Alabama Cross Country Week That Was: Week 13
11/16/2009 12:00:00 AM
Nov. 16, 2009
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. - With just one week left in the 2009 cross country season, the No. 6 Alabama cross country team claimed their third consecutive NCAA South Region Championship. It was the squads sixth under cross country coach Joe Walker.
"Last week was one where we were actually just trying to get fresh and ready for back-to-back 10,000 meter races," Walker recalled. "We had a few guys coming off being sick and a few little aches and pains amongst the group. All things considered, we actually performed very well at the regional."
Though the Crimson Tide were able to claim the region title, the men did so without their top athlete, Tyson David. Not only did they compete without their No. 1 runner, the Tide encountered other problems before and during the race.
"We needed to sit Tyson because of some aches and pains, but we were very proud of Andrew Kirwa's run," Walker said. "Fred Samoei and Moses Kiptoo were actually coming off being sick. As for the Bor brothers, one had a side stitch again late in the race and the other was forced to borrow racing spikes a size and a half too big 10 minutes prior to the race when we realized he had two left shoes."
The Alabama men will try to get fresh and healthy for next week's NCAA Championships. The championship will be held in Terre Haute, Ind. on Nov. 23.
