Official 2018 Pre Nats Discussion Thread

NAU lineup? wrote:

Don't be surprised to see a much different NAU lineup on Saturday compared to Nutty. I can see them resting some guys that ran Nutty, and replacing them with Baxter (of course) and others that could use some big meet experience. The team score prob means less here to NAU than does giving various runners experience on the course - as they are obviously a lock to get to Nationals.

That move wouldn't surprise me either, but that hasn't been their style the last couple years. They haven't been shy about racing. Like Baxter said, he's only got 4 more races to run, so you know he's ready to roll in this final month, as I expect Day and Lomong are. The key to how much they will dominate is how close to the front Grijalva, Ferro and Beamish run.

ItsNotMeItsYou wrote:

NAU lineup? wrote:

Don't be surprised to see a much different NAU lineup on Saturday compared to Nutty. I can see them resting some guys that ran Nutty, and replacing them with Baxter (of course) and others that could use some big meet experience. The team score prob means less here to NAU than does giving various runners experience on the course - as they are obviously a lock to get to Nationals.

That move wouldn't surprise me either, but that hasn't been their style the last couple years. They haven't been shy about racing. Like Baxter said, he's only got 4 more races to run, so you know he's ready to roll in this final month, as I expect Day and Lomong are. The key to how much they will dominate is how close to the front Grijalva, Ferro and Beamish run.

I agree with you - especially if they run those three guys (Grijalva, Ferro and Beamish). But would also not be shocked if they rest some or all of them (Shea, Grijalva, Ferro and Beamish from Nutty) in order to give other guys (young guys or older guys) on the squad some experience at a major NCAA meet. They simply don't need to race their "true top 7" yet.

My child runs in these races and we forego vacation time and savings to go watch the race. Yes fortunate but it is a choice that has been earned through savings and working for a living. How many D1 events never mind national championships require spectators to take a shuttle. The line to leave is about an hour after the race. We prefer to spend the time with our child versus standing in line. The shuttles end an hour after the race. We need to get back to Chicago to catch a flight the evening after race. My wife works on Sunday.

It is a joke, what other NCAA sporting event has this type of logistics to spectate? Why prevent spectators from parking on Woods Road? It has been allowed at Nutty for the last 4 years and has not been a problem. But is now not allowed?

But thanks for your insights.

Thanks!

Don’t go

Still not sure. Somebody said that there is a neighborhood to park in. Can you park in one of the lots and hike to the course? What about doing a workout during the day? There will be hundreds of runners warming up and cooling down I assume on the actual course. If we do it On the referenced bike path, should it be after the race or is there a path close to the course? The day will go through lunch. Can we carry backpacks in with dry clothes and food?

Rockfish, get over yourself. Your “child”? If they are in college they are adults. Stop complaining about it so much as nobody cares to hear your sob story.

its not a sob story jack its a request for options.

happy to have this discuss live if you have the courage.

He’s a tough guy!

Logistical help wrote:

Still not sure. Somebody said that there is a neighborhood to park in. Can you park in one of the lots and hike to the course? What about doing a workout during the day? There will be hundreds of runners warming up and cooling down I assume on the actual course. If we do it On the referenced bike path, should it be after the race or is there a path close to the course? The day will go through lunch. Can we carry backpacks in with dry clothes and food?

I was wrong about the church. I thought the shuttle was coming from the church near Epic. It's actually coming from the church near the intersection of Cty Hwy M and Cty Hwy PD just a 1/4M from the course. There's a ton of road construction from the church to the race course. I wouldn't recommend walking. (There's a good chance there might even be cops preventing you from walking through the construction zone.)

You could try to park at the church just down the hill from the intersection of Wood Road and Cty Hwy PD just west of the race course. That's the church I was referring to in a previous post. There's a bike path that runs from there all the way down to the Epic campus.

If you park in the neighborhood north of PD and M, there's a bike path and the single-track Ice Age Trail that heads south away from the race course if you want your group to get in a run. Really nice hills that I train on every day. It's about a mile hike on the Ice Age Trail to get to the race course. The trail winds its way between fairways at the University Ridge golf course and runs right past the XC course start/finish.

Just park on Woods Rd, near the corner of McKee Road. My bet is a lot of people will be doing so unless they place cops along the road to prevent it. Worst case scenario, you get a $20 parking ticket (still cheaper than a parking garage in many places). I very much doubt they will be calling in a bunch of tow trucks to forcibly remove cars parked on Woods Rd.

Also, just down the street from the Woods/McKee intersection in that Lutheran Church. If the church was smart, they would put up a sign that says "Parking $10 All Day" and have themselves a nice fundraiser.

Ducks got Ducked wrote:

The Starved Elephant wrote:

Penalized? The idea is to have two even-strength races. Taking the best team out of one and putting it in the other throws that off.

The whole purpose of a race like this is to determine the at-large bids to Nationals. Since Oregon is going to qualify anyways, it does not matter at all.

The team races are still even because there is no team who can really give NM any competition in the Cardinal race but all the top front runners are in the Cardinal race which makes the race itself very competitive and stacked....The white race not so much.

So many incorrect statements in so many posts.

Oregon women are in the cardinal race. New Mexico women are in the white race.

Looks like they will be RS Brodey Hastey. Here they announce their 7 runners for tomorrow. I think it makes sense, as they don't need Brodey to win Nationals this year - but they will need him later...

https://nauathletics.com/news/2018/10/11/cross-country-returns-to-madison-for-wisconsin-pre-nationals.aspx?path=cross

Chris Olley from USF for the win in the White race - stopped to put show back on at Natty and still finished 38th, 37s behind winner

This NAU team is looking to be up there with the greats. Peter Lomong is listed at 22, but man, he looks old in the photo in that linked story! Anyway, doesn't matter, considering that he'll be facing BYU's 24-26 year olds at NCAA.

This should be fun to see NAU go up against Stanford with our first look at just how good Ratcliffe and Fisher will be this year.

Wise to redshirt Hasty after a long track season, no need for points, and probably no desire whatsoever to risk a repeat of Verzbicas's situation at Oregon. Hasty's already transferred once. One bad xc race after limited preparation and who knows?

zxcvxcv wrote:

This NAU team is looking to be up there with the greats. Peter Lomong is listed at 22, but man, he looks old in the photo in that linked story! Anyway, doesn't matter, considering that he'll be facing BYU's 24-26 year olds at NCAA.

This should be fun to see NAU go up against Stanford with our first look at just how good Ratcliffe and Fisher will be this year.

BYU doesn't have a single 26 year old runner. I fact, I don't even know a single runner for BYU that has ever turned 26 while still competing for them. If you look at their top 7 you have Rory at age 22, McMillan at age 21, Young at 25, Carney at 24, and Mantz at 21, Shumway at age 22, and Heslington at age 23. Then their 8 and 9 are ages 21 and 22. Stop using this as a point of debate. Their top 7 average age is 22.5, not much older, if even older, than any other team. Plus they don't recruit foreign runners whose ages we have no idea so just stop it.

Whoosh