
The
Panther men's cross-country teams have
built a tradition of excellence and
enjoyed great success over the past
decade, winning both state and ECAC
championships. The team has been
competitive within the NESCAC conference
and have won the state intercollegiate
cross country championships nine of the
last 11 years. Individual student-athletes
have earned All-NESCAC, All-ECAC, and
All-New England honors. Additionally, for
the last five years the men's team has
earned NCAA Coaches Association
All-Academic honors.
There
will be approximately 30 student-athletes
on Middlebury's squad in 2003 with
competitive opportunities on both the
varsity and junior varsity level. Training
begins with a week of pre-season practice
prior to the start of classes in
September. The team trains each weekday at
4:30 p.m. with practices lasting from 45
minutes to two hours. The daily workouts
include stretching, easy distance runs,
leg speed, fartlek, strength, interval and
pool workouts. Most competitions are held
each Saturday beginning the first weekend
of September and running through the third
weekend of November.
The
cross-country course is considered one of
the most scenic in New England. The first
mile winds around the College athletic
fields and then joins the Red Kelly Trail,
which follows the perimeter of the
College's golf course. The course consists
of moderately rolling terrain with several
steep hills. The surface of the course is
grass, dirt, and wood chips, and is
acknowledged by visiting coaches as one of
the best in New England.
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