The Bowdoin Men's Cross- Country Team captured third-place honors at the NESCAC Championships, only 12 points behind second place Amherst.
The event was held by archrival Williams, the overall winner, which has yet to lose to another NESCAC team this season.
The XC gods exercised their a sense of humor when it came to the weather, as the season characterized by oppressive heat neared its end last Saturday with cold rain and heavy winds.
The weather was perhaps an homage to the hurricane-like conditions of last year's NESCAC finals, which featured 40 mile-per-hour gusts of wind, thick sheets of rain, and waist-deep floods on the Connecticut College course.
Although Bowdoin has had little experience competing in inclement weather this season, the team was well-prepared for Saturday's conditions.
"I thought we handled a hilly course in muddy conditions very well," said Head Coach Peter Slovenski. "Coach Duncan and the men have worked hard on plyometric strength, so we'll be stronger on muddy courses. Everyone showed good improvement in adverse conditions."
The weekly plyometric workouts are designed to give the runners more power in the face of the rain, wind, and mud that would normally cause them to tire.
Dry, solid footing was at a premium on the Williams course.
The rain and runners churned the ground into a slick mud that made the hills and turns even more arduous.
"John Hall and Colman Hatton, the cross-country skiers, had outstanding races," said Slovenski. "With the hills, the wind, and the rain it was like cross-country running in a cross-country skiing environment."
Hall, a senior, found himself in 20th place after the first mile. However, he lost his shoe in the second and fell to 30th place while putting it back on.
Unfazed by the setback, Hall battled back finish the 8K race in 10th place.
"[Hall] has the kind of composure it takes to fall or lose a shoe in the second mile, and still come back with a great race," said Slovenski of his runner. "He never gets rattled. He thinks losing shoes is part of the challenge and fun of it all."
Fellow senior Nate Krah came in one second after Hall in 11th place at a time of 26:42, rounding out Bowdoin's top two finishers.
Sophomore Thompson Ogilvie came in third for Bowdoin in 20th place at 26:54, followed by Hatton '10 who recovered from 30th place after the first mile to finish in 24th.
After a week away from racing, the team will compete for a spot at nationals at the NCAA New England qualifying meet.
It is the last time the impressive senior class, which finishes five of Bowdoin's top eight runners, will race in New England.
The event will take place at Connecticut College, the site of last year's maelstrom weather, and the forecast calls for rain.