XC Times For October 13, 2018

XC Times October 13, 2018 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

The Drews and Neubauer Invitational XC Times Editorial Board

Preview The Drews/Neubauer is an annual cross country meet in honor of Jim Drews and Tori Neubauer, former UWL AllAmericas and National Champions. This meet features some of the best D3, NAIA, Junior College and a couple of D1 teams in the Midwest. This will be the biggest test yet for both the Storm Men and women.

The Women’s Race I am very proud of the progress our women have made thus far this season. At our last meet in Waverly we had 10 Personal Bests, this speaks volumes to the women’s hard work and commitment.

Emily Buchheit has emerged as one of our front runners. I am predicting another breakout race for Emily, as she gains confidence, strength and hunger. Shelby Hunemiller, one of our senior leaders, has been dealing with some nicks and strains, and you will know right away if it is going to be one of Shelby’s good ones if she and Emily run together upfront. Audrey Klein has been our resurrected number three. Audrey had a very frustrating sophomore year and has come back this season healthy and hungry. Rounding out our scorers will likely be among our freshmen, Kate Moruno, Kyli Orr and MacKenzie Laughlin, but you just never know who is going to step up today!

Men’s Race Always a highlight of our season is our trip to the Drews/Neubauer Invitational in Ettrick, Wisconsin. Hosted by the University of La Crosse, you're always in for a super competitive meet with deep fields. Our men are coming off a much improved performance at the Wartburg Invite and just banked two very good weeks of training.

I'm thrilled with the commitment the men have displayed since coming off the track in May, and am excited to see all the hard work pay off these last few meets.

Our 1-2 punch of Thompson and Facio were solid at our last meet, both posting life-time bests. Cale Billheimer and Ryan Courtney stepped up and provided a nice 3-4 at Wartburg as well. Tyler Combs is rounding into shape and looking to have big improvement this weekend. As far as the rest of our line-up I'm anxious to see who steps up and solidifies themselves in our top 7.

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Who Are Drews and Neubauer?

Jim Drews Jim Drews graduated in 1974 from UW-La Crosse where he earned four letters each in cross country and track. He was a three-time NAIA All-American. Drews was a four-time WSUC cross country champion and a 14-time WSUC track champion. He was named the NAIA District 14 most valuable player in track and cross country.

In cross country, Drews best national finish was sixth in 1971. Drews was UW-La Crosse's top finisher in every cross country meet he ran in. He was a Floyd Gautsch Award winner in cross country.

Along with being named the 1979 Green Bay Area Athlete of the Year, Drews qualified for the 1980 Olympic Marathon Trials. Drews taught physical education for 11 years at Green Bay East where he coached cross country for five years and track for three years.

Tori Neubauer-Muesing Arguably the best female runner in UW-L history, Tori Neubauer-Muesing set numerous school records on her way to 10 national titles in cross country and track. A 13-time All-American, Muesing lettered in both sports all four years, from 1980-1984.

In cross country, she led the team to the NCAA III title in 1983, the runner-up spot in 1982 and two conference championships. In outdoor track Muesing led the team to three national championships--AIAW III in 1982 and NCAA III in 1983 and 1984. Also, she led the indoor and outdoor track teams to numerous conference titles.

She was the MVP of the 1984 indoor NAIA national meet and qualified for the Olympic trials in '84 and '88. In 1994, UW-L named its women's home cross country event the Tori Neubauer Invitational.

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In the Chute

By Jamie Glanz

It’s funny how things work out sometimes. I look back at my younger self and can’t help but chuckle. If someone would have told me then that I would run cross country in college, I never would believed them. In fact, I never even planned on running cross country at all. As a third grader, I remember attending my older sister’s high school cross meets and wondering why anyone in their right mind would voluntarily participate in this sport. As I grew older, I remember my dad always encouraging me to try it out, saying he couldn’t wait for the day when he could watch me run as both my sisters had before me. I always told him he’d be waiting forever because there was no chance anyone would ever find me running long distance. I don’t really know what changed my mind going into freshman year of high school, seeing as I still despised running, but somehow, I found myself on the team.

