Mizzou Distance Program

Mizzou is where distance runners go to die.

truuuuuuuuuu I failed out

Agreed. The state of Missouri has produced some of the finest high school distance runners in the country over the years. Those that decide to run somewhere other than Mizzou prosper (Quigley, Sisson, Frerichs, for example). Those who go to Mizzou falter (how many Foot Locker qualifiers have died on the vine at Mizzou this past decade?).

There is no tradition or expectation of getting to the next level in distance running at Mizzou. As long as the distance runners pull their weight in the classroom to keep the athletic department APR high then the old AD left the program alone. Perhaps the new AD will have higher athletic expectations? There is NO reason Mizzou shouldn't be at XC nationals every year, given the in-state talent (Mizzou football figured that out and is thriving in the SEC).

A big issue has been with the coaching carousel the past decade ... there have been a half dozen "new" coaches just this past decade. The local paper just announced this week that their assistance XC coach is leaving this month (nice timing?). All Halter cares about are throwers. The last place I would send my athletes or children would be Mizzou (for distance running).

bump

Blame Marr.

Why blame her? She didn't coach much Nd when she did they seemed to do pretty well. Plain and simple the head coach there should be fired. No way they should be at the bottom of the SEC.

Who has Marc Burns coached? Not sure if that's the guy to 'turn things around.

Burns is a good coach, but the environment there is pretty bad. They need to clean house across the board, starting with the director of track and field. The men's track team has been really, really bad.

For distance running, I really don't see how an environment could be much better than what they've got. They have the MKT trail less than a mile from the track, the golf course is about 100 yards from the track, and there's miles and miles of single track in Rock Bridge State Park. There is no reason they shouldn't be at least contending for a national's berth year-in and year-out.

It seemed for awhile they had a good idea--take some mid-level guys with upside and develop them. They almost made nationals in XC in 2012. It has kind of fizzled since then.

but you won't die alone.Missouri loves company

Person from MO wrote:

Mizzou is where distance runners go to die.

In fairness, though, Burns has only been there a year, and the men made some progress last spring. Could be a solid team in the Midwest Region if they continue that.

Schneider and Roe need to stop posting here and realize they wasted their spring getting hurt or smoking

It has been disappointing to watch the XC teams these last several years. The last time this team was showing signs of being on the upswing was when the Wilmes' were coaching. Since then, the teams have struggled with maybe one person here or there qualifying for NCAA's, with teams showing the possibility of improving.

They smoke pot and the coaching sucks

The team improved. Hm. Did you look at the cross country results? The mens team was terrible. The women are okay, but their one elite runner went from making two national championship events her freshman year to none.

straight outta compton wrote:

Burns is a good coach, but the environment there is pretty bad.

...

For distance running, I really don't see how an environment could be much better than what they've got.

Where exactly do you stand on the environment at Mizzou?

Person from MO wrote:

Mizzou is where distance runners go to die.

+1. They've had some good runners but, boy, have they turned a LOT of race horses into donkeys.

I've heard pretty good things about Burns as a coach, but there has been so much turnover in the past 5-10 years that I'm not sure there has been any consistency with regards to program expectations. I've heard the athletes can be more interested in the party scene than running. I know a few kids that went on visits there and they got the impression that people were more interested in saying they were a D1 SEC athlete than actually training like one and that the athletes can be more interested in the party scene than running.That being said, if Burns can get the team culture turned around, they have the resources to be a solid program.

Why is this even a thread?

Mizzou is a terrible program. The only people that would bring this up are people either in the program or alumni of it.

They're completely irrelevant and absolutely no one of any pedigree or knowledge of collegiate cross country, which would be the majority of letsrun viewers, would have any interest what so ever in this school.

Bottom line the program is a joke. They SUCK.

Now, can we all move on and talk about good programs that actually make NCAA Championships or at least are on the cusp of doing so?

from misery wrote:

straight outta compton wrote:

Burns is a good coach, but the environment there is pretty bad.

...

For distance running, I really don't see how an environment could be much better than what they've got.

Where exactly do you stand on the environment at Mizzou?

Definitely poor wording. The physical environment -- as in facilities and access to training areas -- is pretty ideal for distance running. The over-arching attitude of the athletes and coaches is not good.