My Traveling Experiences and More Thoughts on Berlin

"Now having been in Europe for 2 months I have had the chance to do a little bit of traveling and see what else this continent has to offer. My first trip was to Stockholm, Sweden. I spent 3 days in Stockholm and it was a great experience. The Swedes are some of the nicest people you are likely to meet. They just about all speak English (thank goodness because Swedish is insane). They are very friendly and always willing to help. We found that out when we asked for simple directions and ended up with a 5 minute detailed description about every step needed to get to our destination. I also had the chance to go on a short cruise in Stockholm, which was absolutely amazing. My only regret about the trip was that I did not take my running clothes. I assumed I wouldn’t have enough time and decided not to bring them. However, Stockholm is apparently some kind of running hot bed because in my 3 days there I must have saw at least, no joke, 50 or 60 runners. On Sunday morning I saw a group of about 30 people all running together; it was unbelievable.

This past week I just finished a week long trip through southern Germany, Switzerland, and Austria. This trip was also amazing and I saw so much. I started in a small city called Rothenburg. Believe it or not the people in Rothenburg are even friendlier than the people in Sweden, if that is possible. The atmosphere there was awesome because it is such a small, old, and stereotypically German city. After Rothenburg the next highlight of the trip came in Basel, Switzerland. Basel was in the midst of celebrating Fastnacht while we were there so everyone was absolutely insane. We watched a parade while we were there and the people in the parade where wearing all sorts of ridiculous masks and throwing just about anything you can imagine from the floats. They threw Garlic, Bananas, Flowers, Confetti (of course), clothing, onions and the item of choice, which were oranges. I saw a number of people get nailed right on the head with and orange or two. Finally, the last highlight of the trip was seeing the Alps. The Alps are so beautiful and awe inspiring. While I was at the Alps I visited the famous castle Neuschwanstein, which is the castle Walt Disney modeled off of to make Disney World. The whole time, while in the Alps I couldn’t stop thinking about how much a run up one of the trails would hurt, ouch!!

Right now I am back in Berlin and trying to keep up with my running as much as possible. I get tired of doing the same out and back runs some times but I really have no choice here. The one thing I have noticed while running here in Berlin is that everyone looks at me funny because I am wearing shorts. I will admit that I do wear less clothes in the cold than even most Americans, and the last time I posted my blog it was mind numbingly cold; but Europeans are absolutely ridiculous with the amount of clothes they wear. For example yesterday it was about 40 degrees and I saw two guys running in pants, windbreakers, turtlenecks, hats and just about everything else you can imagine. I don’t know how they didn’t pass out from dehydration. Another thing I have noticed while running in Berlin is that Germans diets are very runner friendly. Lots of carbs!!  I have never eaten as much bread as I have in the past few months, but I really enjoy all of this carbo-loading. Anyway, now that the weather is warmed up and the ice has melted I hope to be able to put in a bigger number of miles. It feels absolutely amazing to run on concrete rather than ice."

Cobblestone streets in Rothenburg and Brad on a cruise in Basel

The 2010 cross country training week trip is set and the teams will be travelling to Terra Alta, West Virginia for a 3 night stay coming off of a successful 2009 trip to Ohiopyle, PA.  Two homes in the Alpine Lake community will serve as a home base where the athletes will be able to access 4 state parks within a 15 mile radius for some great training prior to beginning their academic semester at LVC.  This will be a great chance for returning runners to meet their new teammates, and for everyone to prepare for the season ahead.  Below are some photos of the houses as well as Alpine Lake.   

Getting Adjusted to Spain 

 Jenn & LVC Soccer player Jordan Nendza in front of Alcazar Castle, most famously known for housing Isabel of Castilla and Ferdinand of Aragon

"So I have been in Spain for three weeks already and I am really enjoying it. Time has flown by so far. At times I am still amazed that I am here, but it’s been fun so far. My first week here was really rough, just dealing with jet lag, the language difference and the difference in food. But I think that I am starting to get the hang of things. My host mom is crazy, she is really nice, but a bit out there and my host dad is really quiet and nice. I have a fifteen minute walk to school everyday, which really isn’t that bad, except for the times when the weather hasn’t been great. But I shouldn’t complain because I am getting much better weather than Brad! It has only snowed here once and all of the Spanish people freaked out because they are not used to the snow. I found it to be quite comical. It has rained here a few days (yes, I actually did run in the rain, go figure) and it is really windy here, but lately it has been really nice out so I am hoping that it stays this way.  We walk everywhere here, there are buses to take, but walking is pretty much how all the students get around. At a minimum I walk an hour everyday and other days I have walked up to four or five hours. By the end of the four months I am convinced that I will have walked more than ever before, but it’s a good way to burn off the calories from all the food I have been eating!

