The LSU cross country team opens its season at New Orleans’ Lake Oaks Park in the Tulane Invitational today at 5 p.m.
The nine-team field includes Tulane, Louisiana Tech, Xavier, Loyola, Southeastern Louisiana, Nicholls State, UL-Lafayette and Southern Mississippi.
LSU coach Mark Elliott said the team’s veteran runners will not compete this weekend. He said this meet will be used to evaluate the talent of the younger runners.
“Most of my older guys from last year like Jimmy (Wiggins) and those guys will not compete,” Elliott said. “I kind of know where they are. I’m trying to get an idea of where the younger people are.”
Elliott said the meet will count in the standings. Unlike a college track and field meet, the athletes’ performances add up to a team score that determines the final standings, he said.
“We only started training the first day of class, but they were preparing before that on their own,” Elliott said. “I’m looking to see who is actually ready to compete, because the following week we travel to New Mexico, and I want to take everyone that is ready to compete.”
Wiggins returns as the Tigers’ lone senior runner. He hopes to lead the younger runners toward victory.
“I trained a lot over the summer,” Wiggins said. “Hopefully (I can) get all the guys to run the same and lead more by example than anything.”
Sophomore runner Michelle Hymel said the meet will give the incoming athletes a chance to work out the kinks. She said the experience of running in a collegiate meet gives a good feel for the competition.
“With college running it’s more the experience that helps you out,” Hymel said. “I was lucky enough to be able to travel with the team (last season). I kind of got a feeling of the competitiveness and how many girls actually run at a college level and just the pace.”
Hymel and junior Katie Denton will be the leaders for the Lady Tigers this season, but neither of them will compete this weekend, Hymel said.
“It’s good to get out there and just get that first race under your belt,” Hymel said. “We’ll be cheering them on.”
Hymel said the mental aspect of running is important, especially in extreme heat. She said good team chemistry also is vital.
“It’s about 102 degrees when we practice, and you’ve just got to kind of block it out and grit your teeth and everybody else kind of pushes you through,” Hymel said. “It used to help me out a lot when the older people on our team pushed me to run. I think that’s the most important part, and we’re all close. We’re all real good friends and I think that helps a lot too.”
Hymel said another challenge of cross country running is the different landforms rather than running on a track.
“The main difference is the flat surface,” Hymel said. “We’ve got to run on some pretty rough terrain when we go to meets.”
The Tigers should have solid performances all around this season, Hymel said. She said she hopes to perform well as an individual also.
“I think we’re going to be really strong on the men’s and women’s side,” Hymel said. “I just want to push every meet, have a goal for every meet (and) accomplish my goals at the meet.”