North Alabama’s Cross Country team traveled to Memphis on Saturday, Aug. 31 to compete in the City Auto Memphis Twilight XC Classic. Both the mens and womens team finished fifth overall in the race, an impressive start to their season.
It was an early morning for both the men and women. The women had to be at the race at 6 a.m. since they were the first to run. The men followed suit and arrived at about 7 a.m.
The women competed in a 5k race, placing fifth out of 14 total teams. Out of 109 runners in the race, the Lions secured five runners in the top 40 slots. Even more impressive, Gracie Mathews and Laura Mobley finished in the top 25. Mathews finished 15th with a time of 18:51.65, and Mobley 25th at 19:17.86. Senior Aaliyah Charo finished 39th and set a new personal record of 19:58.70. Earning 142 points together, the women beat standout teams, UT-Martin and Memphis.
The men ran a four mile race, also placing fifth out of 13 total teams. Six of the Lions placed in the top 50. Brian Bett had an astonishing time of 19:46.35 that allowed him to secure the third overall spot. Adam Nipper finished in the 26th spot with a time of 21:05.26. Aidan Shannon finished at 21:48.78. Alex Kuntz finished at 22:31.72. Thomas Ludwig finished at 23:16.84, followed by Edan Jamieson at 25:30.34. This race would be Nipper, Shannon, Kuntz, Ludwig and Jamieson’s first ever four mile race in their career.
Sophomore Brent Lyons and junior Jackson Hamlin set new personal records. Lyons beat his old time by more than 10 seconds, finishing 28th at 21:09.15. Hamlin beat his old time by seven seconds, finishing with a time of 21:40.0. The men’s team beat opponents such as Arkansas State and Memphis, totaling 119 points.
After the consuming races Saturday, the team took off Sunday to reset their physical and mental states. Coach Callahan believes in the importance of taking these rest days to maintain values such as religion, family and health.
A typical training week for the team starts on Monday, when the athletes focus on mileage. Some of the men run up to 12 miles this day, whereas the women run up to 8. Tuesday, the team completes a series of intervals and ladders. The team starts back up with miles on Wednesday, and then another workout on Thursday, focusing on more intervals or different speed training. In one week, the mileage varies across each athlete from about 40-100 miles, with 100 miles on the more extreme side, run by Lyons. Most of the women runners average about 40, and most of the men sit at about 70.
With Callahan being the third cross country coach in four years, he plans to maintain each of the player’s mental and physical health. This means not overtraining the athletes and preventing burnout.
“We are making sure that we are seeing progress and making sure that we are mentally ready to go,” said Callahan. “Being positive is the big thing.”
A big learning curve last year had to do with navigating injuries for both the men and women. Coming from senior runners Gracie Mathews, Mason Schrader and Noah Bonsall, one of the team’s biggest goals this season is injury prevention.
In addition to this, the team also plans on shattering a few personal records, and maybe even a couple school records. With such a strong opening race already, these goals are definitely in view. All in all, Coach Callahan is aiming for that 6th or 7th spot at the Atlantic Sun Conference meet.
The team prides themselves on having such a strong unity in their team dynamic. They continue to build a positive culture, creating their own family which makes the individual aspect so much more rewarding.
Through such partnership and support, they are able to uplift one another on bad days, as well as encourage each other on really good days, pushing each other to be the very best version of themselves. Shrader reflected on his time so far at UNA, cherishing all the memories he has made with his teammates. Together, the team demonstrates leadership and fellowship, along with heart and resilience.
On race days, the individual part of the sport takes over.
“You have to respond when your opponents push you,” said Bonsall. “When a guy comes past you, you’re not just going to let him go.”
It is at this point in the race when the competitor mentality takes over because despite how bad a player is hurting, they have to be the one to handle it better.
“You’re going to hurt during a race no matter what,” said Schrader. “You have to push through the pain and just tell yourself ‘You can do this. You can pass this guy and finish.’”
One thing the team plans to improve on from last year is timing. Last year, many of the players mentioned they felt as if they started the season too high, too quickly. This year, the team plans on progression and improvement, taking it one race at a time. Navigating each race and the different competitors, while waiting for the right moment to switch on their momentum, is a curve each player is learning.
Coach Callahan is currently working on these expectations with his athletes. He wants each of them to learn how to conserve their energy and turn it on at the right time.
“What are we willing to do?” said Callahan. “Are we willing to make a sacrifice when the race gets hard, and are we willing to predetermine what the decision is going to be when something doesn’t go our way in a race?”
These are questions he considers when training the athletes, hoping they implement these ideas in future races.
Moving forward, the team intends to combine all their talent, all their depth, and continue to progress each race.
“I see so much more joy, excitement and such a better competitive spirit in the girls,” said Mathews. “We want to work, and hopefully we shatter some times.”
The Lions next competed on Sep. 7 at McFarland Park in Florence for the sixth annual UNA Invitational. The women ran a 5k, and the men ran an 8k.
The men’s team placed second with a total of 40 points. Most notably, freshman Brian Bett set a new school record for the 8k, finishing with a time of 24:08.14.
Four of the runners finished in the top 10, and nine secured spots in the top 25. Senior Adam Nipper finished in the top 10 for his first time in four seasons, setting a personal best of 25:35.08. Three other runners for UNA set new personal bests. Lyons secured the 10th spot with a time of 25:51.01. Bonsall finished 12th with a time of 25:53.15, beating his old time by 54 seconds. Sophomore Grayson Hall placed 24th with a time of 26:32.89.
The women’s team ran the 5k and also placed second with a total of 47 points. Five women secured spots in the top 15, led by Mathews’ time of 18:26.79.
Astonishingly, seven of the Lady Lions broke their personal bests. Sophomore Emma Bradford placed in the top 30 with a new time of 20:15.83. Sophomore Taylor Williams finished with a time of 20:28.56. Freshman Mary Anna Trimble ran her first race as a Lion, finishing with a time of 20:43.61.
Three of the Lions set UNA Invitational personal records. Mobley secured the 7th spot with a new personal record of 18:47.56. Charo shattered her old time by 46 seconds, setting her new record at 19:12.18. Camille Etheridge placed 14th with a new record at 19:22.18.
The Lions have had an incredible start to their season, working each day to improve and grow. They will next compete in Huntsville on Sep. 13.