The food here for me has been the hardest thing to get used to. It has really effected my running as well. I eat a small breakfast everyday at like 7:45, much smaller than in the United States and then I don’t eat again until 2:30, which is just brutal. I am a big snacker so the huge break in between meals has been killing me. Lunch at 2:30 is huge. I tried running one day after eating lunch, which was such a terrible idea. I felt like I was walking just because I was so full. So as soon I am done with class at like 1:30 I try to go out for my run unless I am skyping with someone at home. So I normally try to get out for my run between 1:30 and 2:30 and then I eat lunch after that. Some days I don’t eat lunch until 4, which is really funny because sometimes at school I would go to dinner at like 4:45. Something else that I found extremely interesting when I got here was the fact that all businesses are closed between 2 and 5 every day for siesta, so unlike the United States. And everything except for the bars (which are everywhere) and the churches are closed on Sundays. (No joke!)  I have come to realize that I am not a huge fan of the Spanish lifestyle but its part of the experience. 

Overall though I am really happy with how my running is going here. There are parks right next to the river, so it is a great place to run. There are always other people running and walking their dogs. The first week I was here I ran 32 miles, the second week I ran 40 and this past week I ran 46, so it’s been really good thus far. I know once I start traveling a little bit more, I won’t be able to run as much, so I try to get out as much as I can now. I met a girl from Wisconsin-Lacrosse who went to XC nationals two years ago, but unfortunately our schedules don’t really match up so we have only run once together so far. But Jordan Nendza,who is a soccer player from LVC, has been running with me for part of my runs like two or three times a week, so it’s been really nice to have someone for a few runs. The two of us also joined a gym, close to her apartment. We have been going to body flow twice a week and some other fitness classes and I get to lift as well, so I really can’t complain!" 

The river and park where Jenn does the majority of her running close to her house

Running In A Winter Wonderland 

 

The Reichstag building in Berlin & the snowy roads surrounding Brad’s overseas home

"From the minute I arrived in Berlin it has been cold and the city has been absolutely covered in snow. In fact it has only been above freezing 2 days since I have been here. There is about a foot of snow on the ground and there is more in the forecast. Since I normally enjoy running in the cold and love running in the snow I figured this would be the perfect weather to get some solid mileage in. Little did I know that Berlin is very slow at clearing the streets and the sidewalks, making it very difficult to run. Nevertheless, I ventured out on my first run my first Saturday in Berlin. It was snowing heavily and the wind was gusting. I began to run but the amount of snow on the sidewalk made it impossible to run at any kind of respectable pace. The area I was running in was stuffed with houses right up against each other, as it is throughout most of the area. It looked awesome with the snow falling everywhere. However, I couldn’t take in the surroundings too much because before I knew it I was laying on the ground staring at ice. I had slipped on some ice but I was able to continue the run and finish in one piece.

As the week went on I began to become more adventurous. I tried to find some trails to run on so that I would not be forced to skate around on the icy sidewalks. Finally, I found a trail and followed it until I ended up in this wide-open park filled with fields. It seemed like there were hundreds of people walking their dogs. Every turn I took I came across another dog. The great thing is that dogs in Germany are so well trained that there is very little risk of being chased or bitten (I only wish that were the case in the US). I continued through the park and eventually ran down this path that was lined with beautiful snow-covered trees on both sides. This run turned out great and has been the highlight of my time running in Berlin so far.

Now entering into my third week here I am beginning to familiarize myself with the area. This afternoon I just finished a great run, in which I actually ended up just outside of Berlin, into Brandenburg. The house I am living at is only about 2 miles away from the border. It was once again really windy so I had to really work to keep my fingers from freezing off. It was also really icy again but I managed to stay on my feet this time. It was really cool to run outside of Berlin, even if it was only about for about two miles of my run. As I continue my semester in Berlin I hope to do even more exploring and will hopefully be able to run in some other countries as well." 

