The cross country team will travel to Oklahoma this weekend for its biggest meet so far this season.

The Oklahoma State Cowboy Jamboree is the oldest cross country race in the country, dating back to 1937, and it still attracts many high caliber teams. Last year, the meet consisted of 27 teams in the women’s race and 23 in the men’s, more than both of the Kansas runners’ previous meets combined. This year’s meet will have just as much competition.

The size of the meet will make it harder for the runners to focus on group packing, which is something that has been working well for them.

“It is much harder to run as a pack in these bigger races, because you can kind of get lost in the soup,” assistant coach Michael Whittlesey said.

This is something that has been addressed in practice, and the team has developed a strategy for the meet.

“It will be harder but I still think we will be able to do it,” sophomore Donny Wasinger said. “We’ll just maybe be running in groups of smaller groups.”

The Oklahoma State men runners have had a strong season so far. According to the most recent U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association ranking, they are ranked No. 2 in the nation.

“Having them run in front of us will definitely push us to run a little better, too,” junior Nick Caprario said.

On the women’s side, senior Lauren Bonds will have to improve on the very successful meet that she ran last year. She placed ninth out of 205 runners.

“I really want to improve upon my time from last year and, you know, really just get out there and compete and, you know, maybe beat some people that beat me last year,” Bonds said.

Last year the women’s team placed fourth out of 27 teams. The Kansas women’s team runs in a tighter pack than in previous years, which could help them finish higher up in the rankings and possibly make the top three.

— Edited by Samantha Foster