If running mile after mile wasn’t enough training for the ISU cross country team, a preseason invitational at the Drake Fall Classic will help with further preparation.

The Cyclones head to Des Moines on Friday for what they have dubbed a warm-up meet, and see where new and returning runners stand and finish in the pack.

“It’s going to be a small meet, only a 4K [2.5 miles] instead of an 8K [5 miles],” said junior Johnny Reel. “It’ll be kind of a shakeout to see what the summer workout did for us and to get a feel for where everyone is right now, and by not running a full squad – just a few sophomores and myself – it’ll give the guys that normally run the big miles a bit of a break.”

The very structured summer workout instituted by coach Corey Ihmels was the beginning of the preparation for the squad as they head into Friday’s warm-up.

“Coach’s training packets were filled with workouts that really gave us a good summer run,” said sophomore Rachel Bell. “It forced us to put a lot more mileage in and definitely helped us prepare and improve.”

Although little stress is being placed on the Drake meet, the forced extra mileage and effort at practice has not been forgotten.

“Even though it’s a train-through meet, we’re not slumping down on mileage in practice, but we are training through the meet as a practice as well,” said assistant coach Melissa Stoll said.

Despite looking at the Drake meet as a warm-up, the team is looking ahead to the bigger meets, the ones that will count toward the end of the season.

“We don’t put a whole lot of emphasis on this meet because were looking towards the end of the season where it counts the most,” Stoll said. “That’s how we want to prepare our athletes, to get them ready for the meets that count the most – the Big 12, regional meet, national meet – this is just one more stepping stone.”