Kansas State Cross Country Set to Compete at Oklahoma State
Sep 26, 2001 | Track & Field
Sept. 26, 2001
MANHATTAN, Kan. - The K-State cross country team is set to resume its regular season schedule at the Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree on Sept. 29, in Stillwater, Okla. after pulling out of the Woody Greeno Invite on Sept. 15.
"By not competing on the 15th we were able to continue to get in some good training," head cross country coach Randy Cole said. "The meet would have given us some more experience, but I felt we gained more by not competing and just trying to maintain and build on our training schedules."
The Wildcats have not competed since the Wichita State Gold Classic on Sept. 1, where the women took first place. They were led by Amy Mortimer who repeated her performance at the Wichita State race last year with another first place finish. Mortimer's time of 17:34 gave her the course record and led the way for K-State to claim four of the top-eight times for a total of 37 points.
Also in the top eight were Kansas State's Amanda Crouse-Behnke (3rd, 18:19), Cate Holston (5th, 18:38) and newcomer Trisha Culbertson (8th, 18:42).
"The women are lead by Amy and Amanda, but Trisha and Cate are working well together also," Cole said. "They need to close the gap between them and Amanda, but everyone has a great attitude."
The men head to Oklahoma State race after a fifth-place finish at the Wichita State Gold Classic. They were led by Shadrack Kimeli who ran a time of 20:19 to take the title in Wichita for the second consecutive year. Kimeli along with newcomer Mathew Kimuati are expected to pace the Wildcats this weekend in Oklahoma.
"Shadrack Kimeli and Mathew Kimutai are leading the charge," Cole said. "Then we have a pack of Mark Holcomb, Reid Christianson, Dieter Myers, Martin Boos and Derek George sticking together in workouts."
The men will race the full 8,000 meters at the Cowboy Jamboree, while the women will step up to a 5,000 meters course. Kansas State will not only face challenges in the length of the course, but they will also see an increase in the level of competition at this race.
"We are starting to see some very stiff competition," Cole said. "The men will be in for a real challenge from several top flight teams this weekend. Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Abilene Christian, Kansas and Oklahoma will all be there. The women will be facing some very tough squads in Georgetown, Oklahoma, Adams State and Pittsburg State."
The Wildcat women are slated to begin at 9:10 a.m. and the men are set to start at 9:40 a.m. on Saturday.
