Cross Country teams prepare for national meet

By Julie Newell
Sports/Photo Editor

The fall sports season is coming to a close and the LCC cross country teams are preparing to run in the national meet.

"We're usually the favorites at regionals (this year's event is Saturday, Oct. 26)," LCC Coach Jim Robinson said. "We don't want to take that for granted, but on the other side we realize our most important race is the national meet two weeks after that."

Robinson spoke on his confidence in his teams going into the regional meet.

"I'm very pleased with how we're doing," Robinson said. "Our goal every year is to be the top team in our region. We go in with confidence that if we run our best race, we can come out on top."

Robinson described the training techniques used to prepare for the regional and national meets.

"In general, one of the principles is that you cut back a little bit. Some coaches call it tapering, I like to use the term peaking," Robinson said. "We run maybe about 80 percent of the normal volume and we keep the intensity high.

"My experience is if you cut back too much and you lower the intensity too much, yeah everyone feels fresh, but then when they go to race they feel a little sluggish."

The Stars' cross country teams were scheduled to race at the EMU Fall Classic on Friday, Oct. 25 in Dexter.

The MCCAA and NJCAA regional championship was set for Saturday, Oct. 26 in Grand Woods Park in Lansing.