XC Times "The Dan Huston Invite" September 30,2017

XC Times September 29, 2017 – THE NEWS XC FANS DEPEND ON – A GANNETT COMPANY

The Dan Huston Invitational XC Times Editorial Board

This week the storm will face their biggest challenge yet this season. There will be very good teams from around the Midwest as well as teams from our own conference such as Loras, Central, Coe and of course Wartburg.

Here are the teams and box numbers for both races 1. Hawkeye 2. Iowa State Running Club 3. Coe 4. Simpson 5. Central 6. Southwestern Community College 7.Judson 8. Rockford 9. Knox 10. UW Stevens Point 11. Monmouth 12. Loras 13. Iowa Track & Field Club 14. Faith Baptist Bible 15. Wartburg 16. UNI 17. Unattached

The Women’s Race The women will be a little shorthanded today, missing Mary Wood. Nevertheless, the Storm are hungry and ready for a break out season. Sadie Timms will continue her great season upfront and Courtney Neuendorf, who suffered some sickness last week at Augustana, is healthy and ready to go. Shelby Hunemiller is quietly having a great season as well. Shelby along with a healthy Ashley Litterer and freshman Emily Buchheit have been our scorers early in the season.

Men’s Race Surviving the heat last week in Augustana, Ian McKenzie came away with the individual men’s title and the rest of the men chipped in for a big victory.

Look for the men to keep their momentum going, now running in some reasonable weather.

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Who is Daniel Huston?

Huston remains the school record holder in the men’s Daniel Huston ’85 3,000-meter steeplechase (9:02.81). He became the remains the school record holder college’s first individualHuston All-American in men’s track and in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase field with a third-place(9:02.81). steeplechase finish at the 1984 NCAA Division III outdoor He first earned all-Iowa He becamemeet. the college’s individual AllAmerican in men’s track andtimes field with a was Conference honors in cross country three and third-place steeplechase finish at the 1984 Division III in outdoor meet. named an Academic NCAA All-American 1984.

HeHelater earned all-Iowa Conference honors in began running marathons as a student cross country three times at andGeorgetown was named Academic All-American in 1984.

University Law School.anHuston enters the Hall of Fame He later began running marathons as ahe posthumously.

After completing his law degree, student at Georgetown University Law School. Huston enters the Hall of Fame posthumously. worked in the Washington, D.C., firm of Reid & Priest.

He died 9, 1994, the victim ofinfatal gunshotD.C., wounds AfterSept. completing his law degree, he worked the Washington, firm of Reid & Priest. He died Sept. 9, 1994, the victim of fatal sustained during an attempted carjacking of his vehicle. gunshot wounds sustained during an attempted carjacking of his vehicle. ?

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Behind the Ropes

By Kent and Sondra Hovey It has been very rewarding to watch Kyle grow through his experience with the cross country program. When Kyle chose Simpson, he knew he wanted to run track while earning his degree. As a distance runner, he was strongly encouraged to be part of the cross country program. It would be part of his training for the track season, and keep him in shape through the year. Kyle had not run cross country in high school and wasn't real excited about it as he began his first fall. We encouraged him, noting we always just asked that he do his best and to know this was to help him improve his track times the following spring. If he could keep the long term benefit as his focus, it would help with the long miles he would be putting in.

We were excited to hear how great camp was before school began his freshman year. He enjoyed bonding with the team and the coaches. His teammates became his friends right away, and helped the transition to college go very well. He shared with us that he really enjoyed hanging out with his teammates and that made the long miles okay to run. His first meet was a home meet and he wasn't sure what to expect for his first competition.

I remember that he even told us we didn't have to come watch if we didn't want to. He didn't want to run too fast so he wouldn't be able to finish, but fast enough to compete. He was happy to just finish that day! We were there to watch, and it was a lot of fun to see his accomplishment, to cheer his new teammates and friends on, and to meet some of the other parents. The next meet was the night glow run at Sioux Falls and was a lot of fun to participate in. It was a huge meet with D1 schools participating, too. There were so many kids at the starting race and so many colors! It was real fun to cheer Kyle and his teammates on and to see him enjoying the race and becoming more competitive. Through the season, we learned how to check out the courses, plan where we could catch them and cheer them on as much as we could throughout the race, and still get back to the finish line before they did. His first year went well and we saw him grow in endurance and confidence.

The following summer Kyle was focused on getting his time better for the season. His attitude changed from being a part of cross country because he had to, to deciding he wanted to compete, and to trim minutes off of his performance times each week. We were happy to see his change of focus and to see his efforts to improve. He welcomed the new teammates in and became a leader on the team in showing commitment to improvement and excellence, so much that we were very happy for him when he was recognized in 2015 with the SC Award for his dedication and leadership.

