Emerging Michigan cross country 'won't be overlooked'

Everybody loves an underdog.

But the way the Michigan men's cross country team has been going lately, the team's reputation has made quite a sizable shift - from darkhorse to favorite.

Last Sunday's victory in the Wolverine Interregional all but quelled the little-team-that-could facade the Wolverines hid behind in recent weeks.

The secret is out - the Wolverines are good.

"I think most of the cross country geeks have found out about us by now," senior co-captain Jay Cantin said. "Teams are starting to figure out the times we've been running and we won't be as overlooked (as before)."

In fact, the Wolverines are seen by most to be the only legitimate challenge to favored Wisconsin in this year's Big Ten meet, to be held Oct. 30 on Penn State's home course.

The Badgers return their entire top seven from last season, including Big Ten champion Matt Downin.

"We're going to have to be on to beat Wisconsin," Cantin said. "Everyone is going to need to perform, including our sixth runner."

The Wolverines are shooting for a rare three-peat of Big Ten title victories, but Cantin said the pressure is off.

"It won't be that big of a disapointment if we don't beat Wisconsin," he said. "We've already had a wonderful season and we can compare with any team."

But in the meantime, the Wolverines are following a training formula very similar to that of the last two championship seasons.

"This week we're tapering down to about 75 or 80 miles," coach Ron Warhurst said. "There will be more quality in our workouts and some emotional group therapy."

Assistant coach Kevin Sullivan recently dug up his old training log from the 1997 season in which he finished second in the NCAA meet and the team finished fourth. Amazingly, the regiment he followed during that season follows this year's workout slate nearly to a tee.

"I sit down during the summer and make up the workout schedule," Warhurst said. "You tweak it a little bit during the season, but it is funny how similar Kevin's log is to this season."

Under Warhurst's tutelage, the Wolverines are a democracy rather than a dictatorship - each runner has some say in the weekly training schedule.

"Ron talked to Steve (Lawrence) and I and we decided on what intervals to run in the next few weeks," Cantin said. "Everybody agrees on the same thing - we just follow the same routine because it has worked in the past."

Nothing has changed from the team's makeup at the start of the season. Those are still the same faces in the top five.

The intangible that has boosted the Wolverines up into the status they now enjoy has been their knack for going the extra mile, so to speak.

"Every guy on the team is supposed to get up before school and run at least three times during the school week," Warhurst said. "This year, we have got guys going four or even five times each week.

"Everyone has done a tremendous job."

10-20-99