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UC Davis Cross Country Newsletter Running news from Aggie Nation
UC UCDavis DavisXC/Track XC/Track&&Field Field- -December February 2010 2009
Regional wrap up The Men’s and Women’s squads finished their seasons at the NCAA Regional championships in Eugene, OR. Page 2
Happy Holidays from Aggie Cross Country and Track & Field!
Alumni Spotlight See where former UC Davis runner Nate Bowen’s path has led him since graduating in 1999. Page 3
Athlete blog Get a glimpse inside the mind of a champion as Jon Peterson reflects on the mindset it took to become an AllAmerican. Page 4
Jon Peterson: All-American UC Davis makes a return to Terre Haute with an cautious, fashion. Aside from six men that individual men’s qualifier. made an early push, at 5k there were 65 men between 15:01 and 15:11, where Jon had On November 22, redshirt-junior Jonathan patiently cemented himself. Three kilometers Peterson marked the Aggies’ return to a later, nine men raced off the front of the pack, national stage with milestone performance at which now consisted of only 28 that came the NCAA National Championship Meet. through 8k together between 24:-- and 24:--. Toeing the line as one of the 37 individual With a kilometer remaining Jon had crept to qualifiers at the meet amongst the nations’ 31 18th place, and later recounted that he was top teams, Jon entered the meet with lofty thinking ‘Don’t let 22 guys pass you in the last aspirations and a level of physical and mental K!’ In the races closing stage, Peterson made a preparation to match. final push, mounting a kick over the long, uphill finishing stretch to nab his 14th place Running without the customary support and position. accountability that come with representing in a team context, Jon set an ambitious but The Aggies first appearance at the national realistic goal of a top 40 finish, good enough to level following the DI transition came in 2008, earn All-American honors. Still, coming off a when the women saw Kim Conley and Kaitlin 5th place regional finish, the simple math of Gregg qualify to race in Terre Haute. That fall top five from nine regions all running for the women’s team fell one spot, and mere spots drove home the reality of the goal. points, short of securing an at-large berth, and with Peterson’s experience this fall the flames Running in warmer than usual weather, but of desire for a return trip, both on the with winds gusting between 20-30 mph, the individual and team levels, have been stoked race unfolded in competitive, but somewhat even higher. UC Davis Distance: Fortitudine vincimus.
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Aggie Cross Country and Track & Field Alumni Reunion Friday, April 15th Save the date! This coming spring we will be holding the first alumni reunion, in conjunction with Picnic Day and the Woody Wilson Open. Details will follow soon as specifics are established. We hope to see you there. Stay tuned for RSVP information...
Championship Season with Aggie Harriers Distance crew Support Aggie Nation! Name: Address: The running tally now stands at 21% of the way to our goal of 100 donors at $100 or more City: through the Harriers Club program, while the State: Zip Code: funds themselves total 45% percent of our $10,000 target. Our first wave of donor Phone: benefits will be shipping soon, and even E-mail: though the 2010 cross country campaign is officially in the books, we have already begun to plan for the 2011 season. We are toying with the idea of expanding Pt Reyes camp by MARK YOUR DONATION a day in order to maximize the LEVEL benefit, but we Frontrunner ($700 & UP) can’t do such things without first doing the Pacesetter financial legwork($400-$699) up front. Pack runner ($200-$399) We hope that the($100-$199) Aggie Distance alum will Harrier make a show of force at the Cross Country and Track & Field Reunion coming up on April 15, 2011. Affiliation: Alum ParentPDF can Relative Friend by The Harrier Club be downloaded cutting and pasting the following URL in your web XXL browser:XL T-Shirt: L M S (check one) Sweatshirt: XXL XL L M S (check one) http://www.teamaggie.com/downloads/ Decline all benefits Harriers-club-2010-11.pdf
