As soon as the men assembled at the starting line and got into their stances, they were promptly called off the field by a loud, shrill horn.
The noise meant lightning had been detected within a six-mile radius, and that the men's race at the Ohio Invitational would be delayed for 15 minutes.
It was symbolic of Saturday morning's dreary conditions, in which the men placed second and the women third. Rain poured steadily for the duration of the meet, while lightning delays interrupted the men's race, and cut short the women's race.
Sometimes it just seems like the gods are against you
assistant coach Mitch Bentley said. You can't get a break one way or the other.
Despite slick, muddy ground, Ohio finished behind Kent State in the 8k race. Redshirt senior Aadam Soorma was the Bobcats' top runner, finishing fifth overall with a time of 26:03.89. Redshirt junior Chris Davis placed ninth, followed by a pack of six Ohio runners taking the 12-17 spots.
I think (the men) did a great job coach Clay Calkins said. They ended up in the top half there and (they did) a good job overcoming the inclement weather.
The women's 6k race was cut in half by a lightning delay. The runners were able to complete one of two laps, making it a 3k instead of a 6k.
Ohio finished behind Dayton and Kent State. Senior Kelley O'Brien and sophomore Hannah Charbel had the Bobcats' best times, placing 12th and 13th, with times of 11:12.37 and 11:13.39, respectively. Emily Skidmore, Kristen Altenburger and Abigail Swift rounded out the team's top-five. Ohio's three-best runners, Annie Beecham, Kari Summers and Jenielle Hunt, did not compete.
I wish we could have gotten the entire 6k in for the women
Calkins said. That was disappointing
but everybody seemed to respond well and be okay with it. As coaches
you're at the mercy of the weather... Mother Nature
that's who runs the show.
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Sports
Nathaniel Maund
