One of the worst parts of the transition from collegiate to post-collegiate running is the loss of a true cross country season. More options for cross country racing are popping up for professional and club runners, but the post-collegiate cross country scene still doesn’t hold a candle to the collegiate season. There is something absolutely magical about every NCAA distance and mid-distance runner coming together for a full season of racing across grass and hills. It’s an experience that is almost impossible to recreate in a world where track athletes live and breathe to peak in July or August.
That’s why I enjoy coaching at Seattle Pacific University, an NCAA D2 university: I get to relive the magic of cross country year after year. The atmosphere, energy, and excitement that surrounds every meet is contagious, and makes me reminisce on my own collegiate experience. A couple weeks ago, SPU had the opportunity to host NCAA D2 Nationals, which gave me the opportunity to see everything that goes into the magic that is a national meet. My biggest takeaway is that I would like to personally apologize to every meet host that I didn’t profusely thank after competing. I had no idea the amount of time and energy that goes into a meet, and hosts deserve so much more credit than they get. My second takeaway is that every second of that work is worth it.
I got to watch the action after days of planning and setting up, and it was incredible to see that work transform into unforgettable experiences for the competing athletes. Seeing teams and individuals hoist those championship trophies into the air gave me chills. Cross country is special, and I’m so glad that I had this experience to remind me of that fact. Watch the video below to see my experience setting up the course and doing a workout on it.