You can also click hyperlink TO: icon on the DIRECT MYthe DONATION UC Davis country - homepage at !"#$%&' MEN’S cross CROSS COUNTRY www.ucdavisaggies.com to pledge online. http://ica.ucdavis.edu/DEVP/giving/mcrosscountry_upay_form.php WOMEN’S CROSS COUNTRY - !"#$(&'
http://ica.ucdavis.edu/DEVP/giving/wcrosscountry_upay_form.php PLEASE MAKE ALL CHECKS PAYABLE TO “UC REGENTS” DETACH MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION AND MAIL TO: Kim Conley UC Davis Cross Country 264 Hickey Gym One Shields Avenue Davis, CA 95616 2 kfconley@ucdavis.edu
On November 13th Aggie nation’s distance crew toed the line at the University of Oregon’s home cross country course with a plan and a powerful sense of pride. During this special time of the year when an athlete’s mettle is tested, our Aggie men and women did not back down nor disappoint. The women ran in the day’s first event and ended the championship season on a resounding note of positivity with their 15th place finish at the regional level. Senior Caitlin Fitzgerald led the Aggies and capped off her cross country career with a personal best time of 20:52 and a 33rd place finish on the wet cross country course at the Springfield Golf Club. Krista Drechsler, Alycia Cridebring, Abbey Gallaher and Sam Kearney rounded out the scoring quintet in a year that provided some of the strongest team depth when the final times and scores were tallied. The boys in blue took to the course with a strong and calm mentality. Running with great confidence after their conference championship two weeks earlier, the Aggie men finished 9th with a score of 272 and earned their first top-ten team finish. The Aggies featured outstanding performances from top finisher and national qualifier Johnathan Peterson, with an 5th place finish, and Calvin Thigpen, with a strong 20th place finish. Their achievements earned them both recognition as members of the All-Region team. Jon Sees also notched a top-35 finish, while Axel Stanovsky and Fed Martinez filled the back door spot for the Aggies. Both teams return a solid core of contributors and will aim to improve upon the 2010 season in the upcoming year. UC Davis Distance: Fortitudine vincimus.
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Nate Bowen Nate Bowen grew up in Santa Monica, CA. After four years at Crossroads High School, he joined the Aggie family in the fall of 1994. While at Davis he was a cross country all-american and captain of a team that won both the conference and regional titles in 1998. What were your career highlights? As far as my individual running is concerned my career highlight was going All-American for cross-country in 1997. I was 23rd place that year at Div II nationals in Kenosha, Wisconsin. I felt pretty lucky, there were a whole bunch of us that year who had the potential to do it. I guess everything clicked for me that day. More importantly for me was that I was part of three teams that went to Div II nationals, earning a spot in 1995, 1997 and 1998. We were conference champs in each of those years. And in my last season, 1998, we won the West Regional. I think if I'm not mistaken that was the first of four West Regional titles for UCD. The fellas who came after me really stepped it up to the next level. I was also part of three conference champion track teams in 1997, 1998 and 1999. There is nothing better than being part of a winning team. It's no fun partying by yourself.
region would go to nationals. The race was a shoot-out from the start. I nailed down sixth place overall and turned around to watch a clutch of Ags finish in the top 15. That moment standing in the finish line chute knowing that we were going back to nationals was my proudest moment as an Aggie. There is a picture I have of the UCD men's and women's teams standing together after that race. Both teams have qualified for nationals. It is a picture of a group of young people who have done something special together. We were all friends and nothing else mattered in the world but that we were winners.
Where has your path taken you since your days in Davis?
Did you continue running competitively after college?
I've been very fortunate. I have an awesome family. My wife Stephanie is a special-education teacher. She is obviously very patient, which is good if you have to be married to me. I have two little sons: Jude who is three and Everett who is one. Most of my running these days involves pushing a baby jogger around our town, Redwood City.
