Cross country sweeps Bob Timmons Classic

The men’s, women’s and alumni teams left competitors in their dust.

By Jason Baker (Contact)

Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008


At Rim Rock Farm on Saturday, the men’s cross country team had stiff competition on their hands.

That competition was a group of 17 men dressed in pink shorts and blue shirts with the word “Alumni” stamped across their chests. They were former KU cross country runners and they showed up to Saturday’s race looking to win.

The KU alumni team was very diverse, competing with some former All-Americans and an Olympian.

“It’s a good mix of guys who just got out of eligibility to guys who ran in the 90’s,” Paul Hefferon, one of the new members of the alumni team and the winner of the Men’s 8k race, said.

Hefferon finished the race with a time of 24:49.

Hefferon said he had been cross-training during the summer and would be competing in a club meet in December. And as for running in pink shorts, he called it a tribute to the Jayhawk team of the past, which wore blue and pink uniforms until 1999.

Not far behind Hefferon was fellow newcomer to the alumni team Colby Wissel, who finished third overall. Other members of the alumni team included Patrick McGowan, Chris Jones, DJ Hilding and Charlie Gruber, who competed in the 1500 meters at the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

Many of the alumni, including Hilding, were glad to race at Rim Rock with some of their former teammates.

“I forgot just how hard the hills were,” Hilding, a 2005 graduate, said.

While the alumni team had two members finish in the top three, the current Jayhawk team also had strong performances. Freshman Don Wasinger finished first for the current Jayhawks and fifth overall with a time of 25:56. Also, six current Jayhawk runners finished in the top 20, including sophomore Dan Van Orsdel, freshman Kaleb Humphreys, and juniors Isaiah Shirlen and Bret Imgrund.

Imgrund ran despite having a chest cold that affected his breathing. He edged out Gruber at the finish line to take ninth place overall. It wasn’t the first time the two raced each other.

“We raced in Race For the Cure and I beat him by 15 seconds,” Imgrund said. “It was nice to do it again.”

A lot of upperclassmen on the current team were impressed with the freshman runners.

“The ones who wore the KU jersey represented well,” senior Levi Huseman said. “It’s a great way to start their season and their career.”

The current team edged out the alumni team by a score of 49 to 52, giving them first place overall. Although it was close, both teams had nothing but respect for each other.

“You have an Olympian, Colby, Paul, and Patrick,” Van Orsdel said. “It’s good to add some excitement.”

Hefferon said he saw potential in the team.

“Once the guys get together to develop, a lot of good things can happen. It’s a rebuilding year, but it can also be a successful year,” he said.

Meanwhile, the women’s team won their title more easily.

Junior Lauren Bonds finished first overall with a time of 18:53. Sophomore Amanda Miller finished second with a time of 19:17. Bonds led throughout the race and said she was relaxed the whole time.

“I treated it as a workout that I got to wear my uniform in,” she said.

Miller said she also felt good during the race.

“After I got into second, I was able to push my own pace. It was more relaxing not running with a lot of people,” she said.

Four others on the women’s team finished in the top 10, including senior Megan James, junior Alison Knoll and freshmen Laura Nightengale and Kara Windisch.

It was the second year in a row that both the men’s and women’s teams took first place. Though there wasn’t a woman’s alumni team, some of the returning women said they liked the idea.

“I would love to see some of the girls that I ran with when I was a freshman,” Bonds said. “It wouldn’t be as funny as the guys though.”

Bonds said she found the men’s alumni team comical.

“It was funny seeing some of the guys that I saw when I was getting recruited,” she said. “Some of them were out of shape. Some were still in really good shape. It was interesting seeing how that all played out.”

Next on the Jayhawk’s schedule is the Missouri XC Challenge in Columbia, Mo., on Sept. 13.

— Edited by Mary Sorrick

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