It would still be awhile before my attitude towards running would change however. Just because I was out for cross didn’t mean I enjoyed it. Despite the fact that I found myself a lot farther up on the team than I ever could have imagined, there were plenty of days where I seriously considered quitting, and I did not plan on going back out the following year. Again, I don’t quite remember who or what brought me back, but I stuck with it sophomore year.

Beginning of junior year was the first time I found myself actually not dreading the season and where I saw the most transformation in myself as well. Not only did I see quite a bit of improvement in my times that year, but this was around the time where my attitude towards running began to improve as well. While I began to actually enjoy the sport, I still never would have dreamt I’d continue it after my senior year.

But here I am. Between taking last year off and just participating in track, spending the summer recovering from an injury, and being recently diagnosed with compartment syndrome, it’s been more of a task for me to go out this season than I initially believed it would. Despite some of my struggles early on in the season, participating in cross country this year at Simpson is easily one of the best decisions I ever could have made. Not only has it helped me become a better athlete both physically and mentally, but it’s already provided me with some great experiences and introduced me to an incredible group of people who I know are there for me on and off the course. While even just a year ago I never would have imagined I’d be here, now that I am, I can’t imagine being anywhere else.

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Behind the Ropes

By Sandy Glanz

Funny? No, maybe "ironic" is a better way to describe how different experiences over a few years or even a few months can evolve into something unexpected but exciting!

When I think back to when Jamie was starting to play sports, as early as 3rd grade and into the middle school years, running was NOT something she enjoyed. She made no bones about it either! A "sport" in her mind had to have a ball in it! Then there was middle school track. She tried a few events, which included the high jump. She found this event to come sort of natural for her and enjoyed competing in it. But, this was the ONLY event she wanted to do in those middle school years and even early high school years. She did not enjoy running!

So, her freshman year of high school, she decides to try cross country and forego volleyball.

Funny or ironic? She was fortunate to have an upper classman take her under her wing, guiding and challenging her to do better. I believe this is where things started to click for Jamie. She began believing in herself, that she could compete and have success. She developed an attitude of determination and always was wanting to do her best, nothing less. Cross country was the foundation that nurtured these qualities. She is a competitor but has also learned to be a good, supportive friend and mentor. She has developed many close and lasting friendships during her high school years with her cross country family.

We were excited when she decided to take her higher education to Simpson and also be a member of the track and field team. I jokingly asked if she thought about competing in cross country. She gave a definite no. We decided it was probably best to do just one sport while in college. After all, she was there to get an education first! But, life experiences can teach us and guide us along the way. It was these experiences and encouragement from some Simpson cross country members that helped her decide to be a part of this program beginning this fall. We couldn't be more excited and proud of her!

Simpson cross country is an awesome program that has provided her with a wonderful group of friends and very talented coaches. It is so much fun to see these friendships grow as well as watching these athletes compete! This program continues to teach her many life lessons that she will be able to draw from well into her adult life.

Best wishes to all Simpson cross country members and coaches! Go Storm!!!

Sandy Glanz

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SCXC

By Levi Lefenbur

From about my Junior year of high school, I knew that I sought to run cross-country and track in college. I knew I could not bring myself to stop competing in the sports that had taught me so many vital life skills following 6 years of competition in middle and high school.

Distance running is a sport that forces year round dedication as well as many other decisions to better your life as a whole. If you are seeking to be competitive, that means not only showing up most of roughly 11 months of the year, but also doing the little things. Running 11 months a year in itself provides quite the challenge. From the days of summer where even running at 7 am leaves you dealing with 90% humidity and 80 degree weather, to the days of January, where you are just ready for it to finally be above zero again. Throughout this, being in season 9 months out of the year means simply showing up to practice is not enough. Sure, you need to show up and be willing to push yourself even on days where you were up until 3 am finishing that paper, or are sore from mile repeats the day before, but have to get in a 10 mile MERsday. But it also means, staying in on the weekends when your friends not on the team are going out late at night, and making a concentrated effort to eat better, work on general strength, and continuously stretch. All of these are necessary to compete at the collegiate level and also make you into a better overall person when it comes to your health and fitness.