After my time at Davis I joined the Nike Farm Team which was based out of Stanford. It was crazy. I was now teammates with guys that I had been reading about in Track and Field News: NCAA champions and Olympians. My running improved and I was able to qualify for and compete in the 2004 US Olympic Marathon Trials in Birmingham, Alabama. I finished right in the middle, 42nd place out of 84 entrants. I remember getting a call the night before the race from Jeff Kaiser (he holds the UCD 10k track record). He told me I had to go for it and run hard from the gun, that this might be my only chance. He was right about it being my only chance. That freezing February day in Alabama was the pinnacle of my running career.
About six years ago I realized that even though it was fun to be a barely-national-class runner I had to find a way to pay the bills. And so for the last five years I have been a history teacher at a small school in San Jose called Apollo. I work with kids who have had trouble succeeding academically in the larger high schools. In many ways teaching at Apollo is like running. I have to put the work in every day. Some days are going to be tough. Some days are great. However, the important thing is to focus on the goal at hand which in this case is helping people graduate from high school. I try to build in my classes the same sense of camaraderie that I felt at Davis. I tell my kids every week: "we are a team, we need to support each other. If we do that, we will all succeed and reach our goals."
What was your favorite moment while wearing an Aggie singlet? It was the 1997 west regional meet for cross-country in Pomona. That year was supposed to be a "rebuilding" year. The men's team consisted of a bunch of rough and tumble, scrappy, indie-rocker look-alike wannabes. We had gotten killed, dead last at the Stanford Invite in September. What kept us from being terrible the rest of the year was that we were a team in every sense of the word. We cared about each other and we hated losing. Starting from absolute zero we slowly and deliberately began to improve. We went into the regional meet conference champs but only the top two teams in the
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Final Thoughts: The UC Davis cross-country and track & field teams of the late 1990s were a great scene. There were quality people on those teams, people that had a very important and positive impact on the person that I am today. The best thing I think I can say about those folks is that they were and continue to be real. There was no patience for fakers amongst that crowd. People were respected for being themselves. It also didn't hurt if you could run fast.
UC Davis Distance: Fortitudine vincimus.
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Athlete Blog Junior Jon Peterson describes his mindset in the months and moments leading up to the NCAA Championships.
A mild 66 degrees out and all my senses are alive with excitement. I take a second to feel the smothering wind flow over my sweats as I take in the sense of the field and the crowd so anxiously awaiting the start of the NCAA men's 10k race. Ten minutes until the gun goes off and I've already established that there is nothing more I can do but wait, for everything leading up to this has prepared me to do exactly as I had planned. The extra long warm up before ensures that my body is ready for the task while allowing me to stay relaxed and hold my composure. The race I am about to begin has already been won in my mind. The only thing I have left to do is take care of business as usual. I've never been more relaxed and composed, for every meet leading up to this final dance has been about two things: choice (or lack thereof) and patience. This season has been a roller coaster of emotion for me, with a lot of eagerness leading up to each race, while trying to combat it by keeping a relaxed mindset. My goal was to step up to the line each time with a sense of tranquility. While in the past I usually approached each race with a sense of urgency, looking to take command of the field at the blast of the gun, this season was not about that. I had to maintain my composure, looking for specific points to take advantage of. And within a race, there is no one around to say "go now." Instead, it became instinctual. I could feed off of someone for a while, until my legs grew tiresome of a pace I would deem too lax. This would be the point at which my mind would completely phase shift, locking into a pace. Once I took advantage, I knew I was in complete control and would attain the goal that I had sought earlier. It was no longer a question to anyone. I was going to have it. 4
