Cross Country
National champion sprinter Gus Schmader brings two decades of experience to Westcliff XC
Westcliff Cross Country is back on the path
I have clinical depression. I describe it as having a perspective that is skewed toward the negative, in how I see myself, in how I think others see me, and in how I perceive normal, day to day events. It’s nothing to be afraid of. I manage my mental health ably through medication and therapy, but even those things don’t always stop me from blinding myself to life’s silver linings. Good days aren’t easy to come by, especially recently, as our country nears the midterms and our cultural discussion — and behavior — has turned dark.
It was moment of firsts, last Friday in Vancouver, WA, when Westcliff freshman cross country runner Kelvin Kiptoo stepped to the starting line at the NAIA national championships. It was Kiptoo’s first national race in his first year as a Warrior. It was head coach Justin Johnson’s first national race in his first year as the leader of Westcliff cross country. It was Westcliff University’s first chance to send its first athlete to a national championship competition.
The Westcliff cross country team showed up and showed out Saturday at UC Merced for the Ryan Nunez Bobcat Invitational, turning in a number of impressive performances, none bigger than team captain Kelvin Kiptoo’s fourth overall finish in the men’s race. Kiptoo finished the four-mile track in 21 minutes, 7.81 seconds.
