MADISON, Wis. – Stanford's Grant Fisher used a finishing kick Saturday to win the Cardinal Race of the Pre-National Invitational, the showcase meet for the best cross country runners and teams in the country.
Fisher covered the 8-kilometer (4.97-mile) race on the Thomas Zimmer Championship Course in 23 minutes, 48.8 seconds to hold off Northern Arizona's Tyler Day, who was clocked in the same time.
No. 5 Stanford placed second as a team with 84 points, trailing No. 1 Northern Arizona (41), and ahead of third-place Colorado (110) and fourth-place Oregon (152).
No. 5 Stanford was third in the women's White Race with 129 points, just behind No. 3 New Mexico (67) and No. 10 Michigan (120). Stanford's Elise Cranny was fourth on the 6K (3.73-mile) course in 20:06.9 and teammate Fiona O'Keeffe was fifth in 20:09.6.
Nearly all of the nation's top teams competed to get a feel for the course used at the NCAA Championships on Nov. 17. There were two main races for each of the men's and women's divisions, with quality split between the two.
Elise Cranny, Fiona O'Keeffe, Jordan Oakes, Rebecca Story.
Fisher's race was the fastest of the two. Making his season debut, Fisher joined teammates Alex Ostberg and Alek Parsons in a front pack that numbered 10 at 6K. As it began to break apart, Fisher tucked behind NAU's Day and Matthew Baxter.
Though Furman's Aaron Templeton pulled alongside and made a bid toward the lead, it was Fisher that flashed in front of Baxter as they drew into the long and slightly uphill homestretch. However, Day responded with a counter-move.
Fisher continued to grind toward the finish, but Day closed the gap, only for Fisher to win the duel at the line.
"I went way too early," Fisher said to Flotrack.org. "I was really fortunate to come away with it. I was really tying up at the end to keep it all together."
Fisher never led until the end, sticking to his plan of being patient and waiting for the right time to make his move.
"I feel pretty good," said Fisher, who will seek to defend his Pac-12 championship at Stanford Golf Course on Oct. 26. "We're in the middle of some heavy training blocks. We just want to come out here, grind out a good one."
Ostberg placed eighth in 23:57.5 and Parsons was 11th in 24:01.6. All Stanford's scorers placed in the top 42. The Card's No. 7 runner, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau, a freshman out of San Jose's Bellarmine College Prep, make his collegiate debut and placed 101st.
Alek Parsons.
In the women's race, Stanford placed five among the top 49, including Rebecca Story, who, at 46th, was the third true freshman in the field.
Cranny and O'Keeffe were part of a lead pack that broke apart at 1.5K when New Mexico's Weini Kelati, the eventual winner, and Ednah Kurgat began to push the pace. The Stanford duo was gapped, but found strength in running together in fifth and sixth.
On the homestretch, Cranny had more left, but both ran down reigning NCAA outdoor 10,000-meter champ Sharon Lokedi of Kansas to move up to fourth and fifth.
Sophomore Jessica Lawson ran a solid race as Stanford's No. 3 to place 25th. Stanford's No. 7 runner was Caitlin Collier, a high school middle-distance star from Jacksonville, Florida, making her collegiate debut.
Elise Cranny.
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Wisconsin Pre-National Invitational
At Thomas Zimmer Championship Course
Leaders and Stanford results
Men (8K, 4.97 miles)
Cardinal Race
Team leaders – 1, Northern Arizona 41; 2, Stanford 84; 3, Colorado 110; 4, Oregon 152; 5, Wyoming 191.
Individuals – 1, Grant Fisher (Stanford) 23:48.8; 2, Tyler Day (NAU) 23:48.8; 3, Matthew Baxter (NAU) 23:49.4; 8, Alex Ostberg (Stanford) 23:57.5; 11, Alek Parsons (Stanford) 24:01.6; 23, Tai Dinger (Stanford) 24:25.1; 42, Michael Vernau (Stanford) 24:35.2; 51, DJ Principe (Stanford) 24:38.2; 101, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau (Stanford) 25:05.1.
Women (6K, 3.73 miles)
White Race
Team leaders – 1, New Mexico 67; 2, Michigan 120; 3, Stanford 129; 4, Notre Dame 172; 5, Washington 199.
Individuals – 1, Weini Kelati (NM) 19:33.3; 2, Ednah Kurgat (NM) 19:45.5; 3, Dorcas Wasike (Louisville) 19:55.5; 4, Elise Cranny (Stanford) 20:06.9; 5, Fiona O'Keeffe (Stanford) 20:09.6; 25, Jessica Lawson (Stanford) 20:51.8; 46, Rebecca Story (Stanford) 21:09.4; 49, Julia Heymach (Stanford) 21:12.2; 70, Jordan Oakes (Stanford) 21:31.0; 184, Caitlin Collier (Stanford) 22:41.3.
Gray Race
Individual – 49, Hannah Long (Stanford) 22:33.5.
Alex Ostberg, Tai Dinger, Michael Vernau, Grant Fisher, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau, DJ Principe, Alek Parsons.