By Rosy Banks
Staff Writer
The fastest in the history of Pepperdine, men’s and women’s cross-country teams are taking victory with a vengeance this season.
Both teams took first place in their meet at nearby Cal Lutheran on Saturday, with the women’s team winning by 44 points and the men taking their race by 34 places.
Filled with hills and rough terrain, the course provided intense preparation for the West Coast Conference meet in November, which they set all intensions on winning. Though they didn’t have their best times of the season, the runners were happy to finish ahead of the rest of the pack.
“Cross country is one of those weird sports where you don’t go for time, you go for place,” assistant coach Ramone Chavez said.
Team members were not too hard on themselves, since they said this course is the hardest this season.
“This wasn’t our fastest meet even though DANIEL JOHNSON/
we placed higher,” freshman Tarrah Crowley PHOTO EDITOR
said. “But the goal was to feel good and work together.”
Freshman Chad Trammell, the fastest personal record ever at Pepperdine, led the men’s 8k finishing with a time of 29:03 in third place overall. Sophomore Lauren Tyree carried the girls with a second place for the 5k finish in 21.09.
Men’s and women’s teams are achieving consistently breaking personal records and pushing each other to cross the finish line quicker. Freshman Neal Washburn and Junior Ed Leon both finished top ten, sprinting to the finish neck and neck, just one second apart. Leon ran 30:05 and Washburn 30:06.
“We stuck together as a team, talked to each other while running, pushing each other,” Neal Washburn said. As far as his individual performance, “The more experience I get in races and the more I practice, the better chance I have at getting to be at the top of the pack,” Washburn said.
The Waves’ first and only home dual meet is this Saturday against San Diego, and team members are looking for some Pepperdine support.
Students can simply walk out their dorm room doors to observe the race, which will take place on upper and lower dorm road.
“Watching a race is exhilarating and fun,” Washburn said. “People should come because it’s at a convenient time and place.
“We work real hard everyday just like any other sport, if not more,” Crowley said. “Support is definitely a key factor in Cross Country since running is all mental and just that one person cheering can be real inspirational.”
See the fastest teams in history at Pepperdine race at home this Saturday at 9:30 a.m.
October 02, 2003