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    • The internet knows everything
      • Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 7:19PM
      • The internet knows everything
      • This is for all the jealous douchebags.....

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        German Fernandez returns to action for Cowboys
        Justin Hite
        Stillwater NewsPress

        Oklahoma State All-American German Fernandez isn’t quite 100 percent yet. In his words, he’s about 98 percent. But he is back.

        After skipping the first two races of the season — including the Cowboy Jamboree — Fernandez will make his first appearance this year at the Chili Pepper Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark.

        Fernandez has a few lingering minor injuries, but appears to be nearly healed after two months away from consistent running.

        “I missed running and it made me think about all that stuff,” Fernandez said. “I’m happy now.”

        Also returning for his first meet of the season is sixth-year senior Ryan Vail — arguably the most important runner for the Cowboys.

        No. 2 Oklahoma State will have the whole team together for the first time this season on Saturday — only transfer Girma Merchesano will miss the meet.

        “It’s definitely nice when you have German and Vail out there with you, too,” sophomore Colby Lowe said. “It makes it even easier. You have guys that are going to be with you, in the same situation with you and you aren’t out there all alone.”

        The men’s race begins at 9:45 a.m. followed by the women’s race at 10:30 a.m.

        Having its top two runners back, Oklahoma State’s depth improves, but it also balances out the responsibilities of the entire roster.

        “It’s gotta take pressure off them,” OSU coach Dave Smith said. “All of a sudden its not up to two or three guys to carry us to a win. Everyone can run an average race and we can win easily.”

        Oklahoma State changed up its training cycle last season and it paid off. The Cowboys used to run at NCAA Pre-Nationals, but they had a tendency to struggle there.

        So Smith took the Cowboys to the Chili Pepper Invitational instead and OSU improved. Smith decided to keep the schedule the same this year.

        “When you take a group of guys as good as this group is … it’s got to be fun,” Smith said.
    • macro
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 7:43PM - in reply to The internet knows everything
      • macro
      • OK, let's say he's getting into shape and by mid November he can run with Lowe, Vail, and Kosgei. Then let's say Girma also gets into that kind of shape (he is a 28:25 guy, right?). We could have the five of them gunning for top 15-20 like that Stanford team of 6(?) or so years ago.

        Can Smith bring them around all at the same time?
    • potentially...
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 7:49PM - in reply to macro
      • potentially...
      • macro wrote:We could have the five of them gunning for top 15-20 like that Stanford team of 6(?) or so years ago.
        Or Stanford this year
    • less is more i guess
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 7:56PM - in reply to The internet knows everything
      • less is more i guess
      • The internet knows everything wrote:
        Oklahoma State changed up its training cycle last season and it paid off. The Cowboys used to run at NCAA Pre-Nationals
        Wow it sure did. They got 8th last year, and were only 3rd when they had run at pre-nationals.
    • oldoldrunner
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 7:59PM - in reply to potentially...
      • oldoldrunner
      • Sometimes those little nagging injuries are a blessing in disguise. Over the years runners have run real fast times after injury(or as I like to call it force rest). Resting is good. BYU Coach Ed Eyestone said it best. The Monday before Thanksgiving is all that matters. GF and the OSU team will be ready on that Monday.
    • oldoldrunner
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 8:03PM - in reply to oldoldrunner
      • oldoldrunner
      • This season maybe like GF soph year in HS. As the season progressed he got fitter and fitter until the state meet where he beat Chad Hall and had the second fastest time of the day. And as for GF quiting when he can not win, he made liers out of all of you. As Coach Smith has said GF is all about the team. He provide it today.
    • instead of falling down
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 8:22PM - in reply to oldoldrunner
      • instead of falling down
      • oldoldrunner wrote:
        As Coach Smith has said GF is all about the team. He provide it today.
        Yeah maybe can get 11th again at nationals.
    • mother teresa
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 10:21PM - in reply to instead of falling down
      • mother teresa
      • German's feet lands crooked. no wonder he has achilles problems. he needs to correct that landing or else his career will be over before he can turn pro.
    • What are the facts?
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/17/2009 10:34PM - in reply to less is more i guess
      • What are the facts?
      • less is more i guess wrote:
        The internet knows everything wrote:
        Oklahoma State changed up its training cycle last season and it paid off. The Cowboys used to run at NCAA Pre-Nationals
        Wow it sure did. They got 8th last year, and were only 3rd when they had run at pre-nationals.
        Is my memory faulty or didn't OK State run in the open race at Pre-Nats last year (2008)? I don't recall if they were in the team race, but I'm pretty sure that Lowe and Fernandez and ? ran the open. Or is that what they mean by not running in the Pre-Nats?
    • update on races
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/18/2009 12:35AM - in reply to update on races
      • update on races
      • In fact they avoided the competition.

        There is no difference between that and this year.
    • Transplanted Warrior
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/18/2009 12:44AM - in reply to The internet knows everything
      • Transplanted Warrior
      • I don't know Dave Smith so I'm hoping that he was misquoted in this article. Any coach who would say, "Everyone can run an average race and we can win easily" is setting his team up to struggle.
        At the same time, even as a Stanford fan, I'd like to see OSU running on all cylinders.
    • mddddyyy
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/18/2009 1:08AM - in reply to Transplanted Warrior
      • mddddyyy
      • Mind you it should be noted the course was cold, wet and muddy this year. Not so bad the first big loop (minus the big wop of mud towards the end of the big loop) but it was pretty nasty the second time around.
    • Pepper Balongany
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/18/2009 4:54AM - in reply to mddddyyy
      • Pepper Balongany
      • Maybe I missed something, but did anyone see Derrick and Stanford run today? I mean everyone likes German but he has what amount of time here to catch....that creature, or whatever it was, that blew by Chelenga! Looked like a freakin Cheetah (sp?) in flat out mode as it left Sammy. What was even more scary is that Cheetah looked like there was still more in there! Some good times also at Virginia invite.
    • Derrick, wow
      • RE: Chili Pepper Invite: Fernandez injuries? (article) 10/19/2009 8:27AM - in reply to Pepper Balongany
      • Derrick, wow
      • Pepper Balongany wrote:
        Maybe I missed something, but did anyone see Derrick and Stanford run today? I mean everyone likes German but he has what amount of time here to catch....that creature, or whatever it was, that blew by Chelenga! Looked like a freakin Cheetah (sp?) in flat out mode as it left Sammy. What was even more scary is that Cheetah looked like there was still more in there! Some good times also at Virginia invite.
        Blue race:

        1 Chris Derrick 23:27.1
        2 Samuel Chelanga 23:34.6

        Huge upset. Even though, by NCAA outdoors, Chelanga looked like he'd taken so many beatings from Rupp that he was having confidence issues.

        And Puskedra, who looked like he was going to have a big slump year, appears he might be top 10 worthy at NCAAs again:

        White race:

        1 Luke Puskedra 23:40.2
        2 Andy Baker 23:45.4
    • Prescott Dandelion
      • RE: Course 10/19/2009 9:42AM - in reply to twoshoes
      • Prescott Dandelion
      • twoshoes wrote:
        Just curious, but what is that 10k course like?
        Very wet and muddy this year, but historically also very short.
    • Prescott Dandelion
      • RE: Course 10/19/2009 11:00AM - in reply to john2131
      • Prescott Dandelion
      • About 300 meters. The wet conditions probably canceled out the shortness in terms of fast times.