Cross Country

By giving to UAFS cross country, you’ll help our student-athletes replace worn training gear and support memberships that will help them train more effectively.

Our runners log hundreds of miles before their first race. Head men’s and women’s cross country coach Mason Rhodes estimates that individual men’s team members ran up to 650 miles over the summer. That mileage makes replacing shoes a recurring expense, with athletes going through as many as four pairs a year.

Providing shoes will help offset some of the costs student-athletes currently pay out of pocket.

Your gifts will also help extend runners’ access to pool workouts at Mercy Fitness Center beyond the fall season

Research published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that competitive runners maintained their fitness and running performance through four weeks of deep-water running. Pool access gives our student-athletes a way to continue conditioning without the repeated impact of running on land.

“We currently pay for our pool membership during the fall only,” Rhodes said. “We use it for about two to three months, but that’s all I can fit into my budget. The students would be so grateful to have access year-round.”

At the program’s negotiated rate, $30 provides one athlete with a month of access to Mercy Fitness Center. Additional funding would extend those memberships into spring training and provide more indoor workout options during cold weather.

“I would love to be able to fund it when we come back to school in the spring,” Rhodes said. “The more we raise for it, the longer they get to use it.”