One of Germany’s most beautiful churches & gazing down the icy Spree River

Fastest Performances

Fastest Women’s 4K time of the year – 14:51 (5:58 per mile) by junior Jenn Cronin

Fastest Men’s 4K time of the year – 13:09 (5:17 per mile) by freshman Matt Nesmith

Fastest Women’s 6K time of the year – 21:39 (5:49 per mile) by junior Jenn Cronin.

Fastest Men’s 8K time of the year – 26:45 (5:22 per mile) by junior Brad Sweigart.

Individual Awards

MAC Championships

Freshman Matt Nesmith, 16^th place finish, 2^nd Team All-MAC, MAC Rookie of the Year Award

Junior Brad Sweigart, 15^th place finish, 2^nd Team All-MAC

Senior Amy Willow, 14^th place finish, 2^nd Team All-MAC

Senior Megan Long, 9^th place finish, 1^st Team All-MAC

Junior Jenn Cronin, Bronze Medal, 1^st Team All-MAC

NCAA Mideast Regional Championships

Freshman Matt Nesmith, Regional All-Freshman Team

Junior Jenn Cronin, Mideast Regional Champion, USTFCCCA Mideast Regional Runner of the Year

NCAA National Championships

Junior Jenn Cronin, 56^th place out of 280 competitors

 A Season of Many Benchmarks

Jenn Cronin is the first female in LVC cross country history to qualify and compete in the NCAA Championships.  The women's 4th place finish out of 15 teams at the MAC Championships is the best in school history.  Megan Long and Amy Willow, competed in their very first season of cross country (competing in just track & field in years prior).  Amy earned her All-MAC award in just the second race of her life.  For the men, Matt Nesmith is the first LVC freshman to break 27 minutes in the 8K since Elia Ahadi ran a 26:37 on Salisbury's course back in 2002.  This is also the first time since 2002 that the LVC men will return 2 sub 27 minute performers, with junior Brad Sweigart joining Matt in that distinction.

Full team awards for the 2009 season can be found here: http://godutchmen.com/news/2009/12/9/MXC_1209093909.aspx

Jenn Cronin standing near the huge NCAA Logo adjacent to the starting blocks  

  Coach and I were able to get to onto the course on Thursday afternoon after about a five and a half hour drive. It was getting dark when we got to the course and I really expected to see more people there, but it was pretty quiet. It rained a lot yesterday so the course was really muddy. By the end of the run I was covered in mud. Coach O’Brien and I ran what we thought was the girl’s course, but we weren’t positive because the course was not very well marked. We just figured that they didn’t want to mark the course until the rain had stopped, so we assumed that we would be able to figure out everything once we got on the course this morning. The hotel we are staying in is really awesome. I have two beds, two TVs and a mini kitchen all to myself!

  We got onto the course today around 11 or so. We thought that the course might be in better condition, but unfortunately it really wasn’t. Coach and I once again thought that we were running on the girl’s course but it turns out that we weren’t again. So I now know the boys course like the back of my hand. We had to stop numerous times and every time we stopped we saw other confused athletes and coaches. The course wasn’t marked once. So we finished up our twenty minute run and had to go back and walk the whole girl’s course looking at the map continuously. The course is pretty nice, it has three decent sized hills. At some points the course has great footing and then at others, it is absolutely terrible. It will definitely be interesting to see what happens at those points tomorrow. After our run we went and got my racing packet. I have so many numbers to wear. I have a bib to wear on the front of my uniform, the back, two hip numbers and two chips. It is pretty crazy. 

  Afterwards we grabbed some lunch and headed back to the hotel. I had a few hours to relax and then I got ready to go to the banquet. The banquet was at 6:30 and Coach O’Brien and I believed that the banquet was at a hotel close to the course because that was what we had been told previously. Well the NCAA decided to change it on us and the banquet was moved to a catering place, literally 200 meters if that from our hotel. So we drove about thirty minutes out of our way round trip. I was not a very happy camper. The funny part about it, is that the night before we had joked around about what the building next to our hotel was. The catering hall was really beautiful and the banquet was a lot of fun. We sat with some people from California. One of the girls sitting with us was actually the West Regional Runner of the Year. The food was really delicious and my award for Mideast Regional Runner of the Year is really sweet. Overall it was a great experience and I am looking forward to getting onto the course tomorrow.     

