why isn't FSU faster?

Lack of altitude? Hot and humid weather. And no, Florida weather is not conducive to good training. I've lived in Michigan and Florida. I'd take running in a snow storm over the Florida heat any day.

Its not bad, especially up north where Tallahassee is, if its just attitude thats sad because it could be a pretty good program

I live in north central Florida. Unless Tallahassee is quite a bit cooler it's bad.

I do too, it gets quite a bit colder there during xc season. They hold the states competition there so i know first hand its colder

Well we've yet to have a day below 80 and was at 90 even last week with humidity. I've yet to experience a 'cool fall'. Period. So perhaps there are some tolerable meets later on but pretty much anything from the start of the season to mid October stinks. I'd take the 40 degree, rainy days up north for distance running easily. No comparison at all.

I couldnt really say anything about 40 degree weather as i was born and raised in Fl

juzkeeprunnin wrote:

[...] Colorado University [...]

da fuq?

It was a thread asking for programs that are similar to their program

The number 1 limiting factor is, of course, weather. Heat indexes of 90-100+ through October with similarly crazy dew points make training very difficult. That is why there are no pro runners or even semi-fast groups that live or train here. Even Frank Shorter(Florida Track Club) trained in Colorado. The Hansons come down during winter to train(not sure if they still do), then head back, but that's about it. Aside from weather, that is a very loaded question. FSU's training methodology is very similar.... however not all runners are the same. This is why some are successfully recruited by Wetmore and others are by Braman. FSU will never get the talent that CU gets. There are a few outsiders(Gunn, O'lionard, Fout), but I don't think FSU will ever have 8 men deep at sub 14. Basically.... not everyone can run sub 14 no matter what team they are on or who the coach is.

It's because FSU is not a good race strategy. If you try to front run every marathon, "messing" things up, you could well finish third at best.

steeplehero wrote:

FSU will never get the talent that CU gets. There are a few outsiders(Gunn, O'lionard, Fout), but I don't think FSU will ever have 8 men deep at sub 14.

They actually were there (or damn close) to that 8 man statistic when they got 2nd at at NCAA's a few years ago, if memory serves me correctly.

It's all about having the right team, and they just haven't had the right group the last couple years since Fout's senior year when they graduated almost their entire top 7.

Duh, it's because FSU has a balanced team and doesn't put 10+ scholarships into men's distance. It is NOT rocket science.

yes, remember, there is NO SUCH THING as a cross country scholarship. It is a preparation season/sport for the scholarship sport of cross country.

Respect the schools with strong, balanced track programs that ALSO run well in cross country. That is the job.

While it is nice to have a great cross country team, it is apples to oranges when you dump all of your track scholarships into a distance dominated program.

Most of the critical training for cross country occurs in the summer, away from the coaches.

You only need 5 to be good.

So putting 10 plus scholarship into a hybrid sport that not everyone valuses just to come up with 5 good ones is not some marvelous accomplishment.

FSU does very well given their balance of sprints, jumps and throws.....it is commendable.

I do not think that weather would be a huge factor, maybe more on the talent side

Any major state university could be good at XC if they put most of their scholarship into it, example #1 is Oklahoma State.

FSU was 2nd at NCAA cross country in 2010, so don't say BS excuses like weather.

I agree, i think it is probably just attitude

But does anyone know how young the team is?

I wouldn't say it's so much the *heat* in Florida. I can run in 90+ weather (once it gets over 110 it's just too hot) in So Cal just fine. But in Florida it's sometimes even only just 80 degrees but crazy *humid*... I will have sweat so much that my shoes squish each time I take a step.

I was running 80 mpw in So Cal in hot weather, and then went to visit my fam in FL... I could barely manage 30 mpw.

I suppose it would make since if the team consisted mainly of under classman