Yeah, but with all the equal-footed teams in the ncaa, a pace that slow will allow a bunch of teams to bunch up, and I doubt McDougal would let it be that slow. I don't think he'll lead and push the pace the whole time, unless it is that slow, but I think he would only do it for a little while (1-3 miles). Every year he's pushed the pace and hasn't won, but close with 4th place 2 seasons ago. When he pushes it, it will stretch everyone out. How cool would would it be to see McDougal, Withrow, Kiptoo-Biwott, and Rupp all together at the end, duking it out like it was a FL Nationals reunion? Although, I think a slower pace would favor Wisconsin, who has 4:00 milers in Bethke, Bolas, Miller, and I'm sure Eagon and Withrow have some tight turnover in their legs. I don't know much of an advantage, if any, Colorado has coming down from altitude because they're not at lower elevation long enough to reap the benefits of altitude training(unless they do somehow train at sea-level for the 1-2 weeks leading up to nationals, and I don't know how that would be possible without altitude tents).
I think these teams are so close in competition that the fact they know they will have to compete hard will force it into a fast pace, and some teams may figure this, of course the conditions of the course will play out hard. I remember Wetmore saying that he told his teams the night before that since the course would by muddy to reserve themselves a little and don't go out too hard, it paid off for them as they won that year.
I think the thing that is surpising to me about NAU is how quickly they came on this year. All of suddenly, they have a top 3 national team? i understand acquiring david mcneil was a huge for them, as well as Lomong, but does anyone know they history of how this team came into its own?