With the harriers’ summer training, intense workouts, and weight lifting, Iowa cross-country head coach Layne Anderson will look for his runners to perform consistently in their first meet of the season.

In preparation for the squad’s upcoming meet, the Hawkeyes have been enduring recovering runs and weight lifting for the past few days. The team’s workout typically includes hill workouts that consist of a 30-40 minute runs. Anderson describes the workouts as good, steady, and strong running.

“It’s not a lot of overthinking,” he said.

On the men’s side, redshirt freshman Josh Sindelar will be one of the nine athletes running today in their first Hawkeye meet. Sindelar believes the first meet of the season is imperative to see how everyone has progressed. Sindelar redshirted last season and is anxious to start running.

“I’m expecting to race well,” he said. “It’s the first collegiate race away from home. I’ve trained all last year with the team redshirted, and I’m ready to go.”

Sophomore Ben Anderson, who will also run today, looks forward to running with his teammates.

“As long as we’re running fast and giving it our all, everything should be fine,” he said.

The Iowa women — who had a disappointing finish last year — are out to prove last season wasn’t indicative of their performance.

Anderson is using this opportunity to evaluate the lineup and to determine the roster for the future meets. The Hawkeyes will use this low-key meet to put their foot in the right direction.

“We have progressed a lot in our training,” senior Lisa Gordon said. ”We are looking to move up in the rankings.”

The potential is there to do so with fresh feet and healed returners.

Not having as many teams in this week’s meet will allow the Hawkeyes to capitalize on their potential, Tess Wilberding said.

Anderson also says, much as Sindelar, that the first meet should show the results of the squad’s summer training and workouts.

“The first meet is always important because it compares you for the rest of the meets,” the coach said. “Hopefully, we can gain some momentum for the rest of the season.”