Compared to how far the Longhorns run at each meet, their season runs much shorter.
Having only competed in four NCAA events this year, the cross-country team heads to the South Central Regional Championships this Saturday in Waco. The top two teams at regionals advance to the NCAA Championships in Terre Haute, Ind. later this month.
“As early as February, everyone on this team has had one thing in mind: Get this team to nationals,” said senior Habben Berhane.
Berhane is one of only three seniors on the cross-country roster, and the only one who actively competes in sanctioned cross-country events.
“It’s nice to have an older guy on the team who’s been around and can show you how it works,” said sophomore Rory Tunningley, who barely edged out Berhane for best UT time at the Big 12 Championships two weeks ago.
Tunningley hopes that the team can punch its tickets for Indiana during Berhane’s final season.
“We definitely want to make sure we go to nationals, if not just for him,” Tunningley, the former Texas high school champion, said. “The last time [Berhane] went was his sophomore year, and I know he wants to go back.”
Berhane, who has battled injuries throughout his career, is extremely eager to be in the best shape this weekend.
“After I had surgery, I started training the week right afterwards,” he said. “I probably did some things I shouldn’t have, but I really wanted to get back [in form].”
The rest of team has also been training constantly over the past two weeks in preparation for the meet Saturday. While most of the team’s previous meets this year have consisted of eight-kilometer distances, the regional championship course is 10.
“The difference between 8K and 10K is the world,” Berhane said. “A lot of guys coming in were used to running 6Ks and hitting a wall during the last two kilometers. Now they have to face two more after that.”
Assistant coach John Hayes didn’t think the extra distance would be much of a factor for the Longhorns.
“Our training has been geared towards the 10K runs all year,” Hayes said.
On the same day that the UT football team destroyed Oklahoma State — Oct. 31 — the Big 12 cross-country championships were dominated by the Cowboys.
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