Some runners feel that it is the true start of the season, and some feel that it is just another race. One thing is certain though: the Ohio cross country teams will have their hands full with the competition today at the Notre Dame Invitational.
It's definitely going to be the best competition we've seen all year
coach Clay Calkins said.
Today's meet will mark the first time this season that Calkins will not hold out some of his runners for strategic reasons. The competition on both sides will be stellar he said. We're just hoping to do a good job.
The meet, which will showcase 54 schools, will feature a gold division race early in the afternoon, and a blue division race in the late afternoon.
While the Ohio men will compete in the gold race, the women were invited to the blue event, which Calkins described as the hotter race, noting this invitation was the first time the women have been to the blue race in a number of years.
Of the 19 teams competing in the women's blue division races, seven are ranked in the top 30 of the U.S. Track & Field/Cross Country Coaches Association poll.
I think of this as just another meet junior Carime Reinhart said. It's a big meet with a lot of competition
and it looks good because we are racing teams that we can see where we are at
but it's just any other meet ' go and do what you have to do.
Beyond the one-two punch of standouts Reinhart and senior Andrea Maas, Calkins pointed to sophomores Rachel Beakas and Julia Weisenborn and junior Kendra Churchill to make solid contributions at the meet.
On the men's side, the Bobcats will look to seniors Brian King and Tony Turowski for their leadership and experience.
The abundance of sophomore and freshman talent on the men's team will also be a key factor, Calkins said. This will be the first time the freshmen see this level of competition
so it's going to be a great experience for them
Calkins said.
In my mind this is where the season starts
King said. All the meets up to here are just preparation to get up to this point.
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