AARHUS, Denmark – Three Stanford runners competed at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships on Saturday. Freshmen Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau and Charlie Perry, and incoming freshman Evan Burke, all were in the men's under-20 race.
The course was the star, as organizers assembled layout regarded as one of the toughest ever designed.
Beaudoin-Rousseau of the U.S. was 39th in 26:35 over 8 kilometers (4.97 miles), and was Stanford's highest finisher in the men's junior race since Chris Derrick '12 was 15th in 2009. Burke, representing Canada, was 41st in 26:35, and Perry of the U.S. was 55th in 27:07.
Upon returning home, Beaudoin-Rousseau and Burke provided insights into their experiences:
(L. to r.): Charlie Perry, Evan Burke, Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau.
Q: Describe the course and how unique and challenging it was?
Meika: This course was incredibly difficult because it was all rolling hills with no flat ground at all. With 62 meters of elevation gain per loop, we ended up climbing over 800 feet through the span of the 8K race. In addition to the hills, there were numerous sand pits, probably at least 10. The combination of the hills and the sand meant that you couldn't be in a rhythm, your pace was changing all the time as you adjusted to the terrain. The course also had a water pit, mud pit, and a bar that we ran through.
Evan: This course was by far the toughest cross-country course I have ever raced. Each of the special features added a unique twist to the race that enhanced the difficulty. I really enjoyed the water pit, mud pit, and sand pit, because they disrupted the flow of the race and made it so much more challenging. But none of these features could top the museum that we raced up (the course was built to run over the roof of the Moesgaard Museum). It was super steep and long and even before we reached the museum we were already going uphill. Thankfully, as juniors, we only had to go up about half the museum roof. Nonetheless, it was extremely tiring and difficult.
Q: What were your expectations and race plans?
Meika: Having run the course the day before, I knew this race would be hard right from the get go. The fact that the course was challenging would reward those that were tough and raced smart. I knew the race was going to go out fast, so my plan was to go out under control, and start moving up after 2K to catch all the people that had gone out to fast.
Evan: I didn't have any expectations of myself due to a slight Achilles injury that kept me cross training for a week just two weeks before the race. However, I was confident in my fitness and hopeful for a top-30 finish. I was planning on going out conservative due to the tough course but felt heavy only 600 meters in. I wanted to stick around the top USA guys because they have some more experience racing in fast races. I ended up saving a little too much and should have pushed slightly harder in the middle laps.
Charlie Perry. Photo by Image of Sport.
Q: How did the race develop for each of you and how did you feel?
Meika: I went out under control, as per my plan, running a pace that put me in a good position for the first 2K. I really started feeling it right as we came out of the first 2K loop, but set my focus on moving up. Feeding off the energy of passing people that went out too fast, I was able to move up well during the second and third loops. On the last loop, I basically had to give everything I had to hold my position. The race was extremely challenging mentally because I constantly had to adjust to the terrain. After every hill I crested and every sand pit pushed through I had to make a conscious effort to reaccelerate into race pace. The hills and sand meant that I was feeling the level of pain and fatigue typically felt at the end of the race very early on; I had to be tough and push through it trusting that my legs would recover on the downhills.
Evan: It was difficult to locate people on the course, so I had a tough time trying to find my position and rhythm. Everyone has their own strengths and weaknesses. I personally am not the biggest fan of uphills, but I am strong on the downhills. So, every time there was a downhill I passed people, and then I would try and maintain my spot on the uphills. The race hurt very, very early and it was a battle to keep focus and calm up every uphill. During some parts of the race when I was alone, I would lose focus and slow down. But every time I heard my name or country called, I sped up and tried harder. It was a constant battle both mentally and physically. The last lap was where I made up the most ground. I pushed hard and closed to within 1-3 seconds of a group that was 10-15 seconds ahead with one lap to go.
Evan Burke.
Q: What was the best part about being there and competing?
Meika: My favorite moments over there were just hanging out with the other members of the U.S. team and meeting runners from other countries. In terms of competition, I actually really enjoyed the layout of the course. Although, it was the hardest course I have run in my entire running career, I thought the "obstacles" made it a truer form of cross-country than the perfectly groomed golf course races of the U.S. A course with that level of hills and terrain changes rewards being tough, smart, and adaptable. It is more stimulating, more mental, with certain aspects (like the water pit) that are almost fun.
Evan: The best part about participating at the World Cross Country Championships was the race. I've never beat myself up so badly and pushed so hard when I wanted to quit. The race was so rewarding -- I knew that this race would be the hardest I've ever ran, and I felt that I ran really well. It was a relief to know that I didn't have to do another lap of that course!
Q: What is your best memory of the race or time you were there?
Meika: My best memory is probably the afternoon following the race, when we could just relax and hang out without having to worry about the race (since it was over). I got to talk to a lot of people from other countries and trade gear, which was really cool.
Evan: My best memory was when we got back to the hotel and hung out with the team. After a big race you have no worries, so you can just have fun. We jumped into the freezing ocean and then sprinted into the warm indoor pool. Surprisingly, my legs felt far better after this although it was probably just my adrenaline. I also scouted the apartment for athletes that I wanted to trade uniforms with. It's fun to meet new people and get to trade items that we both greatly value. Meika was my translator to the French team.
Meika Beaudoin-Rousseau leads Evan Burke. Photo by Image of Sport.
Q: How do you think this experience can help you next season at Stanford?
Meika: My biggest takeaway is an increased confidence that even when things aren't going perfectly or seem like they won't go perfectly, I can still crank out a good race if I lock in mentally. In the weeks leading up to the race I had nagging pain in my post tib ligament and hip flexor. I wasn't able to run my normal mileage or work out as much I would have liked to. During the miles I did run, my post tib and hip flexor were either painful or tender. I worried that I wouldn't be at my best or that that nagging pain would affect my performance (or turn into an injury). However, I managed to cast those restraining thoughts aside, and focus on what I could control: giving my best possible effort on that given day. Once the gun went off, the adrenaline took over and I managed to block out all pain or thought in regards to those things. That kind of mindset is crucial to being a good runner/teammate. It is inevitable that there will be days when you won't be at your best, but you must have the willpower and confidence to run your best possible race on that given day for the sake of your team.
Evan: I feel that this experience will give me a large mental edge for the rest of my racing career. Racing against the best runners in the world will teach you a lesson or two. I truly learned how much stress my body can handle and even when I feel so rough, I can dig deep and close hard. Racing people much faster will also give me experience in knowing what it's like to be dropped early, but still remain focused on my own performance. Even though I have yet to train with Charlie and Meika we worked together at some parts during the race and encouraged each other. I'm sure we'll be racing side by side much more often in the next couple of years!