12/07/07
Alarm clocks rang at 5 a.m. as the cross country team awoke in order to catch its flight to Louisiana Nov. 29 to participate in the Baton Rouge Beach Half-Marathon Saturday.
The team had been training for the event since the end of the cross country season, concentrating on getting in more miles to be prepared for the 13-mile race. In order to pay for the trip, the team did fundraising by working at the University of Kansas football and basketball games and also at Kansas City Chiefs football games.
This is the first time head coach Zach Kindler has taken a team on a trip like this.
“I like to do this to get in more training after cross country,” Kindler said. “Also, this experience gave them a chance to open their eyes to a different culture and environment.”
Kindler said the race itself was a success. Two male Baker runners finished in the top five: senior Andrew McGregor finished fourth overall and won his age group, and freshman Chris Scheideman placed fifth and also was first in his age division. Freshman Nick Wagoner finished second in his age division and junior AJ Jimenez, who competed in his third half-marathon, finished third in his age division.
“It is a lot different going into a marathon because the mind set is not to get out fast because it is such a long race,” Jimenez said. “People don’t go fast until about halfway, that is where you either win or lose the race.”
Kindler said the women’s team was also successful. All of the runners ran well and finished in the top eight in their age division. Junior Amber Keith finished fourth in her age division.
“It was a good experience, and it was fun to run somewhere else and to train together,” Keith said. “We were well prepared and would do it again next year.”
There was also a full marathon going on with around 600 or 700 runners between the two races. The race was a road course that went into the heart of Baton Rouge. The course toured Louisiana State University’s campus and ran along the Mississippi River.
“We could tell that we were in the south because after the race there was jambalaya, gumbo and hot dogs,” Kindler said. “Some of the runners even had alligator for the first time on the trip.”
As much of an experience as the race was, the chance to experience the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge were just as memorable, students said. The team stayed in New Orleans while on the trip and was able to spend time on Bourbon Street, went to a basketball game and saw the destruction and rebuilding portions of the city affected by Hurricane Katrina.
Kindler said seeing the area damaged by Katrina really gave them a new perspective.
The team is now practicing for the upcoming indoor track season that begins Jan. 11.runners finished in the top five: senior Andrew McGregor finished fourth overall and won his age group, and freshman Chris Scheideman placed fifth and also was first in his age division. Freshman Nick Wagoner finished second in his age division and junior AJ Jimenez, who competed in his third half-marathon, finished third in his age division.
“It is a lot different going into a marathon because the mind set is not to get out fast because it is such a long race,” Jimenez said. “People don’t go fast until about halfway, that is where you either win or lose the race.”
Kindler said the women’s team was also successful. All of the runners ran well and finished in the top eight in their age division. Junior Amber Keith finished fourth in her age division.
“It was a good experience, and it was fun to run somewhere else and to train together,” Keith said. “We were well prepared and would do it again next year.”
Kindler said the race had a southern feel to it.
“We could tell that we were in the south because after the race there was jambalaya, gumbo and hot dogs,” Kindler said. “Some of the runners even had alligator for the first time on the trip.”
As much of an experience as the race was, the chance to experience the cities of New Orleans and Baton Rouge were just as memorable, students said.