Chapman Cross-Country: how do they go the distance?

Chapman’s cross-country team previews their season and the strategies that make for a successful one. Photo courtesy of Larry Newman

It takes a special type of athlete to run several miles on uneven terrain, adjust strategy on the fly and produce top times regardless of the variables stacked against them. But over time, these runners develop techniques to help them go the distance, and Chapman’s cross country team is no exception. 

“Taking the race in stages is very important,” said Barron Maizland, assistant cross country coach. “It’s really getting through one mile, and then starting the race over again.” 

At least that’s Maizland’s approach. For junior business administration major Anthony Hart, it’s different, as he treats the entire race like a massive test of endurance.

“Normally, I’ll try to go out with the front pack and just see how long I can hold on and just maintain as long as possible,” Hart said. 

This strategy seems to be working well for Hart, who just broke the eight-kilometer race record for the men’s program at Chapman. 

“You need to really be self-aware of what you're doing during the race, and that can be hard when you're running next to a bunch of other people,” Hart said. Despite this, he tries to remain diligent in his awareness of which runners are around him during his races and plan accordingly if needed. 

“La Verne, Cal Tech, and Redlands are the three teams that our goal is to beat right now, so I’m thinking about my placement around them,” Hart said, who tries to keep them in the rearview mirror during his races. 

Chapman’s cross country team competes in just six races throughout their 13-week fall season which may seem minimal compared to men’s water polo, which is 28 games total, or football, which is 10 games. But the short season is by design. 

“I try not to race them too much because it does take a lot out of you,” Maizland said of his runners. “It's not the best or smartest thing to race every single weekend...we need to be able to recover.”

This recovery is coupled with proper training and preparation, much of which is expected to be done on their own prior to coming into their fall season. 

“If we aren't doing the work in the summer, we are not ready to race at the beginning of the year,” Maizland said. 

Once the team arrives on campus in the fall, they hit the ground running. Their training schedule is a 6-day cycle of four aerobic running days mixed with two alternate workouts. 

A typical race is six kilometers (3.7 miles) for women and eight kilometers (5 miles) for men, and Maizland coordinates workouts that simulate those races, but never the same workout twice. “If we are always doing something different, we’re preparing for everything that a race can throw at you,” he said.

Maizland trains this way to build confidence in his athletes, as he said the biggest obstacle in running, specifically distance running, is not questioning yourself during a race. However, that’s easier said than done, and Hart offered advice for how to navigate roadblocks such as this when they occur.

“I just think about what my other teammates are doing,” Hart said. “If (my teammates) are passing me, I go with them, or if I'm passing them, I’m encouraging them.”

Hart’s teammates have been crucial to his enjoyment of this season overall, making things like 6 a.m. practices and COVID-19 drawbacks — like having to run alone — more bearable. Maddie Miro, a junior applied human physiology major, echoed this sentiment. 

“The team is uplifting and motivated, and that keeps me motivated,” Miro said. 

Miro has aspirations to make it to regionals this season, and on the heels of a personal record that placed her fourth in Chapman women’s five-kilometer record, her chances look good. She was also recently named Chapman’s Athlete of the Week. 

While individual successes like these are great for the program, Maizland wants to see the team advance together, which seems more doable every year as talent levels increase and turnover rates decrease. 

“Everyone on this team is ready right now; they’re prepared,” Maizland said. “The hard work is done. Now, it’s just maintaining.”