Cross country team runs into a weekend of firsts

A weekend of firsts awaits the women's cross country team as it travels to St. Paul, Minn., to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational Saturday.\nAlong with being the first time in IU history the team has participated in the meet, it will also be the first time this season the women will participate in a 6K race. This distance holds new significance this year, since the 2000 Women's NCAA Championship race will be a 6K, rather than a 5K as in previous years.\nEven though the team feels well prepared, the new distance will pose a few challenges.\n"A 6K is a lot different," said junior Erin Womble. "I'm going to see that 5K mark and think, 'I'd normally be able to stop here.' It's about getting in the mind-set to be able to do it."\nStephanie Magley, a junior, has her own worries. Being a middle-distance runner, Magley said staying motivated will be important, especially after passing the 5K mark, the usual end of a race.\nThis weekend will also mark the first time this season the team can be judged for an at-large bid to NCAA Nationals. A strong performance from the team would help their chances for getting a bid, one of their primary goals. \nSophomore Amanda Bell, the team's No. 1 runner, agrees that the team is more goal-driven this season. She said the team's new solidarity makes it easier for Bell to relax and focus on her race.\n"I'm going to get out there and see how the course goes, and base what time I want to get on that," Bell said. "I want to get as close to first place as I can. I think if everything plays right, I'll have a chance to win it."\n Like Bell, the rest of the team has never run the course before, and they will all have to adjust their racing strategies. Even so, freshman Lauren Weddell is not overly concerned about the difficulty of the Minnesota course.\n "I think we all know that any course we run on is going to be easier than ours," Weddell said.\n The men's team is also looking forward to the challenge of running at the invitational. \nSenior Arron Gillen and sophomore Chad Andrews, last week's No. 1 and 2 runners, will help lead the team against nationally-ranked competition at the meet. Freshman Bart Phariss and junior Kevin Chandler also placed well at last week's intercollegiate meet, and will be a factor this weekend. \nThe men's team will also be looking to score well among their competitors in order to gain an at-large bid to Nationals.