Miles add up for IU runners

When first asked what his team did this summer to prepare for the upcoming Men's cross country season, Hoosier head coach Robert Chapman said, "We ran a lot." \nTo most that would seem like an ordinary response for how a cross country team trains and practices. But there is a lot more strategy behind just running a lot, as Chapman explained.\n"During the summer we ran a lot of miles, and we were building up miles," Chapman said. "We design our training so the runners can peak at certain times in the season."\nRight now the Hoosier runners are still putting in a lot of miles, as they will continue to train through the month of September. \n"When September comes around we are training through it," Chapman said. "Our training is designed so the runners will peak in November, which is championship time."\nAs a returning varsity runner from last year's national championship qualifying team, sophomore Eric Redman is used to the large number of miles that the Hoosier team usually puts in during the summer. \n"We did a lot of base miles this summer, and I think everybody is coming into the season in really good shape," Redman said. "We put in a lot of miles this summer but other than that it was a relaxed summer. Everybody just did their own thing and we are all experienced enough to do what it takes to come in fit, and ready for the season."\nA lot of the runners are from different places so it was hard to get them all together at the same time. Senior Chris Powers believes that because of the age and experience of the team, this was not a problem and that team will definitely be in shape for the season. Six of the seven varsity runners from last years' national championship qualifying team will be back. \nWhen the Hoosiers did have a chance to run together they made the most of it. At the end of the summer the IU team went to camp together, which was beneficial in many ways. \n"Camp was a good chance to get in some good workouts, prepare for the season, and talk about our goals and what we need to do," Powers said. \nChapman believes the camp experience was very good for the team as well. \n"It allows us to do team bonding, it brings us together, and it sets the tone for the season."\nThe Hoosiers competed in the Indiana Open Friday, their first meet of the season. Only five IU runners participated in the race, none from the varsity team. Under NCAA rules this means that the meet could not be scored. Although there was no scoring IU had three Hoosiers finish in the top ten. \nThe Hoosier men's cross country team next competes in the Cream and Crimson Open, Friday, September 12. \n-- Contact staff writer Alex Witteveld at pawittev@indiana.edu.