2014 Indoor Season

Well my last indoor season of my collegiate career has been quite an interesting one.  After taking some time off from XC, was slowly building up to get back into solid shape.  Had our first alumni, ran the 3k, time was 10:04, wasn't the best race but knew that i need to put some good training in over winter break.  Got sick during finals week, but was able to get back at it once the break rolled around.  The training was okay but the weather we had this winter was very brutal, lot of snow, below zero degree temperatures, still manage to get the training in before the second meet. Ran the second meet of the season- UWP Open, improved my 3k by 8 seconds- 9:56.  Then the next weekend was another home meet, ran the 3k again, improved by 11 seconds- 9:45, I thought "wow my racing has been improving week by week", was very pleased with it.  Then raced the mile at UW-Stout, it was when I finally broke 5 in the mile, it was 4:59.68.  One of the happiest days ever, never did it in high school, but got to do it at collegiate level.  Took the next weekend off, then raced this past weekend at our home meet: my first 5k since 2012 outdoor, really happy with the race, pr'd by 11 seconds, 16:33.52 was the times, it felt great racing 5k again.  Have one more indoor race left, which is tomorrow at North Central, doing the 5k one last time, let's leave a mark & have no regrets.   

Recap of 2013 XC Season

Forgot to write this a while back after Cross Country season was over, but will give you the last bit of our 2013 XC season.  After Jim Drews, we know what we needed to do.  We had a good solid couple weeks of running mileage & workouts before WIAC conference came around.  The day before WIAC conference, we drove to River Falls to stay over night, once I was on the bus, I was very excited for the opportunity to race in the greatest conference in DIII.  Once we got there, we did our usual pre-meet easy run on the course, basically for our race is doing the loops around 3-4 times, feels like running a track-grass. Got to our hotel & had a meeting, Antczak gave his pep talk & said "Time to show what we can do & make it the best of it".  Next morning- race day, got to the course, had a little butterflies in my stomach but stayed pretty confident.  Did our warm-up & got to start line, and I thought to myself "Time to get after it & give it all you got".  The gun went off & it started off really quick, had a little trouble with it, I was starting to feel the pain during the early going of the race, but kept thinking to myself, don't quit now, you worked too hard for this, just keep pushing through & finish the race.  As the middle of race progressed, I was able to build confidence & able to pass people.  Once it got to close to the end of the race, was giving all I got, kicked hard as I can, once the race was over & thought "Wow I just ran my last race of my collegiate career".  I have to thank my coaches & my teammates for being apart of the 3 years great UW-Platteville XC program, I will for sure miss it next year.  At conference, we finished 5th, hope better but I can see my team winning it next year. As the rest of our season continued, our guys finished in the 9th at Midwest Regionals.  We had three guys All-Region.  My bros Joel & Sam qualified for Nationals.  Then we had Joel & Sam running Nationals the next weekend, none got All-Americans but had a good first experience of it.  Sure will help them carry to next season.  I will be the only runner gone out of the 24 roster.  By the looks of it, I can see a very special team next year, they have all of the pieces to the puzzle, just have to stay healthy & have solid training, this team can do a lot of damage & making a statement in DIII.  I can see us bring home a Conference Title, win Regionals, & possibly the National Championship.  I really believe it.  Definitely will come back for Alumni & making visits.  I love you guys, you are my second family.  Want to say thanks for the memories.