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The second, and probably more important of the two components, was the absence of choice. The last decision I made in terms of my season took place before I even started my summer training. And that decision was that I would leave myself no option when it came to my training, racing, and lifestyle. Any plan B that I would have set up was instantly scrapped from my memory, as it simply distracted from plan A. A plan that wasn't my main motive was simply noise to me. It would have allowed for a safety net in the event that I didn't attain my goal, allowing me to settle. And once I had removed all other possibilities, everything became easy. It was simple. There was no getting around any aspect of training. With every day that my legs felt like lead, I made it my priority to put in the double that the training had called for. It didn't matter to me, because I gave myself no options. Choice was a luxury I no longer had. In a sense, this mentality was mirrored by the team as well. We gave ourselves an objective and stuck to it. We knew what had to be done. Our only task once the work was put in was to take care of that task out on the course. This mentality was extremely crucial for me when Within the second half of the race, I fought it came to the NCAA meet in Terre Haute, tooth and nail to not only maintain my position, but also eventually move up. Indiana. Locking into a faster pace near the last 2k Once the gun went off, we immediately face would have been the death of me. Instead, I a strong head wind for about a half mile. The couldn't allow myself to slow down. I had success of my season up to this point is a already secured a spot in the top twenty and distant memory. Nothing matters except continued to move up as bodies fell behind. what is happening right now. My goal: All Turning down the final stretch, I picked up American (top 40). Relying on my two one more to be at 14th. He moves one more foundations established earlier in the season, time and I almost allow myself to let him I must maintain contact with the lead pack have it. But that was never my plan, and I while also keeping my composure. Within had only one choice: success. And while I the first 5k loop, I tuck in behind the pack didn't finish ahead of the entire field that day, when the wind is too strong and move nor even in the top ten, I did just what I had outside when the wind is at my back. set out to do. I had left every ounce of myself Keeping a constant place around the on that course and had no regrets at any point mid-20s, I survive the first half of the course during my season. The only outcome that within my ability. As I turn towards the home was acceptable to me was success, and now stretch, I quickly move up to the back of the that I have accomplished everything on my chase pack to help fight against the intense list, it's time to start a new list. Looking wind. towards the future, this team raised the bar and now has a new norm. For every success The second half would be unlike any other that today brings elicits hunger for race I've ran all season. Though I didn't give tomorrow's goals. myself any options, I would have to bleed the most on this course, as it was intended. UC Davis Distance: Fortitudine vincimus.
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2010 UC Davis Cross Country Date
Opponent
Site/Result
Sept 4
Aggie Exhibition
Men 1st, Women 1st
Sept 11
Sacramento State Hornet Jamboree
Men 1st, Women 2nd
Sept 25
Stanford Invitational
Men 7th, Women 7th
Oct 16 Oct 30
Bronco Invitational
Men 3rd, Women 5th
Big West Conference Championship
Men 1st, Women 5th
Nov 6
Doc Adams Open
Putah Creek Reserve
Nov 13
NCAA West Regional
Men 9th, Women 15th
Nov 22
NCAA National Championships
Jon Peterson - 14th place
Former Ags and Aggie supporters, We hope the holiday season brings with it time to celebrate, reflect and spend time with those important to you. Here in Davis we will be closing the book on our fall season Saturday, December 11 when we gather for our cross country banquet. A number of you would still recognize some of the elements of our banquet from your time here as an Aggie, and this fall we have placed a special emphasis on raising the athlete’s awareness of the legacy they leave here after they’re gone. Thanks to all that have extended their support as a means of making the 2010 season one to remember. We look forward to the sharing the upcoming track season with you all. Happy Holidays!
2010 Cross Country Staff Byron Talley - Director of Cross Country & Track and Field Drew Wartenburg - Head Men’s and Women’s XC Kim Conley - Assistant Men’s and Women’s XC Sam Ahlbeck - Volunteer Assistant Men’s and Women’s XC
UC Davis Cross Country UC Davis Intercollegiate Athletics 264 Hickey Gym One Shields Ave Davis, CA 95616
Drew Wartenburg Head Cross Country/Assistant Track Coach University of California, Davis 530-979-7017 (c) dwartenburg@ucdavis.edu www.ucdavisaggies.com
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UC Davis Distance: Fortitudine vincimus.