GRC to Spike it Up in Virginia

Tomorrow, for the first time this season, the GRC Race Team will hit the grass and mud, instead of the asphalt, at the Glory Days Grill Cross Country Invitational in Centreville, Virginia. The low-key cross country race will help prepare the team for the USATF National Club Cross County Championships on December 8 in Lexington, Kentucky. 

The women will be led by Lindsay O'Brien, who will be making her long awaited return to cross country.  Lindsay had a truly outstanding career as a harrier at Yale, where she was a three time cross country All-American (as well as a three All-American in track).  In Lindsay's junior year, she placed third at the NCAA cross country championship.  While Lindsay has not run a cross country race in almost five years, she is poised to make a strong showing on Saturday.  "Lindsay is rapidly returning to form," said GRC coach Jerry Alexander.  "As well as she's been training, I would not be surprised to see her begin to approach her collegiate times by the end of cross country season."  Lindsay will have ample support from fellow collegiate standouts Laura O'Hara, who ran in two NCAA cross country championships during her stellar career at Stanford, Catherine Campbell, a four-time NCAA D-III qualifier at Dickinson, and former Heps scorers Maura Carroll (Cornell), Susan Hendrick (Columbia), and Hilary May (Harvard). 

Leading the men's squad will be Ryan Witters, fresh off a personal best in the 8k. "Witty" ran a track season any post-collegiate runner would be happy with and, after a light summer, is ready to continue his fine racing streak. Coach Alexander noted: "Witty looks great right now, and because the race is only 5k, he will be able to make his seasonal cross country debut at a distance that he is comfortable with."  

Joining Witters will be "Texas" Paul Guevara, Dickson Mercer, Jason Myers and Patrick Murphy, whose been laying low this past summer and fall due to a rigorous school and work schedule. "Paul has been training very well, and he is ready to stake his claim to a top 5 position on our team at Clubs," said Alexander. This race also marks the long-awaited return of Dave O'Hara. "Dave O has been extremely impressive in workouts, and I'm excited to have him back in the GRC fold."

- GRC WIRE SERVICE