Jenn and Coach O'Brien after receiving UTSFCCA Mideast Athlete of the Year honors

 On November 14th, junior Jenn Cronin captured the NCAA Mideast Regional meet to become the first female NCAA qualifier in LVC history as well as USTFCCCA Mideast Regional Athlete of the Year honors.  In this entry, Jenn recounts her fabulous race at that meet.  Over the course of the next few days, Jenn will give an inside view into the NCAA Nationals experience; covering everything from the course inspection, coach & athlete banquet, as well as her attempt to become an NCAA All-American donning an LVC uniform.  Stay tuned!

  So it has been five days since we raced at Lehigh and I think everything has finally sunk it. It has taken awhile to grasp everything that has happened in the past few days, but I am ready to go to Ohio now! It is crazy to think that just a week ago the team was in Allentown singing karaoke and having fun at the hotel. The freshman boys aka Matt, Alex and Pat decided to serenade the team during karaoke night at the hotel. It was an absolute blast. I think that this night really helped me because I enjoyed the atmosphere and didn’t get nervous about the race.

  Saturday morning Megan and I got up around 7:30 and had some breakfast. We packed all of our stuff up (we had a lot) and headed out around 9 to the course. It was a little bit chilly when we first arrived but I think we all forgot about the weather once the race started. We were in box 50, which was totally ridiculous because we were in the middle of nowhere, but the race got out cleanly. Once the gun went off I just wanted to find the pack that I knew I had to stick with. All of the lead runners grouped together. Initially the Johns Hopkins girls were out in front, which I thought would happen since they were the number two team in the country so I figured that one of their runners was going to be a contender for the regional title. Throughout the race I made a conscience effort to count the place I was in. Even before we got to the first mile I counted where I was at.  Coach O'Brien and I had discussed that in order to be a guaranteed into Nationals I would have to be in the top seven. I got a little nervous about a half mile into the race because I heard the Etown coach say to Megan V., his runner, that she had gone out to hard and at that time I was behind her. But I figured that I had to stay in contact with the lead pack the whole entire time. There was probably about ten of us packed together in the first mile, I just wanted to make sure that I stayed with this group. I heard people cheering for girls behind me so I knew who was close. Around mile two we really started to drop some girls, but I was still feeling really strong. I pretty much just sat on the girls in front of me.

  At about mile 2.5 we got into the corn fields. Once we reached this point Erin Rhodes from Messiah decided to break from the pack. There is a slight incline in the corn fields and I knew that I had to use it to my advantage. I tried to power up the hill as best I could. I caught Rhodes about halfway through and passed her going into a turn. She came right back and we ran together for about twenty five more meters. We made a left hand turn and at this point Emily Lipman from Haverford was right next to me and Kerrin Epstein from Gettysburg made a strong move to the front. The three of us hit mile three at pretty much exactly the same point. I knew that it was going to come down to a battle between the three of us. Once we hit the white sculpture I knew that it was time to make my move. I had lost to Caitlin Dorgan at Paul Short in October because I waited too long to kick and I didn’t want to make the same mistake. I was also a little afraid of girls behind me. The Mideast Region is a really strong one so I wasn’t sure if someone from behind would have a really strong kick in the end. So once I saw the white sculpture I went for it. I told myself that I would rather lose going down fighting than waiting too long. Additionally, our assistant Coach Chris Bauer told me previously that he wanted me to make girls hurt. So that’s what I went for. I figured I would throw down a surge and see if they could stick with me. So I made my move and didn’t look back. I got to the gravel, which I had stumbled over at Paul Short, and really just pushed it into the finish line. I heard the boy’s team just screaming at me and just tried to move as quickly as I could.

