Western state or Montana state

I have no idea about the academics at either school.

However, Western State has a perenially great running program, and Montana is COLD. It's quite difficult to run when there are 4 feet of snow on the ground and it's 40 below all winter long.

I'd go to Colorado.

Western State is in Gunnison - During the winter, Gunnison routinely has temps in the minus double digits.

Top ten spots for the most days from 1995 to 2005 with the lowest temperature in the contiguous US

Stanley, Idaho 398

West Yellowstone, Montana 337

Gunnison, Colorado 170

Gunnison is located at the bottom of several valleys. Due to its location in the Rocky Mountains, cold air in all the valleys settles into Gunnison at night, making it one of the coldest places in winter in the United States, especially when snowpack is present. The average January low is −8 °F (−22 °C), and the average July high is 82 °F (28 °C). The record low is −60 °F (−51 °C), recorded at Blue Mesa Reservoir.

The city typically experiences moderate snowfalls, with an average of 50 inches (130 cm) per year. Early fall and late spring snows are not uncommon, and snow can remain on the ground in town from as early as November to as late as April. Surrounding mountains experience very heavy snowfall with longer periods of snow on the ground. Many locations average 300–400 inches (760–1,000 cm) of snow annually.

I ran at MSU. It does get cold in the winter, but there is good indoor 200m banked track to do speed workouts. There is year-round sunshine and the coaching staff is well liked. Western State would be less pressure since it's not Division 1

MSU = Carnegie 1 research university, meaning among the top 100 in the US. Has great programs in nursing and biomedical science. Currently has five guys running 4:05 to 4:10ish. Dale Kennedy and Lyle Weese have a great record of developing 4:20 HS runners.

Don't know a lot about Western. Obviously, they do a good job with 5k/10k runners.

Went to Bozeman after my eligibility was up, but ran with a few of their athletes and raced unattached in a few of their races. I also raced against Western State several times in cross county. If you are looking more for a complete running experience, I think Western State Even though it's DII, they would beat MSU 9 times out of 10 in cross country. As an unattached athlete, I would have been 3rd on MSU's team (not even my 8k PR), and I was self-coached at the time and taking 20+ credits in engineering school, but I have never cracked the top 5 of a Western State team in X-C.

As for the rest of the experience, Bozeman was okay. There are a lot of people there that just don't care to grow up. You'll meet tons of couples that are mid thirties with degrees, but have never had a career. I guess that happens in ski towns. But there are plenty of girls and partying in Bozeman if that's your thing.

Western...can't say too much about, other than they beat me every time I raced them.

Also, I can't say I would echo the less pressure fact because it's DI. Western State and Adames State in Colorado are both much more disciplined and and perform better than MSU.

I think you're right that Western would beat MSU in cross more often than not, but MSU has an impressive record of taking 4:20 - 4:30 HS milers and making them fast!

If you have ANY feelings about being great at the Steeple...I think the answer is obvious.

its not even a question, western is a way, way, way better program. whoever said msu would have more pressure because theyre d1 is an absolute idiot. wsc would kill msu, and being on a top d2 team is way more fun then being on a shite d1 team who cant make nationals. (d1s a fasad, and this is coming from a former d1 runner at a top 15 school) westerns way better at developing kids, results dont lie.. and ive been to gunnison. its sick. its not even a question, go to western

Great input thanks any alums of western know what's it's like socially to go to school there and any more of Montana states team would be appreciated equally

I'm not an alum-but best friend from High School went to Western-was 3 time all american there. Aside from him, I know another dozen who also went. I spent quite a bit of time in Gunnison over the years-in all seasons. It is a small cowboy town, probably 8 or 9 thousand people. The college has 2 or 3 thousand students, I suspect. Denver is 4 hours away. Grand Junction-which is 40 thousand people or so, is about 2 and a half hours away. Half hour to Crested Butte ski area. Colder than sh1t. I cannot emphasize this enough-I grew up in Leadville, which is 2000 feet higher and no slouch when it comes to cold and snow-and just thinking about Gunnison winters makes my scrotum shrivel. It will not crack zero-day or night-for a week or two in a row-and often gets to 25 below at nights from the first of December to mid February. The college is primarily a teacher's college-with liberal arts bent. If you are looking at engineering, premed or any hardcore science-I think there are better choices. They do kick ass in running-though I think the long time coach Vandenbusche retired a couple years back-so who knows what will happen with the new guy. MSU is a university with a much wider variety of academic programs, and Bozeman is more cosmopolitan town-quite a bit bigger. Though the closest big city (Salt Lake-perhaps Seattle) is a lot further away. I've only been to Bozeman a couple times though. I always had fun in Gunnison, but it ain't the Harvard of the West.

Username#76 wrote:

If you have ANY feelings about being great at the Steeple...I think the answer is obvious.

Indeed. Weese (MSU assistant coach) ran 8:29 this year (along with 4:00)... he obviously knows the steeple up and down. And he's an MSU grad, so Kennedy coached him. Two of the nicest people you'll ever meet, too.

ya I struggle with the longer distances as my 5k is only barely sub 15:30 so I could go to a school western where I could put more work on 5k, steeple

or MSU where I could enhance on my better performances 4:15 1:55 800 what do you think ? I know in college more people step up distances but I am not sure thats for me

Western has a great program if you are a runner.

Academically, Western has a reputation as a party school - "Wasted State." I would compare the academics in the area you plan to major in and think about your non-running plans for the future, and make that a factor in your decision also.

It's a beautiful location - not Gunnison itself necessarily but the surrounding mountains - but it gets very cold in the winter as people have said.

Montana State is located in a excellent place for training. You will have great coaches working with you and a group of training partners that are running at a similar level as you. Coach Kennedy is very knowledgable and will help you maximize your potential. As far as academics goes, MSU has a solid exercise science program which tends to attract many athletes on the track team. I believe MSU is the perfect place for 4:15-4:25 range runners. Plus if you consistently improve, you'll be able to compete against the best runners in the nation at the D1 level.

your a sr - going into college next yr. too bad your waiting to decide this late in game. I think a 4:15 guy could have quite a few options. what state are you from

I am from California, and going to be a incoming sophmore at these schools community college transfer.