Maybe in the year 2574 we'll have robots on planet Zyborg programmed to run a certain distance in a certain amount of time compete against each other for the Intergalactic Champion-Chip. But that would hardly be as exciting as Bowdoin men's cross-country's second-place finish at the Division III New England Championship over the weekend.
Cross-country runners are human. No training program, formula, or algorithm will ensure 100 percent success. Nowhere is the undeniable truth more visible than in the unpredictability of who will score for Bowdoin and finish first through fifth for the team.
This week, Archie Abrams '09 surged at the end to claim fourth in the 300-runner field in a time of 25:50 on the hilly course. Thompson Ogilvie '10 finished second for the team and 22nd overall in a time of 26:24.
Nate Krah '08 finished 28th, John Hall '08 finished 30th, and Owen McKenna '07 claimed 41st, in times of 26:29, 26:30, and 26:42, respectively. The finishes contrasted with the top fives at the NESCACs two weeks ago, when they finished in the order of Abrams, McKenna, Hall, Ogilivie, and Ken Akiha '08.
Hall believes this year's team members push each other to succeed.
"Compared to the past two years, our team's performance at this year's New England regional was certainly the strongest," he said. "We ran with great composure and heart. We were confident we could finish in the top two, and we proved ourselves on the course."
Krah took Hall's comment a step further and described the team as "modern-day Spartan warriors. [They were] brave, and they did not take shots from anyone. The race went out fast, but we held our own in battle, and accomplished what we set out to do."
The Bowdoin cross-country runners ran through their pain to capture second overall in the 45-team field behind NESCAC rival Williams.
Besides enduring pain and showing heart, the cross-country fans, and their influence on the runners, keeps the excitement of the championship a tier above the Intergalactic Championship.
Runner and cheerleader Michael Julian '09 described the race setting as "energetic and intense with fans everywhere literally in armies. There was body paint, banners, and [it was] ridiculously loud."
At every sighting of the Bowdoin runners on the five-mile course the "Bowdoin fans cheered in unison, doing the chop motion and chanting "AR-CHIE, AR-CHIE" or "NATE KRAH, NATE KRAH." Our fans did a lot to energize the runners."
The success of the regional meet, however, is now history for the Bowdoin runners who are making their journey to the national meet in Ohio this weekend. Runners typically "taper," or significantly reduce their mileage, the week leading up to the race as they train themselves to peak at nationals the week before Thanksgiving.
Krah will always have fond memories of the training as he "raced moose through the commons, and fought wolverines on Farley Field," but highlighted that "this team works harder than anyone else and it will pay off next week in Ohio."
Hall echoed Krah's excitement and said, "I am so psyched to have the opportunity to go to Nationals as a team. It's a goal that has been on the radar for a while, and I'm glad we made it happen this year. I can't wait to fly out to Ohio to run against the top runners in the nation."
Bowdoin's top seven runners bring their excitement, focus, and cardiovascular superiority to Ohio next week for the biggest race in the Division III cross-country world?a race that a world of robots would envy.