Along with their regular weekly activities such as studying for classes, practicing with their teammates and setting aside time for a social life, men’s cross country runners Kiel Uhl and Guor Majak have another activity they add to their weekly “to do” list – they run 100 miles.

The two runners, who began training together last year, have been running 100 miles each week as part of their training this season. Majak said the two are great friends and their relationship as training partners allows them to push each other to new limits.

“We want to do something and we have a goal to accomplish,” he said. “We motivate each other, we push each other – we motivate each other to train harder.”

Cross country coach Corey Ihmels said the two have been very dedicated to the training and have been tremendous about putting in the necessary effort to be competitive in the Big 12. Ihmels, who ran cross country for the Cyclones from 1994 to 1997, said he views the significant amount of training that Uhl and Majak do as a recipe for a distance runner’s success.

“Obviously as you progress in your career and your training, as a distance runner it’s something that you do in your training,” Ihmels said.

“If it’s something that your body can handle, it’s obviously going to make your performance better.”

Ihmels added that although the two run outside of practice, many of the other members on the team also put in significant mileage each week.

“During one of our highest training phases we were probably doing somewhere close to 1,500 miles among the whole team of 20 or 21 guys.”

David Rotich, a senior on the team, said he has never accomplished the feat of 100 miles in a week, adding that Uhl and Majak are very dedicated.

“Guys like Kiel and Guor, you just can’t depend on practice because the most we do is 10 or 11 miles and that cannot get you to 100 miles. You have to put in time outside of practice.”

So where do they find the time to put in 100-mile weeks?

“You just do two-a-days – a run in the morning and a run in the evening,” Uhl said.

“A long run on Saturday or Sunday gets quite a bit of your mileage in.”

Uhl said a long run is somewhere in the range of 17 to 18 miles. The longest run he has ever gone on was a 20-miler this summer. Uhl, junior in architecture, said running 100 miles a week can be exhausting and difficult given the demands of the architecture program.

“It’s really time-consuming,” Uhl said.

“There can’t be a time when I sit down or else it’s not really a use of my time.

“There is always at least one point in the week when I doubt or question what I’m doing, but then I sit back and realize why I chose to do it and I realize it’s all worth it.”

Majak, sophomore in health and human performance, agreed that running the amount of mileage he and Uhl do each week is a big challenge.

He cited time management as the key to being a successful student-athlete.

“It’s really challenging, but when you manage your schedule, it’s not as difficult,” Majak said. “It’s all time management – I plan my schedule. Let’s say I have practice in the morning, I have to have homework done at a certain time, running at a certain time and social stuff at a certain time.”

Rotich agreed that being a distance runner during the school year can be very difficult.

“It’s a big challenge, just doing all the mileage that you’re supposed to do to be competitive while taking all the classes,” Rotich said.

“Especially now that it’s getting cold it’s even tougher,” he said with a laugh.

The tandem said they like to run at McFarland Park, which is located north of town on 180th St., an extension of North Dayton Road.

There is a system of trails labeled the Story County Trails system that Uhl and Majak enjoy surrounding the park.

“There are some really good trails around there and the ground is really soft,” Uhl said.

Aside from the training aspect of running 100 miles a week, both Uhl and Majak said running is a necessary activity in their everyday lives.

“It’s hard to tell, to explain it to someone,” Majak said of his passion for running.

“It’s so enjoyable. If I don’t run, I don’t feel happy.”

Uhl echoed the sentiment.

“The bit of peace that it gives me, the physical accomplishment, there’s just a feeling you get from running – I don’t know how to describe it,” he said. “It’s something that completes me; if I don’t do it I don’t feel complete. It kind of defines me.”