Heath has been a great coach in encouraging Kyle and the others to work hard and continue to work for improvement. He is always ready to extend a hand to welcome the parents, and truly makes us feel comfortable that our son is in good care, in and outside of the workouts and competitions. It has been great to see Kyle transition from doing cross country because he had to for track preparation to wanting to become a competitive athlete for himself, and for the team. The team is a respectful, positive, and encouraging group who want each other to be successful. They know that even though the sport is an individual performance, their individual performance has an effect on the success of the team. Each member is important and it is fun to watch them treat each other this way on and off the course. It has been a blessing, as a parent, to know our son is with a great group of people, and to see his success with this program and with his overall Simpson experience. We are excited to be able to see a few more meets yet this year, with the anticipation of improved times, all the colors, and to cheer on each and every Storm runner along with Kyle! Go Storm!

Kent and Sondra Hovey

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In the Chute

By Mandy Brown Three years ago, I chose Simpson College with running in mind. Today, I am more thankful I made that decision than ever. Maybe it’s my old soul or my Simpson Success story coming to a close, maybe it’s finally mastering the acquisition of the always lucrative, chocolate milk at Pfeiffer Dining Hall, or surviving a semester as Simpson’s Most Wanted, or knowing Indianola better than any place, or finally swearing customer loyalty to a running shoe brand (Brooks for life!), but senior year has marked a transition in my thinking about running and so, life. Simpson College Cross Country has given me so much mentally, physically, and socially, but more than anything else, I am grateful it has taught me to be present, however cliché, to enjoy small moments. The little things? What little things? I have made a list, and it’s growing all the time.

The Little Things A short poem by Mandy Brown Waking up to a golden-pink Iowa sunrise, The change of the seasons where one stride means another satisfying crunch of autumn leaves, Good food, particularly large quantities of proteins and carbohydrates (i.e. hot wings for some, garlic bread for everyone), Easy bathroom visits, Frequent porta potties, Considerate camping companions, Taking a deep, clear breath post pneumonia, Birthday songs and strawberry cakes, Haunted houses and beach days, Unsolicited memes and reminders from Heath about one’s inevitable mortality, Drinking water without soaking one’s front or hitting one’s eye, Flat neighborhoods (and level sidewalks), Deodorant, Dogs on leashes, Other unphotogenic runners, Relatable period and sports bra misfortunes, Flexibility of the muscles and in one’s choice of sleeping surfaces, “Are you okays?”

Bootless days and chafeless nights, Sleepy lunges and cooling rain showers, The satisfying all day aches of progress Able, fit bodies Wiping tears of victory disguised by sweat Simpson Cross Country, like Coach Heath, will always remind me to count my blessings, successes, and good times. As with miles, I look forward to many more.

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Coaches Jim Kirby I had been coaching at Dowling Catholic for more than 20 years. Those were some of the best years of my life. I enjoyed being with some of the most gifted, talented and funny people around. From the girl we all cheered as she broke 30 minutes for a 4K to state champions, national champions and later collegiate champions, thee are so many great moments. It just goes to show you, if you stay around long enough, good things happen.

Now I am privledged to be associated with another talented, gifted and funny group of people, the Simpson Storm.

There is nothing like the experience of helping someone achieve things they once, never imagined they could achieve.

It is often overwhelming and sometimes even adictive, to experience those things on the bigger stages in life, the excitement, passion and exhiliration of the moment of victory.

As exciting as those bigger, more dramtic moments of accomplishment and so called “victories” are, there are many many more satisfying moments, a coach expereinces, day to day, that to the casual observer, don’t seem so important, but to an observant coach, priceless.

Not everyone wins the state title or national championship. There are victories that may be less noticable but are even more monumental. A new personal best, the overcoming a weakness or a lessoned learned, for coaches who hold these goals out to their athletes, find even more gratification in being part of those victories.

The “classroom of running” can teach many things, what your strengths and weaknesses are; what makes you continue and what makes you quit; how hard you are willing to sacrifice and how much you don’t want to give up. Learning these life lessons while making the lifelong memories that this sport offers is what makes coaching really satisfying.

I am excited to continue to try and help athletes overcome their limitations, achieve their goals and do things they never dreamed possible. As legendary York High School coach Joe Newton says, “running can make the best athletes, friends, spouses, parents and people.”

“I have competed well; I have finished the race; I have kept the faith.”-2 Timothy 4.7 “The only thing we knew how to do, was to keep on keeping on…”-Bob Dylan

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Our Next Meets

Saturday October 14th Jim Drews/Tori Neubauer Invitational La cross, WI 10:30a

Down the Road Saturday October 28th IIAC Conference Meet Wartburg College Waverly, IA Simpson Storm X-Country FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK and Twitter