have a full track on campus.

"[Portland] has a few sprinters who are not competitive, no track on campus like us, but just by having the track team, a full-time coach and building the tradition over time have been very successful - top 10 in the nation successful," said Brackett.

The most important aspect of a full-time track program would be the advantage to recruiting.

"The biggest benefit of a full track team is perhaps recruiting," said Gauen. "Most serious distance runners want an official track team to run for. Scholarship money has attracted some good runners to Santa Clara, but in the long run it is not enough. Look how good the University of Portland is at cross country. They have an official track team so they get a lot of good recruits each year."

With or without a full track program, Santa Clara's distance squad will spend their springs training for fall competition. In 2001, the women's team won its first WCC title, and the men's team has been competing favorably with Portland.

"Hopefully we will have a track team for my senior season," said Hinman, who has a chance to become the fastest runner in Santa Clara history. "I would say that of teams that we compete with at a level right now, most have a full track program, and as we look ahead to the level we want to be at, everyone has a team."