Cross Country heads to UC Merced for the first of consecutive meets, in as many weeks
Meet 2
Ryan Nunez Bobcat Invitational
Hosted by UC Merced
Saturday, Oct. 16 – On-Campus Course (Merced, Calif.)
Men's 4-Mile Race: 8 a.m.
Women's 5k: 8:45 a.m.
VALLEJO, Calif. – For the first time since September 25 when they competed at the 10th-Annual Master's University XC Invitational, Cal Maritime's cross country teams will return to action in Saturday's Ryan Nunez Bobcat Invitational.
The men will hit the on-campus course first — it is a grass start to an asphalt road around UC Merced's recreation field, followed by an alternating dirt and asphalt looping bike path, then back to a running/dirt path — and run a four-mile race that starts at 8 a.m., followed by the women's 5k competition that will commence at 8:45 a.m.
Saturday's competition is the first of two in as many weeks for the Keelhaulers; their final tune-up for the Cal Pac Championship, slated for Monday, November 1 in Fresno, will take place at next Saturday's William Jessup's XC Warrior Invite.
"This is such a short season, I am so impressed with my team. I have observed huge strides in improvement both in a physical aspect and in a mental one," said senior captain Nora Anastasi.
"Cross country is a physical endeavor but it is also a mental challenge. I am so inspired by my teammates, they are so cheerful, happy, and positive even after our hardest practices; they encourage and support each other even when they are completely out of breath. They push themselves harder every day at practice and it shows. I am excited for the big smiles and PR's this weekend."
Due to the Keelhaulers' unique season, one that started later than usual compared to pre-COVID seasons, experience and wisdom possessed by the program's upperclassmen will play a key role this fall.
Said Anastasi, "I always push time management and priority management on the team. It is of the utmost importance to take care ourselves both physically and mentally. I push for good sleep hygiene and a healthy balanced so our bodies can rest and recharge. If you are putting good things in, you will get good things out. I stress the importance of self-care, and the rest will follow. If you manage your time and take care of yourself, you can get it all done and be happy."
"The information I typically share with freshmen and newcomers to help them prep for a meet is to be confident. We put in just as much work like any other cross country program if not more, so we should enter a race setting with that in mind," said Isaiah Sulivan, senior captain for the men's team.
"A lot of people on our team have never raced in a cross country meet before, but the work that they put in during practice will show itself out on the course," he added.
Unlike a lot of their Cal Pac peers, who returned to action in late August or early September, Cal Maritime's inaugural meet took place in late September when it traveled to Santa Clarita for the Master's Invitational — an event that annually draws Southern California's top running talent from all levels.
Even with a later-than-usual start to the season, expectations for the men's and women's teams this weekend are clear, realistic, and attainable.
"The teams' goals and expectations remain the same as they always have going into this meet, which is to get better and give 100% effort. I'd like to think that we are all pushing and running for each other because I know for a fact that this team is stronger together," said Sulivan. "My individual goals for this weekend are to make sure that all my teammates are prepared to race both physically and mentally. I feel that my job as a captain is to be a pillar of positivity for anyone who is feeling uneasy about the race weekend."
Even though both teams are focused on this weekend's course, and the strategies needed to clock the best possible individual times and team scores, cadet-athletes also understand how this weekend's experience can help everyone continue to improve and reach their ultimate goal.
"The team is definitely going to use this race as another training day for league championships,"
Sulivan added, "according to Coach Jeff, every race leading up to the Cal Pac Championship is another training run to get ready for the big year-end event."