Legs win races for
runners, but elbows help, too.
The Gators have
experienced firsthand this season the physicality of a cross
country race. However, as the stakes rise throughout the
championship portion of the season, the intensity and
aggressiveness of each runner heightens as well.
Saturday’s NCAA South
Regional, a relatively large meet for the Gators, means a more
aggressive start. Although just a freshman, Gr
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">ace VanDeGrift
predicts a higher rate of contact in this meet than in previous
ones.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">“When you come
to regionals, people want to win,” VanDeGrift said. “It’s really
not fun to lose, of course, so the competitive side comes out in
everyone and that can be a little nasty sometimes.”
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">The
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Wisconsin
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">adidas
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Invitational
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">sent
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">warning
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">flags
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">to
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">coach
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Todd
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Morgan
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">that
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">his
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">team
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">was
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">not
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">prepared
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">for
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">tightly
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">packed
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">and,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">at
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">times,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">violent
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">racing
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">style.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">The
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Gators
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">were
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">bullied
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">into
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">poor
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">position
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">by
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">large
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">crowd,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">which
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">resulted
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">in
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">disappointing
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">32nd-place
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">finish
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">for
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">men
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">and
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">19th-place
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">finish
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">for
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">women.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">In
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">this
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">go-around,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Florida
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">cannot
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">afford
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">an
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">inadequate
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">result
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">as
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Gators
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">vie
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">for
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">spot
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">in
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">NCAA
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">national
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">championship.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">A
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">legitimate
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">chance
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">in
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">competing
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">against
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">nation’s
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">best
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">means
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Gators
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">must
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">be
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">prepared
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">to
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">take
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">some
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">elbows
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">and
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">little
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">shoving.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Cross country’s
dirty little secret of being a contact sport has shown itself
throughout the years, but Florida must familiarize itself with it
and prepare for it to be successful.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Going
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">through
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">her
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">first
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">collegiate
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">season,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">VanDeGrift
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">has
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">been
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">on
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">receiving
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">end
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">of
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">few
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">elbows.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">She
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">has
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">also
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">seen
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">her
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">teammate,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">junior
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Florence
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">N’Getich,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">get
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">spiked,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">meaning
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">VanDeGrift
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">has
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">had
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">her
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">eyes
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">opened
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">to
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">more
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">physical
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">style
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">of
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">racing
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">in
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">college.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">She
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">said
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">style
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">is
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">simply
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">due
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">to
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">more
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">runners
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">packed
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">together.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">With
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">each
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">runner
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">competing
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">at
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">a
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">high
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">level,
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">it
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">is
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">difficult
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">to
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">separate
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">without
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">use
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">of
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">contact.
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Sophomore
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">Cory
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">McGee
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">has
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">seen
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">the
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">ugly
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">side
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">of
"background: none repeat scroll 0% 0% transparent;">running
and says experience is the only way to battle it.
“Nothing prepares you
for the NCAA cross country championships that you can do in high
school,” McGee said. “It doesn’t compare to the college national
meet. Going into it a second time does make me a lot more aware and
better prepared.”
