Written by David Gentile
SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Following a season of injuries that kept him out of cross country action in fall 2013, junior Ryan Greenough (RG) has returned and run well in Santa Clara's first two meets of the 2014 season. Greenough spoke with SantaClaraBroncos.com (SCB) about getting healthy, his favorite cross country race and some of the team's meets this season.
SCB: Your 8k PR in the WCC Preview Meet was more than 45 seconds faster than your previous best mark. What led to such a successful race at Baylands Park?
RG: My performance at the WCC Preview Meet was a product of two factors. Through my improved stride technique I avoided injury over the summer and I was able to sustain a consistent training schedule. Also, the strength of our other scoring members (Kurt Ruegg, Bryan Crook, Joey Berriatua and Adrian Hinojosa) and the overall depth of the squad gave me several opportunities throughout the race to work with teammates.
SCB: What is your favorite distance to run in cross country and why?
RG: My favorite distance to run in cross country is the 10K. In general, I enjoy the longer races because I am able to gauge my effort better. It also does not hurt to mention that only the regional and national championships are run at that distance. So each 10K race is guaranteed to be one of the most competitive of the season.
SCB: Part of the men's team is slated to compete in the Roy Griak Invitational this weekend. How do you think racing in one of the country's most competitive meets will help the team?
RG: I believe that the Roy Griak Invitational will be a phenomenal experience for the team and I am very blessed to be a part of that squad this year. Competing against such a high level of talent will only strengthen our team. I hope that all of our hard work will translate into a positive result this weekend.
SCB: What was your best cross country/track moment from last year? Take me through what was going on in your body and mind.
RG: My sophomore year on the team captured the two different sides of being an athlete. I was hurt for the entire cross country season. So, my best cross country moment was cheering on the conference team at WCCs (at Pepperdine) with all of my teammates who were not competing. The experience was just a testament to the heart of our SCU cross country community. Fortunately, I was healthy enough to compete during track. My best track moment was at the West Coast Last Chance Open (at SF State). In that race, the strength of the field helped guide me to a season PR in the 5K.
SCB: What are you working to improve on this year?
RG: I believe that staying healthy is one of the most important components of my improvement. Throughout my running career, I have struggled with several injuries. This year, I will be continuing to find the best training plan for myself.