Freshman sets all-time 5k record for Lesley XC

You may not have noticed Ana Lutkevich during pre-season. She was quiet, polite, and unassuming. We could see that she was working hard, but she barely said a word. She did not complain or ask too many questions. She just showed up everyday and did what she was told.

Since then, Ana has set the record for 5k at Smith College and UMASS Dartmouth. On Saturday, she ran 19:33 for 5k. Her 5:55 first mile was impressive to say the least, but it was her kick at the end that led to her record setting day. I believe, this was her fastest race ever. Not bad for her third week in college.

We are excited to have Ana because she comes from a strong high school program in Mansfield, MA. Clearly, she learned how to work hard and to finish strong from her successful high school coaches.

As the lead runner for the Lesley women, Ana has led the team to its best start ever. We place 17th on Saturday which topped our 36th place last year. Pretty amazing!

Nonetheless, we are glad Ana is here and we are excited to see where this talented runner will lead us in the future.

A Record Setting Day

On Saturday, Lesley University Cross Country had another big day. Our men's team started the day with huge performances from Kyle Casiglio, Chris Conforti, M.A. Boton-Rodriguez, and Roy Gabrielson.

Kyle Casiglio, in his first 5 mile race, broke the freshman record with a 26:36. His aggressive 5:15 first mile put him position to have such a dominant performance.

Chris Conforti has been battling a hip strain and still managed a 28:50 for 5 miles. It was a strong performance and we are excited to see what he can do when he runs even paces and gets his hip healthy.

M.A. B-R, was a force Saturday. He ran a smart race and turned it on at the end. His strong effort with 400m to go allowed him to break 31 minutes and be our 4th runner.

Roy Gabrielson came into this season on a mission. He cut his personal best by 2 minutes! Roy is ready to be a regular contributor to this team and we need him.

The Lesley men's program placed 28th, which was the highest they have ever placed.

2010 XC Pre-Season

The 2010 Lesley XC pre-season is upon us all. It is truly an exciting time. I am excited to see my new recruits arrive. I am excited to see my returners in shape and ready to break their PR's. I am excited for the possibility of success.

We are currently in Stowe, VT at the Round Hearth @ Stowe. We have been here for three days and already have accomplished so much.

When we arrived we immediately jumped out of the van and went for our first run. It was a "shake out" to help with the stiffness from a long car ride. We ate dinner, showered, and then we were off to our first team meeting. It was a long day but worth every minute.

Day two was no different. We woke up and went for an easy run, had breakfast, and packed up for our 5 hour hike up Mt. Mansfield. It was long but so much fun. The view was spectacular and lunch never tasted so good.

After the hike, we didn't do much of anything but relax. We played a few games including "Ho Down" and "Psychologist". Both of which got us laughing and getting to know each others names.

I emphasize the team building piece because it helps the freshman feel like they belong. Team building is a good transition to our "family first" mentality. "Family first" is something that is special to Lesley XC. There is an understanding that the XC team is your family and you have a responsibility to look out for your family. The newbies don't understand this concept yet, but they will soon enough.

Day 3 was really productive. I had one-on-one meetings with all of my new runners, we ran a hilly trail, swam in a watering hole, had a bonfire with Smores, and played more games. Solid day.

Our last day is tomorrow and we are looking forward to running easy and taking a tour of the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory.

This trip has been so valuable and it plays a big role in our success as a team. Please join us for the President's Cup this Saturday at the Cold Springs Park in Newtonville, MA. Women's race starts at 10am and the Men start at 11am.

Lesley XC Sweep NECC Championships

As I sit down and try to process the last 12 hours, I realize how much we have really accomplished as a team. No success in life comes easy and, in the past year, coaching this team has not been easy. There have been significant members who have left our team and created a sense of doubt. There have been some who have to make major life decisions that excluded us.

It is all considered adversity and we have to overcome it to be successful. And when the dust settles, there is this strong group of individuals left who are committed to the goal of running fast, being tough, and winning.

Today I looked out there and saw talented runners who pushed themselves. I saw hurt runners run through pain. I saw others not run but do whatever they could to contribute in a meaningful way. I saw 2 assistant coaches who have fallen in love with this team. I saw 5 captains leading by example and keeping the team focused and organized. I saw parents driving from far off places to support us. I saw parents who have hosted pasta parties for us. I saw a family.

Since our sweep this afternoon, I have been contacted by several XC alums. They were so happy for Lesley University. They were excited to hear that their efforts were for something bigger. They ran years ago but their effort carried on and led to something bigger. We have created tradition. Power bar awards, stadiums, ultimate frisbee, the medical bag, Stowe, VT, Nutrition 101, and Murphy are memories that connect generations of runners who come through this program.

