Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Runners Headed to USA Cross Country Championships
February 06, 2009 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER, Okla. – Oklahoma State cross country standouts German Fernandez, Colby Lowe, Ryan Prentice and Ryan Vail travel to Agricultural History Farm Park in Derwood, Md., this Saturday to compete in the 2009 USA Cross Country Championships.
Fernandez, Lowe and Prentice are scheduled to run in the Under-20, 8,000-meter race, while Vail is running unattached in the open division 12,000-meter race.
“It's a chance for our young guys to measure themselves against the top competition their own age; guys they'll be competing against for the next several years,” coach Dave Smith said. “It's a chance to make a U.S. team and represent your country. German was on it last year and did well.
“For Vail, since he's out of indoor eligibility, it's a chance for him to get out there and see where he's at right now.”
Fernandez won the event last year, finishing with a time of 24:18. He then led the U.S. team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, finishing 25th with a time of 24:15, helping Team USA to a sixth-place team finish in Edinburgh, Scotland. "Well this race is important because it's going to tell me how good of shape I am in since I got injured," Fernandez said. "I'm going out there with the mentality of: there's no pressure and just have fun. It would be great to take the title again, but my main goal is to make the USA team and represent my country, giving me great insight to how I compare to other runners around the world. "Hopefully myself, Colby Lowe, Ryan Prentice and Ryan Vail will be wearing that USA singlet in Jordan."
The junior men's race is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m., while the open men's race is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
Fernandez, Lowe and Prentice are scheduled to run in the Under-20, 8,000-meter race, while Vail is running unattached in the open division 12,000-meter race.
“It's a chance for our young guys to measure themselves against the top competition their own age; guys they'll be competing against for the next several years,” coach Dave Smith said. “It's a chance to make a U.S. team and represent your country. German was on it last year and did well.
“For Vail, since he's out of indoor eligibility, it's a chance for him to get out there and see where he's at right now.”
Fernandez won the event last year, finishing with a time of 24:18. He then led the U.S. team at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, finishing 25th with a time of 24:15, helping Team USA to a sixth-place team finish in Edinburgh, Scotland. "Well this race is important because it's going to tell me how good of shape I am in since I got injured," Fernandez said. "I'm going out there with the mentality of: there's no pressure and just have fun. It would be great to take the title again, but my main goal is to make the USA team and represent my country, giving me great insight to how I compare to other runners around the world. "Hopefully myself, Colby Lowe, Ryan Prentice and Ryan Vail will be wearing that USA singlet in Jordan."
The junior men's race is scheduled to begin at 12:30 p.m., while the open men's race is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
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