Cross Country may seem simple. Fifty to two hundred individuals on a trail, racing anywhere from five to ten kilometers, aiming for the fastest time to win the race. However, behind the scenes exists a complex system of team dynamics, off-season training, and meticulous injury prevention, revealing the flexibility and dedication inherent to an ostensibly simple sport.
The 2024-2025 Mustangs Cross Country team is led by Coach Ryosuke Suzuki, and in his words, our Mustang team “has the potential to be the best in ASIJ history.” The team features forty-nine runners: twenty-two boys and twenty-seven girls. Historically, ASIJ’s participation in the Division I Cross Country Championships highlights their skill and reputation for success. To get a deeper insight into the team, we got Coach Suzuki’s and star runners’ perspectives about the current state and future goals of the Cross Country program.
We sat down with Cross Country runners Kyle Durkee, Jamie Lloyd, and Ben Cox to further our understanding of the complexity of the sport.
Meticulous training, injury prevention, and off-season preparation require an immense amount of time and dedication, but the rewards extend far beyond race day results. As Kyle Durkee explains, “My teammates hold me accountable for everything. If I ever think about skipping a workout, I have no choice but to push through because I’ll never hear the end of it later.” The strong dynamics of the Cross Country team are the key to their success. Every runner experiences both support and accountability, which pushes them to reach their full potential and fuels their motivation to keep improving.
Mustangs Cross Country takes on some of the toughest workouts compared to other athletics. They follow a strict, four-hour practice-a-week schedule, each day with a unique workout. “Each practice is crucial to our development, not only for our own physical growth but for our growth as a team,” says Kyle Durkee. “Seeing others push past their limits motivates me to push myself in practice, but also in meets.”
According to Jamie Lloyd, “each week is different depending on timing. If we have a meet this weekend, we don’t want to go overly intense leading up to the day.” A general practice week involves “a 10-mile run, hill sprints, tempo runs, and speed work,” with some core work mixed in as well.
Injury prevention is a crucial aspect of Cross Country, as even a minor injury can sideline a runner for the season or longer. According to Coach Suzuki, our Mustang team takes a proactive approach to minimize the risk of injury, following three fundamental principles. First, it’s essential to differentiate between easy days and hard days. If one trains several times a week with the same intensity and distance, it will be challenging to improve and can lead to stress injuries. Second, managing intensity is vital. Our runners follow calculated paces and specific rest intervals to ensure they execute each workout perfectly and keep injuries at a minimum. Lastly, proper body care is non-negotiable. Maintaining a balanced diet, regularly stretching and icing, staying hydrated, and getting adequate sleep are all essential to keeping our athletes healthy and injury-free.
The Mustang Cross Country team shows the Mustang spirit of resilience and pursuit of excellence. Under Coach Suzuki’s leadership and with the dedication of its talented runners, the team is poised to achieve more than record-breaking results: it has been and will continue to drive personal growth and a lasting legacy within the ASIJ community. As each runner continues to push their limits, they overcome their mental and physical blocks, building endurance, discipline, and an unbreakable team bond.