This win did one thing. It solidified that what we do everyday is right. Being successful allows to look back and verify that all the little things mean something. Lesley XC is bigger than me and it is bigger than any one runner. Lesley XC has become an experience that people want to be a part of. It has become a way people express themselves and a place students can call home.

Our hard work has paid off, but unfortunately we cannot sit back and relax. We must use our recent success to attract others to join. Stopping now would not be in the spirit of our program. We always push and grow and progress into something bigger. We have lots to prove still and we work harder than anyone to see how far we can go.

If you are reading this, thank you. Thank you for helping support a team that improves lives and achieves the goals it sets for itself. Today we are champions and tomorrow we roll up our sleeves and go for it again. Thanks to all and congrats to those who made this success possible.

NECC Championship Preview

The Lesley University Men's and Women's Cross Country team is entering championship season. The next two races are the reason why we work so hard all summer and through the fall. The work has been done by now. All that is left is to keep loose and hopefully we have a good day when we step up to the starting line.

This upcoming Saturday we compete against the rest of our conference. We get the opportunity to match up against other schools who have similar number of undergraduate students and similar tuition costs. All of these schools are located in the New England states. Some examples are Newbury College, Mitchell College and Daniel Webster College.

The women go into this race ranked #1. They won last year and this year they have beaten every NECC team that they have come across. Noa Kupfer is looking to win the entire race. Jess Arnold is our top rookie and may be the top rookie of the year. These are all exciting awards for the women but nothing has happened yet. Nothing can happen until they execute. Hard work and smart running will be the key to this race if anyone wants to see success.

The men have a tough task as well. They were ranked #3 coming into this year but have beaten both teams ranked ahead of them this season. But it is close. Mitchell College has a strong men's team that is not going to go away or give up without a fight. Daniel Webster is the defending champions and is looking to make a splash. This three way battle will not end until every runner has completed the 5 mile course in Chicopee, MA. It is going to come down to all 7 runners on each team. It may be the closest championship race I have ever witnessed. Of course, the race will be led by Fran Cusick of Lesley and not far behind is Hoffman of Mitchell College. Axelrod of Lesley will have his hands full as he looks to fend off Eric Appleby. Gus Peluso has his eyes set on the tough Mitchell runner named Kodsi. Every Lesley runner has a guy to beat and anything can happen. Like I said, this is going to be exciting.

In my four years as head coach, this year has been the most exciting. There are so many sub plots. Will Fran and Noa break the course record? Will Sarah Chafe make All-Conference? How will Janice Catalano run in her last NECC race? Will Peluso win the coveted Coach's jacket? Who will achieve success under the ultimate pressure?

The weather forecast says rain. Lesley will be ready. Will you?

Friday Night is All Right!

This past Friday evening the Lesley University Cross Country team ran the Saints Invitational at Franklin Park. We had much support from our parents and it turned out to be a good day. Our men were the highlight of this race.

We beat Mitchell College and Daniel Webster College. Both of these teams are NECC teams that we compete against on a regular basis. It was a preview for what it to come on Halloween when these three teams meet again at the NECC Championships. All bets are off since the race is small. This means it is ultra important that every man beat his counterpart on the other teams. It will be a difficult challenge but fun to watch. Congrats to Fran, Dillon, and Gus who ran personal bests. They also ran smart.

Our women's team was not complete since our #2 and #3 did not run. But we saw good performances out of Janice Catalano and Elissa May. Hopefully, everyone works hard in the next 2 weeks to prepare for the first of two championship races in the next month.

Look out for our 2009 NECC Championship Preview which should be posted in the beginning of next week. Until then, run hard, run smart, and just run.

Lesley XC has its biggest challenge.

In just its fourth year, Lesley XC has exceeded all expectations by competing in one of New England's biggest collegiate races ever this past Saturday. Lesley University stood on the starting line with running power houses like Boston College, UCONN, and Brown University. It was quite the scene and something I will never forget as a coach. One day our athletes will be able to look back and say they ran against the best runners in New England.

We competed well and pushed hard. Our whole team ran well, but could have run the first mile easier. Coming out fast was to be expected and they held on for the most part. It was good to see the parent support and it was fun running at Franklin Park. Next week, we are back at Franklin Park competing in the Saints Invitational. This is a much smaller race but still we will see MIT and Wheaton College. We look towards this race as a place where we can improve our personal bests and go after NECC teams like Mitchell College and Newbury College. This upcoming race will tell us a lot as we head into the final weeks of preparation for the NECC Championships. Go LynxCountry!