Additionally, the team impact of Simpson cross-country has been a huge benefit to my time here. This team is accepting and knows how to have a lot of fun. Doing the aforementioned work 11 months out of the year really causes you to build close bonds with your teammates. It seems as if there is always the opportunity to go out to dinner with some who are on the team, stay in and play some board or video games, or hit the library to do a group study session. Not to mention the dinners in Pfeiffer, where we find ourselves rearranging the whole cafeteria seating simply to sit as a team. Then, there is the offseason, which brings picnics at Ahquabi and pickup basketball games in the gym (for some reason they still welcome me to play despite my sheer incompetence as a basketball player). In addition to this, we still find a way to be involved around campus. People on the cross-country team tend to be those who are also active in other organizations and activities around campus. A prime example of this is homecoming week this year, which is typically a week owned by Greek organizations competing in various events from sand volleyball to street painting and “Yell Like Hell” to “win” homecoming. This year, we as a team competed in these events and became the first non greek organization to win homecoming week. With this team there is always something to do.

From teaching me many values and healthy lifestyles, to providing me with a superb group of peers to spend my time at college with, competing in cross-country is one of the best life decisions I have ever made. I will never forget the days, such as last week, where we were running through ankle deep water dodging lightning bolts, nor will I forget the times sitting in Pfeiffer with the whole team hearing Seth rap about how old and washed up Tom Brady is. Being a part of this team has improved my work ethic, provided me with several mentors and given me life long friends, which I am eternally grateful for

XC Times October 13, 2018 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

Our Next Meet

Saturday October 27th American River Conference Championship Lincoln, NE 11am-Women 12pm-Men

Down the Road Saturday November 10th NCAA D3 Central Regional Waverly, IA Women-11am Men-12pm

Simpson Storm X-Country FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK and Twitter

Women’s 6K Course TEAM VAN/SPECTATOR PARKING (NO BUS PARKING)

TEAM CAMP AREA 1

FINISH Timing & AT

START WOMEN’S 6k COURSE MAP MILE 1 – BLACK MILE 2 – YELLOW MILE 3 – RED FINAL 1.2K – BLUE From start, run south loop clockwise and north loop counterclockwise past the start. Then run the inner north loop and the inner south loop (weave) into the south loop counterclockwise. Continue on the counterclockwise path until the break for the finish line.

Women will follow double-white lines until they break from men’s course (just past 3k). At break, the women will follow double-maroon lines until they attach back onto the men’s course.

2k 3k

NORTH LOOP

TEAM CAMP AREA 2

3200

4k 1600

SOUTH LOOP

5k

1k

BUS PARKING

4800

UPDATED 10/2/17

TORI NEUBAUER INVITATIONAL – ETTRICK GOLF CLUB

Men’s 8k Course TEAM VAN/SPECTATOR PARKING (NO BUS PARKING)

TEAM CAMP AREA 1

v FINISH Timing / AT

START

5k 4800

MEN’S 8k COURSE MAP MILE 1 – BLACK MILE 2 – YELLOW MILE 3 – RED MILE 4 – BLUE MILE 5 – PINK From start, run south loop clockwise and north loop counterclockwise past the start. Then run the south loop and north loop counterclockwise past nd the start a 2 time. Continue on the same path until the break for the finish line.

Men will follow double-white line the entire course.

2k 3k

NORTH LOOP 6k

3200

TEAM CAMP AREA 2 6400

BUS PARKING

1600 7k

SOUTH LOOP

1k

4k

UPDATED 10/2/17

JIM DREWS INVITATIONAL – ETTRICK GOLF CLUB