By Ryan Root
The top-ranked men’s cross country team competed well at their past meet in South Bend, Ind., taking on Division I, II, and III competition. The team placed second with a score of 78 points, falling to 3rd ranked Division II program Grand Valley State who scored 40 points. While the team my not have been victorious, Senior captain Johnny Crain won the Gold Division Race, covering the 5 mile course in 25:15, separating himself by 20 seconds over the second place finisher. With all his success in the current cross country season, I had a chance to sit down with him to pick his brain about what is making this season different.
Crain was the National Champion in the 5000m at last years NCAA Championships in Outdoor Track. That win alongside 4 other All-American Honors in his career at North Central, propelled him to have one of the best summers of training. “I got a bunch of training in, I was averaging around 110 miles a week or so.” The Dunlap, Ill. native said. While the miles kept ticking away during the hot summer days, he says he is focused on the Cross country National Championships in Hanover, Ill. more than anything.
With all the momentum from an individual national title in the spring I asked Crain how it might have changed him and his approach to running. “I don’t think much has changed since winning. I don’t even think much about winning. I keep thinking about the goals I have for this year.” The senior added, “I want to stay hungry for another title because I know nothing will be given to me this fall.” In his last season the standout distance runner for the cardinals is going for a coveted individual title in cross country. However, there is something even more important to him. “The goal is to have a dominant team on a November 23. Having a great team is my number one goal above everything else.” said Crain.
The ability to put his individual goals has made his an integral part of the North Central tradition in Cross Country, where the things that matters more than anything are Team National Titles. His selflessness has landed him the title of team captain. When asked what the title means to him, Crain said, “I think the title of team captain is more of an honor than anything. We have so many strong leaders on team that we all set an example for the younger guys. I’d like to say at the end of the season that I helped make the team the best it could possibly be. And to take the team to a level to not just where we expect we are going to win, but that we know we are going to.”
The number one nationally ranked cardinals will look to earn their 3rd straight National title late in November. The 3-peat has only happened 3 times in Division III history, once by UW-Oshkosh and twice by other North Central squads, so what makes this team so special? “The team this year has all the right ingredients to win another title, we have the work ethic, the talent, and the mental belief. Obviously anything can happen. But we will be a tough team come November.” stated the team captain.
The men’s team will take one more step towards that goal at the Brooks Oshkosh Invite in Winneconne, Wis. “The Oshkosh Invite is our first good look at the other top Division III teams in the nation. So our goal is to go out there and defend our national ranking, and let people know that we are just as hungry for a national title as ever.”
