Some Iowa runners gained momentum following personal-best times in the Bradley meet.
By Adam Hensley
Entering the final meet before the Big Ten Championships, the Iowa men’s cross-country team needed its top runners to lead the way. Michael Melchert, Anthony Gregorio, and Ben Anderson stepped up.
While the three all placed in the top 11, the real sign of success lies in the times. Each runner ran his personal bests in the 8,000 meters at the Bradley Pink Classic.
“All have trained very well the entire season, and their performances are reflective of that training,” Hawkeye head coach Layne Anderson said.
Sophomore Melchert clocked a time of 24:14.1, a 51-second improvement over his previous best time, which he ran at the Big Ten Championships last season.
“I wanted to be in position to run with the leaders most of the way,” Melchert said. “After the first 3K, we were moving pretty quickly, and I felt very comfortable, so I knew a fast time was coming.”
His teammates, who praised him for his success, think there is more to come.
“I want to say hats off to Melchert on another great performance,” Gregorio said. “I think we can surprise some people at the Big Tens.”
Senior Gregorio ran his race in 24:19.7 and also placed 10th.
“It felt great to run a [personal best],” he said. “I’ve known for a while that I’m fit, and I’m glad I finally had that performance that showed how hard we have been working in practice.”
Junior Ben Anderson improved his time to 24:20.6.
And while he echoed his teammates’ comments about the success, he remains hungry for more improvement.
“A [personal best] is always a huge confidence booster, so hopefully, we can get some more,” he said.
At the Bradley meet, Iowa ran against some of the top teams in its region, including Bradley, Illinois, Illinois State, Missouri, and Nebraska. Each of those teams ranks in the top 15 of the Midwest Region.
While the competition Iowa faced is not in the ranks of the top teams in the Big Ten, the Hawkeyes proved to themselves they can succeed heading into the conference championship.
“It provides us with great momentum and creates optimism,” coach Layne Anderson said. “[It] should give everyone a real confidence boost that can carry us forward into the championship meets.”
Previously, the Hawkeyes ran at the Notre Dame Invitational and faced the toughest they had faced to that date (six teams ranked in the top 30 at the time). The Hawks struggled.
Iowa needed something — anything — to help.
Iowa finished 20th and failed to place a runner among the elite at Notre Dame, Melchert led the way, coming in at 60th. Anderson and Gregorio finished 84th and 88th, and the average gap among Iowa runners was 10 places.
That said, Iowa focuses on pack running daily. Disappointment in South Bend led to questions. Could the Hawkeyes run as they trained? Those questions were answered.
“Bradley showed us that we are capable of running as a pack,” Ben Anderson said.
With the trio of Melchert, Gregorio, and Ben Anderson in command, leadership is not an issue.
“We are all ready to lead this team to a successful finish at the Big Ten and regional meets,” Melchert said.
With the Big Ten meet two weeks away, the success came at the perfect time for the Hawkeyes.
And confidence is crucial heading into the championship meets, Layne Anderson said.
“[We will] continue to train well and race the same poise as Bradley,” he said. “A confident team can be an even more successful team.”
Follow @A_Hens83 on Twitter for Iowa men’s cross-country news, updates, and analysis.
