Cyclone men stretch their legs at Drake race
September 1, 2006
The ISU men’s cross country team will compete in its first official race 5:30 p.m. Friday when it travels to Des Moines’ Ewing Park to take part in the Drake Fall Classic.
The race, which will also be run by Northern Iowa and host Drake, is only a 4K. Most of the meets the Cyclones will participate in the rest of the season will be 8K races.
Iowa State last participated in the meet in 2004. Coach Corey Ihmels described the meet as a simple tune up for what is to come.
“It’s just an opportunity for us to kind of go through the motions of meet day, and just get a competitive meet in,” Ihmels said.
FASTTRAK
Men’s Schedule:
>>Drake Fall Classic
3:30 p.m. Sept. 01 – at Des Moines
>>ISU Open
10 a.m. Sept. 09 – at Ames
>>Roy Griak Invitational
11:20 a.m. Sept. 23 – at Minneapolis
>>SDSU Classic
TBA Sept. 30 – at Brookings, S.D.
>>Pre Nationals
11 a.m. Oct. 14 – at Terre Haute, Ind.
>>Big 12 Championships
11 a.m. Oct. 27 – at Lawrence, Kan.
>>NCAA Regional
11 a.m. Nov. 11 – at Minneapolis
>>NCAA Championships
11 a.m. Nov. 20 – at Terre Haute, Ind.
>>USA XC Championships
TBA Feb. 10 – at Boulder, Colo.
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Junior Ricky Reusser ran in the meet in 2004 and described the event as a simple way to prepare for the upcoming season.
“It’s not really a meet that anyone else takes seriously,” Reusser said. “It really is just a chance to transition into the racing season. It’s just kind of a test run.”
Senior Dan Taylor has been to the Drake Fall Classic twice during his career at Iowa State, both in 2003 and 2004. He described the meet as a fun, easy way to start the year.
“It’s pretty low-key, it’s pretty fun,” Taylor said. “It’s an opportunity to go out and move a little faster than we do at practice. It’s an all-around good time.”
Senior Kyle Rasmussen, also a two-time Drake Fall Classic participant, agreed that the meet is a good way to increase the intensity of the run. However, he also said this meet doesn’t indicate much of what the team is capable of this year.
“It’s more of an opportunity to get the legs going faster than they have in practice,” he said.
Coach Ihmels agreed.
“It’s not really a meet that we’ve used as a measuring stick. It’s kind of just a rust-buster,” Ihmels said.
Iowa State plans to bring nine runners to the competition, while the rest of the team will run as “unattached” participants to protect their redshirt capabilities, in case of an injury.
Ihmels identified the runners competing for Iowa State as Reusser, Taylor, Rasmussen, seniors David Rotich and Jon Reis, juniors Jayden Russ and sophomores Kevin Born, Guor Marial and Brandon Rooney.
Other cross country resources from ISD:
