Matt Maher '08 -- It’s not often that I actually sit down to write many things out, unless it’s a paper and it’s due in a couple of hours. But when Lambert asked me to write up a little ‘sum ‘sum about myself I figured, “What the heck, why not?” So alas, here I sit at the Lilly Library circulation desk (when I ought to be barcoding) and break the silence.

I grew up in a small town called Greentown in north-central Indiana, just east of Kokomo. I went to Eastern School of Howard County my whole life, and while in high school I played soccer (two years), ran cross (three years), wrestled, and ran track. I was a pretty good student and still am for the most part; high school was really an easy time in my life. If there is one thing college teaches you, however, it is that your high school is a cake walk, especially when it comes to sports. And I suppose that is where my Wabash experience really began for me all those (three and a half, haha) years ago…insert dramatic, dreamy flashback music…

I had wanted to run in college, but training really wasn’t at the top of my list when I came to Wabash, but all that soon changed the day Coach Roger Busch (AKA “Captain Blood”) put his chips on the table. Eager to help and ready to launch the Wabash distance men to national recognition, Coach Busch wasted no time whipping us all into shape in the winter of 2005, indoor track season my sophomore year.

Through the injuries and sicknesses and everything else, we have all suffered through the perils of dedicated distance running, and we are all better for it. With each mistake we make, we learn not to make the same error again; and hopefully a little something about ourselves. I suffered a stress fractured femur that indoor season from biting off more than I could chew, but Coach Busch kept my head in the game and I was able to return last fall and run a cross country PR by 3 minutes! I steepled for a bit in track, to mediocre success through an injured wrist and some lack luster training methods, but the cross country season was always in the back of my mind. As soon as track ended and summer began, a whole new set of motivations came to mind.

First, it is my last year of college and my last chance to really get out on the CC course and kick some…well…you get the picture. Second, it is Busch’s first season with us as head coach, and we owe it to him to get out there and kick some…well…you know. Third, we are returning 6 of our top 7 runners, and we should have a few young guns to step and kick some major…yeah… Keep consistent, have some fun, and stay out of trouble (trust me on that last one…) and I will see all of you in the fall!

This fall looks to be the strongest season yet for our squad, and with some consistent training and the added bonus of a healthy few others (Bly and Micah), we will be off to a great start. So I leave you all with a little advice: stick with it, because these will be the best years of competition of your lives. And with that I leave you all to your daily lives and the “Miles of Trials…the Trial of Miles.”

Oh and one more thing: “Everything in moderation…” (Coach Busch) “…including moderation.” (Me).

Posted by Roger Busch at 11:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Geoff Lambert '08 -- Well it can not be denied any longer, the 2007 cross season is officially here. Today was our first workout of the summer and surprisingly it went well. Hugh Jackson came down to hang out on the 4th so Maher, CC, Hugh, and I were able to work out together. We warmed up two miles and I did not feel the best and was somewhat worried about how the workout was going to go. But once we started, I felt better and I knew I would be fine. The four of us ran 3 miles alternating with a minute hard (about 5:40 minute mile pace) and then a minute easy (about 7 minute mile pace). We went out Big Four Arch road which we all know very well and it felt like nothing had changed between last fall and today. It was nice to get that workout in and I feel better knowing that I am still in somewhat decent shape. After the run I went to play golf with CC and Hugh. I shot a 59 for nine holes, getting better but still pretty bad. But, golf relaxes me and I like being outside. It is raining right now so no fireworks tonight, kind of a downer but I am not really in the mood.

In my previous post I said that the next bio up would be Ben Bly's but that was a lie. Senior Matt Maher's will be the next one up.

Posted by Roger Busch at 11:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Geoff Lambert '08 -- Well the first month of the summer has come and gone and summer training is starting to kick into high gear. This week the Red pack will run its first workout of the season on Wednesday. The past month of training has gone well and the mileage is starting to build. As luck would have it the weeks when we started to build mileage the temperature in Crawfordsville decided to go through the roof. Compton-Craig, Maher, and I have had some interesting runs in the 90 degree heat with 95% humidity. But all in all, I would have to say, the three of us are NOT the only ones focused on the upcoming cross season but others around the state have decided to put in some work and will be ready to work hard come August.

About a week ago I got a message from DIII national mile champ Will Leer saying that he was running at USATF's in Indy. Will ran for Pomona-Pitzer in California and I had met him at the national championships. He asked that I come down to watch him run and bring as many people as I could. Sam, Matt, and I met up with Bates and Bly in Indy and watched Leer run 3:40 for 1500m, make $5,000, and get a spot on the Oregon Track Club team. He also made the final on Sunday and was on ESPN.

Seeing Will run at nationals hammered the point home to me that if I want to run professionally after Wabash I could do that but only through tons of hard work and dedication, I have decided that my goal is to run professionally after graduation, but I know that I have to work extremely hard, be a leader of the Wabash team, and set an example of how hard work pays off. I am excited to build some mileage and show people that I can run 8,000m not just the 800.

I hope this reaches everyone well and I am proud to announce that the next bio to go up will be Senior Ben Bly's.

Posted by Roger Busch at 10:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sam Compton-Craig '09 -- Summer is here and it couldn’t have come too early for most guys on the team. With nagging injuries and the academic pressure placed on everyone at the end of the year, summer was a beacon of light on the horizon. Now that it is here, and I look back on the past year, I realize that this upcoming cross country season could be picture perfect and be made into a Hollywood movie. I say this because if you look at the roster/characters, it seems like our season could be a very typical Hollywood story. We have the coach that most the time everyone hates, but only because he pushes to see the best out of everyone. We have the kid who left for almost a whole year, and is coming back in tip-top shape, and ready to proof what he is made of. We have the quiet, sincere younger guy who is coming off a surgical procedure, and is dying to get back out on the streets, or to even walk for that matter. There are two characters in particular who have come a long way since their freshmen year. One of whom is your typical attention grabber, with multiple tattoos, a rat tail, and a motorcycle. The other, who at the end of his last track season, started to see signs of success, and is looking forward to seeing more this upcoming season, then you also have the captain who has been to the main stage in track, but never in cross country, and he is looking to broaden his experience and lengthen his resume. These are just some of the main characters in the story that is about to be written, kept in mind there are multiple other characters who weren’t mentioned for the sake of time. Who knows, there might be an incoming freshmen who rises through the ranks to lead the red pack this year. All that is known is that this team of “unknowns” has, and will put in more work, and it will be very interesting to see how the season pans out. So if you have a video camera, and some spare time from 4-6 every weekday, and the occasional weekend, feel free to make a video. You might even make some money.

Posted by Roger Busch at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)