Coach of Archrival Ephs Defects to Lead X-Country
Women Stick Together

By Brian Fair
Sports Editor

The woman’s cross-country team, lead by new Head Coach J. R. Gaige, fomerly of Williams, enthusiastically gears up for another season. With all of their top seven runners from last year, accompanied by six promising frosh, the team is determined to make others such as Williams and Amherst accept them as a viable competitor in the NESCAC, something Gaige believes possible.

"The team looks good and is working hard," Gaige said. "I think we may have a shot at being one of the top 10 or 12 teams in New England."

A welcomed addition, Gaige, who replaces 35 year Wesleyan coaching veteran Elmer Swanson, hopes to improve the team’s strategy. Gaige believes that strategy, or mental training, when accompanied with the traditional physical training, can improve a team’s performance.

To win a cross-country race, at least five of the team’s runners must cross the finish line. To be competitive those five must post good times.

Gaige has brought with him a technique called "pack running" in which all of the seven runners attempt to run together throughout the race. The hope is that each of the seven would be finishing within a minute and twenty seconds of one another. According to Maureen McMurray ’01 this tactic leaves less room for opposing runners and perhaps more importantly, it intimidates them.

"Running in a pack creates a wall. Once you have the wall you open it only to run past a competitor, then you close it back up and hopefully leave them in the dust," said team captain Ava Gordinier ’99, who was first introduced to this strategy by Gaige.

Also, McMurray thinks that pack running may help the team peak at the optimum time: the Division III New England Tournament. Peaking at the end of the season is especially crucial in cross-country because those results are the sole factor in determining who attends the Nationals.

As grueling as the season can be, Gaige emphasizes that his runners not push themselves too hard early in the season. According to Gaige, this strategy prevents fatigue and burnout later in the season, which proves most costly.

Gaige acknowledges that a three month, nine race season may be too much for his athletes if they were to give it everything for the entirety of each race. Thus, he recommends a moderate, smart beginning to each race in particular, and to the season in general.

In his own words, "September is important, but October and November are more important."

"Coach Gaige always has a plan," McMurray said. "Everything is done for a purpose. I think everyone will be running their best times under him."

Gaige agrees. This year he wants the majority of the starting seven to run around the mid 19-minute mark, a time attained by only one runner last year. Gaige thinks that the use of pack running, which the women successfully accomplished at this year’s alumni race, may make this goal possible.

The team attended a four-day training camp this year prior to the official season. Along with helping the team on a physical and cardiovascular level, the pre-season camp provided the first opportunity for the team to run together and practice their pack running. The team hopes to mimic the pack running exhibited at the alumni race throughout the season.

The team’s first official meet is this Saturday at Whigam Park versus Trinity and Conn College, and it will hopefully bring the team’s first two victories.

"I think we can beat them both," said team captain Sarah McMahon ’99. "If we don’t, the focus is to practice our strategy so we can beat them later in the year."