Going out with friends, drinking, or dancing until daylight is the usual agenda for many college students on a Saturday night.

Most don’t have to worry about waking up at 7:30 a.m. on Sunday to run for an hour and a half — but the members of the Iowa women’s cross-country team do this voluntarily.

Head coach Layne Anderson said he gave the harriers an option at the beginning of the season — a Sunday run either in the early morning or afternoon. The women voted to run at 7:30 a.m., a reflection of their dedication.

“We have an unwritten rule that we live the life of a runner,” Anderson said. “If you want to be good, you understand you’re going to make sacrifices.”

And the women do not debate the “unwritten” rules. Most of the runners agreed they make the personal choice to refrain from the typical college party scene to stay healthy. That includes going to bed early, eating well, and avoiding situations that could ultimately impede their performance.

“With events such as FAC, none of us will ever participate,” senior Fionna Fallon said. “There is no way you can have a successful career when you go out and put a toll on your body like that.”

Anderson said the runners take pride being college athletes, and he tries to recruit women who understand the dedication it takes to run for a Division-I program.

He noted most of the women had this healthy perspective before they came to Iowa, and he looks for a certain level of commitment and focus.

This year’s team reflects both the commitment and focus Anderson sought out. Most of the women agreed they have always made healthy choices, including steering away from junk food and alcohol.

Their strict workout regimen also sets the squad apart. The team runs up to 70 miles per week and deals with injuries, illnesses, and iron deficiencies.

Anderson said a few women have struggled with anemia because of a lack of iron in their diets, a common problem for female distance runners. The women must regulate their iron intake, he said, and he requires them to take daily iron supplements.

“It’s definitely a different lifestyle from that of the average college student,” junior Hannah Roeder said. “We don’t get as much sleep and have different nutrition, but I wouldn’t say these are sacrifices because I get to travel all over the country to compete.”

Sophomore Betsy Flood agreed that her teammates do not consider their lifestyles as a compromise. She said the team supports the overall lifestyle.

“It has definitely made us form a little team family,” she said. “I don’t know anyone else who would like to stay in and play board games on Friday nights, but we find our own fun. It’s become such a routine for us that we wonder what we would do if we weren’t running all the time.”