Cross country thoughts

First of all, congratulations to the Iona College Gaels for their phenomenal runner-up (2nd place) performance at the NCAA Championships. All the talk was of Oklahoma State challenging Oregon, maybe even beating them. Seems everyone forgot LAST YEAR'S runners-up. And now, they are THIS YEAR'S runners-up. Convincingly. We should all be proud to be THEIR runners-up every year at MAACs.

Amazing stat of the season: Iona's Andrew Ledwith had a higher individual placement at the NCAA Championships (3rd) than he had at the MAAC Championships (5th). Obviously, the NCAA Championship race had a bit more importance to him and to his teammates, and they nailed it. Good for them.

Marist Cross Country 2008: This was a great fall season in which the team met or achieved all its goals. For those of you team members reading this, congratulations on your hard-earned success. For those of you alumni/friends/family reading this, thank you for your continued support throughout the fall season.

With all due respect to past teams -- and I've loved them all! -- this may have been the most fun I have had in a cross country season (I probably say that every year, right?). We were relatively injury-free. Everybody got along great. Everybody did the "little things" off the trail to make sure they got the "big things" nailed down correctly. I do think the racing-ever-other-week schedule worked out really well.

And the added bonus this year was getting to have a more active role in the women's program (more on that later). So in all, I couldn't have asked for more out of the past 14 or so weeks.

We had highlights in pretty much every meet.

Iona MOC: School record by Girma (25:01) and school record by the team (25:45 average), as well as highest team finish ever.
Paul Short: Probably our weakest meet of the year, but we still averaged 25:17 per man in the top-5, which was a program best until ...
Albany: When we won easily and averaged 24:47, the first time in school history we averaged under 25:00.
MAAC: We finally ran well for Mickey, getting a dominant 2nd, three all-MAAC performers (Girma, Conor, Will) and averaging 25:12 on a course that seemed to run a little slow.
Regionals: Top-10. Says it all.
IC4As: Broke the Vanny record by 1 second, despite the slightly longer course and brutally cold conditions, and sent off the Girma-Raucci and Friends Senior Class with one, last memorable day.

Now, I know this blog is men's-team centric. Not sure if any women's team members even read it. I would welcome the ladies to, and will try to include more women's meet details as track season begins in earnest next week.

One observation from this old coach about the women's program: We ran the University Division at ECACs (the women's version of IC4As), and got 4th. Our two lead runners, Addie (2nd) and Kathryn (9th), were in the top-10. Then there was a gap to a very capable and improving pack of ladies.

Does this sound familiar? It should. In 2005, the men's team ran the IC4A University Division. Girma place 2nd. David placed 11th. Both were freshmen. Then there was a gap to a very capable and improving pack of men.

You know how the past three years have gone for the men's program, with Girma and David leading the way. With two stud freshman ladies and under Chuck's excellent leadership, recruiting and coaching ... well, all I'll say is, just watch and see.

It should be a fun ride, and I'll be glad to hitch along to that wagon.

Final thoughts on the Girma/David Raucci Cross Country Era: It has been pointed out, by me and others, many times how "I wish Girma and David would nail it on the same day" in a cross country meet. They finally came very close to that perfection at Regionals this year, and the result was obvious.

However, the thought occurred to me the other day: In their many cross country races as our 1-2 runners (and they NEVER missed a meet, by the way), one of them ALWAYS stepped up and led the team. So while they rarely nailed it together on the same day, one of them almost always picked up for the other and kept our train rolling along. For four memorable years.

If anyone is interested in the updated VCP School Record List, let me know and I will email it to you.

On to indoor track.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.