Senior Moment

Graduating Senior Joe Gladow Takes Time to Reflect on What Sets Linfield Apart

What has been most memorable about running XC and Track at Linfield is spending time with other people who are just as motivated about training and competing as I am. Some of my fondest memories have been running workouts at places like Pre's Trail in Eugene or doing long runs out in the hills of McMinnville because it is inspiring to be with a group of people who are so dedicated and driven.

I think what sets our program apart from others is that we have a coaching staff and team atmosphere that instills in athletes a legitimate desire to succeed. Everyone wants it in their own way, and that attitude is infectious. The results of that are evident in how many people we have winning races, running fast times, and earning All-Conference and All-Region honors that weren't stand-out runners in high school. How much faster people have gotten throughout their careers at Linfield has been amazing to watch, and I'm thankful to have been part of a program that has had so much success.

Joe Gladow (center) celebrates with his teammates after the 2013 West Regional XC Championships.

Senior Moment

Graduating Senior Mimi Seeley Takes Time to Reflect on What Sets Linfield Apart

The most memorable aspect of being part of Linfield XC/Track during the last four years has been the support that I have received through being part of a team. As an athlete who has underwent my fair share of injuries, having teammates and a coach who never stopped encouraging me was crucial to my recovery and ability to stay positive.

Running is something I love, but at times it is also a very frustrating sport, especially if one isn't performing at a level that one believes he or she to be capable of. Having such a strong, close group of fellow runners has allowed me to get through the hardest of running times and to celebrate the best of times as well.

Something that sets this program apart (in my opinion) from other programs out there is that our team does a wonderful job of recognizing all components of each person, acknowledging the person beyond who he or she is as runner. As such, the athlete is free to nurture many parts of his or her life while simultaneously challenging the self to be the best runner possible. A lot is asked of each athlete during practice, yet at the same time, once practice is over the athletes and coaches bond in a way that goes beyond just the sport. This allows the team to become a very positive part of one's college experience.

Senior Mimi Seeley (5th from left) celebrates post-race with her Wildcat teammates.

Senior Moment

Graduating Senior Siena Noe Takes Time to Reflect on What Sets Linfield Apart

What sets Linfield's XC/track program apart from other programs out there? The answer is obvious for me. I got faster than I ever could have fantasized about in high school. Athletically speaking, through this program I saw vast improvement, leaps and bounds from my times in high school. I also saw my mental stamina and racing smarts increase tenfold. But to touch on just the physical nature of this program would do it a huge injustice.

After my freshman XC season with Linfield I didn't feel the need to make any other friends outside the team. It's always nice to have friends in your classes and other extracurricular activities as well. I'm not coming down on that by any means, but it's striking to me that I didn't feel the need to make any more. I LOVED my team. I didn't just enjoy working out with them. I enjoyed being around them. I jumped on every opportunity to interact with them, running related or otherwise: going on a long run, visiting a pumpkin patch, watching a movie, getting coffee, going camping, and so on and so forth. These people were the kind of people I wanted to surround myself with. They were smart, driven, compassionate, and kind of more than a little weird, a characteristic I appreciate immensely (this isn't restricted just to the athletes either *cough* Greg *cough*).

Come the summer before my sophomore year I was in for the surprise of an unplanned pregnancy. When I revealed this news to my coaches and teammates I was overwhelmed by the love and support I received despite my inability to participate in the XC and track seasons that year. I was still welcomed and encouraged to hang out with and root on the team. As a junior when I made my return to the program as an active participant the coaches had incredible patience and understanding with me and my situation as a single mother. I don't think anyone could dispute this if they've seen assistant coach, Chris McIsaac, carrying my sleeping deadweight baby around at a 6:30am practice on the occasions my nanny was unable to take him. However, the coaches haven't treated me any differently than any other athlete in the program as they hold me to same standards. They expect me to commit to the workouts as much as any other athlete. I cannot express how grateful I am for that. It forced me to push myself to excel in the sport without making excuses for myself. My teammates have amazed me, too. The notion of a village raising a child was definitely at play during my time here. As a senior this year with a full class schedule and the continued pains and joys of being a single mother, in more ways than they are aware, my team and the coaches have pulled me through some of my darkest moments, but they have also shared in my victories, celebrating my moments of unadulterated happiness.

So in short, for me this program was more than just a means to physical fitness and healthy competition. This program was something I will look back on fondly as one of the single most fulfilling aspects of my entire Linfield experience. Certainly, doesn't hurt any that we kick some ass here and there on race day, too :)

Siena Noe (2nd from left) poses with her Linfield xc distance teammates.

Wildcat Distance Crew Races Well at NWC Championships
April 25-26

After two days of championship competition, the Linfield distance runners looked back on a successful campaign against conference rivals. Battling the other seven Northwest Conference rivals under surprisingly good weather conditions at the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, WA, the Wildcats showed up ready to go and the results were impressive.

Katie Skinner moves up mid-race during the NWC 3k steeplechase.

On day one, Katie Skinner dropped her steeplechase PR by 30 seconds to place 6th in the race. Her time of 11:39 was also good enough to move her to number 7 All-time on the Linfield Top Ten List. "Katie raced with savvy and moved up well throughout the race," stated distance coach Greg Mitchell. "Not too shabby for someone racing only their third steeple ever!" The steeple went well on the men's side too, with freshman Chris Roth just missing points finishing in 9th with a new PR of 10:23. Brandon Lemerande battled hard as well, finishing 12th in a time of 10:43.

The Wildcats ran great in the 10,000 meters as well. On the women's side Siena Noe and Hannah Greider ran massive PRs to place 3rd and 5th at the championships, respectively. Noe's time of 37:37 placed her 3rd All-time at Linfield while Greider's 37:57 landed her in 6th All-time. On the men's side Joe Gladow placed 4th in a new PR of 32:35 and Jason Hight finished just out of the points in 9th with a new all-time best of 33:35. Arian Clifford ran well, finishing his first conference 10k in 34:46, good enough for 12th. "The 10k is such a grueling race and our kids laid it all out there," stated Mitchell.

On Saturday, the 'Cats kept the momentum rolling. The 1500 meters went well with Madison Trowbridge (4:52) and Audrey Lichten (4:53) finishing in 7th and 8th respectively. The men also had success in the 1500m, with Chad Linnerooth and Mike O'Neil laying down dramatic finishes to snag 3rd and 5th. "Chad's last 100 meters was one of the most exciting aspects of the whole championships," stated Mitchell. "He showed a lot of heart and gained 3 positions. The crowd was going crazy! It was awesome!" The tandem of Trowbridge and Lichten doubled back in the 800 meters, and on tired legs, still finished strongly to place 5th and 7th.

Chad Linnerooth unleashing his kick at the NWC Championships.

In the final distance event of the weekend, the Linfield women put on a show. Greider, Noe and Skinner all doubled back and doubled back very well, finishing in 2nd, 4th and 6th place, with all notching new PRs. Greider's time of 17:58 puts her 5th All-time on the Linfield list and Noe's 18:08 puts her in 8th place All-time. "Watching Hannah, Siena and Katie race so well was very rewarding," stated Mitchell. "They put in the hard work and bought in to our program over the past 4 years and reaped the rewards big time. It was a joy to watch."

Siena Noe and Hannah Greider lead the chase pack during the NWC 5000 meter race.

On the men's side, Joe Gladow raced well finishing in 15:39 which was good enough for 7th place. Mike O'Niel (11th, 15:58) and Jason Hight (13th, 16:10) also doubled back and raced well.