  When I looked up I was shocked and amazed that I had come in first. I waited around for some of the other girls to finish and when Caitlin Dorgan crossed through the line we realized that we had both made it to nationals. It was such a great feeling. Than I had my whole family come running over to me, I am pretty positive that they were all crying because they were so happy. I waited around for all the girls to finish and everyone was so nice. I really would have never been able to have such a great race if it wasn’t for my family, my teammates and my coaches. They were all so supportive and made it so much more fun. I am looking forward to running this upcoming Saturday, regardless of what happens it will be a great experience.  

Photos by Rodney Nesmith

Freshman Matt Nesmith was named the 2009 Rookie of the Year at the MAC Championships on October 31st with his 16th place, Second Team All-MAC finish.  Matt comes from Mechanicsburg High School where he individually qualified for the PIAA State Championships in Cross Country and also competed in Track & Field, posting times of 9:45.34 for 3200 meters, 4:36.03 for 1600 meters, and 1:57.6 for an 800 meter relay split.  Matt has stepped into the collegiate racing scence with a vengeance and looks to leave his mark as an LVC distance runner over the course of the next three and a half years.

 

Describe the race.  What were your expectations going into it and how did they line up with the results?

The course was not in too bad of shape for the first few miles but it got pretty nasty on the hills in the woods and in the last half mile. Despite the mud I really felt like I was running pretty good and I just wanted to hang with Brad and work with him and possibly catch a few guys as well as hold off anyone. I was pleasantly surprised to receive my award and could not have run so well without the support of my teammates and coach O'Brien and coach Bauer. It was fun running in such an important meet with a great team.  

The NCAA Mid-East Regional meet, held on November 14th at Lehigh University, is on a much flatter and faster course. Assuming good weather, what are your individual and team goals?

I did not have a particularly strong race our first visit there and I’m hoping to come out and have a substantial PR. The course flys by and hardly has any hills and with great competition, everyone should have a great race.  

What made you come to Lebanon Valley College?  Where did you come from and how did you hear about our institution?

I came to LVC because of the great science program and great academic facilities. It was such a bonus to also be able to become a part of a tremendous team with a great coaching staff too. My Mom attended LVC so I knew a little about the school but I had not really been here until I attended a high school indoor track meet here a few years ago. As soon I stepped on campus for my official visit last winter, I felt at home with the team and campus.

Since rising to the top of the freshman class in the MAC, what are some of your long term goals in both cross country and track?  Where do you see yourself and the team in the next couple of years?

With looking at who is returning next year in the MAC and who our team has joining us next year, I think a second place finish is definitely attainable. Hopefully everyone can put in a good summer and stay healthy so we can really move up. I hope to finish in the top ten next year and I have a lot of confidence that we can put four or five guys in the top twenty. In track, everyone is really looking forward to a great team finish in the DMR and hopefully get a record with that too.

Coming from high school with some great times, how do you feel you have adjusted to running in college and what do you find to be the major differences?

Initially, I thought I would dislike the longer races but I have come to love the 8k having only run it three times. Preseason was a little tough but after a few weeks my stamina really grew and I began to feel great on pretty much all the runs and workouts. It may have beeen a little difficult in the beginning but I have really come to enjoy running in college. It is also such a relief to only have at the most one meet a week. In high school, I was completely beat at the end of a season. Now I feel like our season is just really kicking into gear. 

What is your favorite part about being a member of the LVC cross country program?

We have an unbelievable amount of fun all the time. We all hang out together and always find things to do as a team. Whether it is screaming at field hockey games or playing hall ball in Marquette. These guys are some of my new best friends. But we always seem to know when to get serious and buckle down in a workout or race.  

What is your favorite type of workout? Is there any one particular workout that you can remember that was challenging but made you a better runner or it?

I honestly don't really dislike any workouts. My favorites are intervals on the track and fartleks with 3 minutes hard and 2 minutes regular pace. Long runs are also fun because weall just talk and joke around for 85 miuntes.

What hobbies, sports, or other leisure time activities do you enjoy most?

Playing any sports with the team is always a good time. Basketball and football are two of my favorites.I also enjoy hunting and fishing with my family. 

Anything else we should know?

Participating in a sport has enhanced my college experience tremendously. I have made so many friends and have had so much fun. It’s an honor to be on such a talented and spirited team. I know everyone is really looking forward to Regionals and a great season next year!