• Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Login
  • Register
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
No Result
View All Result
Home Cross Country

Crystal Nelson’s Rise to NCAA Cross Country Championship Contender, by Cait Chock

Larry EderbyLarry Eder
November 12, 2014
0
0 0
0
SHARES
11
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

cyrstalnelson.jpg

Crystal Nelson, photo courtesy of WinchesterStar.com 


Cait Chock wrote this piece on Crystal Nelson. For the next couple of weeks, watch Cait Chock’s pieces on NCAA Cross Country Contenders. 

RelatedPosts

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week Two, Day 2, Tempo is back!

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Racing & Training Program, Week 1, Day 4, a day in the hills!

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing Program, Week One, Day1..and we run

Crystal Nelson’s Rise to NCAA Cross Country Championship Contender 

By: Cait Chock

Crystal Nelson is amidst a breakthrough of a season. Having steadily improved each year at Iowa State, last year she finished 32nd at the NCAA Cross Country Championships, this year she’s a contender for the title. 

A pinnacle point in earning that distinction was winning this year’s Wisconsin Adidas Invitational, overtaking Shelby Houlihan and Emma Bates. Everyone sat up and noticed, Bates is the top returning NCAA finisher, with her 2013 2nd place distinction.

“Coming into the cross country season, my goal was to just stay healthy and help my team get to Nationals again,” shares Nelson. Clearly those goals were too modest, but it’s often most refreshing to watch as a runner goes on to surprise even themselves, “I definitely wasn’t expecting my name to ever be thrown around for contention to win the National Title.”

Such a dramatic leap in a single season can at times put athletes in a precarious situation. The sudden burst onto the National radar is followed quickly by more expectations. The potential danger of pressure-overload looming overhead, it takes a keen sense of maturity to handle the onslaught of media attention and fanfare. Not every harrier can handle the pressure.

Nelson, speaking with a perspective reflective of wisdom beyond her years, can. “Once my name started to be thrown into the mix, Coach told me to enjoy it but also to not let it affect training. Since then I’ve been treating this season like any other and trying not to make any drastic changes.” Credit to 2013 Iowa State addition, Coach Andrea Grove-McDonough, for helping progress her star runner both in physical training and mental practice. 

Grove-McDonough has preached patience to Nelson, both in racing tactics, and looking long term. That lesson, learned and applied, a key in this season’s rise. Nelson’s more controlled start goes hand-in-hand with better channeling pre-race nerves and excitement. Rather than allowing herself to get too caught up in those nerves, letting excitement and anticipation cross the line into stress and anxiety, Nelson looks to her team and coach to remind herself that, ultimately, she’s running because of the joy it brings her.

“My coaches and teammates help a lot with nerves,” explains Nelson. “On the way over to the course, my coach will play pump-up music for us and usually dance in some obscure way to make us all laugh. She would much rather us go into a race feeling loose than going into it feeling tense or pressured to accomplish a certain goal. As a team, once we are off the bus, we try to keep each other as relaxed as possible during warm-up and pre-race strides by cracking jokes and reminding ourselves that it’s just a race and we are here to have fun.”

While leading the Lady Cyclones, Nelson has company at the top with teammate Katy Moen. The duo went one-two at the Big-12 meet. Moen’s presence has helped Nelson’s workouts too, “Having Katy right there with me has been a huge part of my success this year. Katy and I have done a majority of our workouts together and because of that we can sense how the other is feeling during the workout.” 

A special bond is formed between training partners, a unique relationship built around miles, shared suffering, and at times spoken in a language unnecessary of actual words. One knows the other and, working together, each pushes the other to highs they couldn’t have foreseen alone. When one has a bad day, the other is there to pull them along. “I was feeling crappy during a workout and Katy let me run behind her so that I could relax a little and focus on getting through the workout. This style of training transfers over to races as well. During races we tend to work together to get through tough portions of the race.”

With such a powerful one-two punch in Nelson and Moen, the Iowa State women are ranked fifth Nationally and, much like their star, are experiencing a whirlwind of their own during these past 16 months under Grove-McDonough’s presence. They too are taking everything in stride, “We are all really excited to see what we can do heading into Nationals!” says an excited Nelson. “Instead of putting a number goal on ourselves, I think the biggest thing we want to accomplish is for all of us to have a solid day at Nationals. If we can get everyone to the starting line healthy, relaxed, and ready to go we will have already been successful.”

The spirits of the Iowa women, that excitement and closeness, isn’t something new that’s come with the higher rankings. Looking back to two years ago, when Nelson learned then Coach Corey Ihmels would be leaving and Coach Grove-McDonough would be taking over, Nelson shares it was that team unity that helped her deal with any uncertainties. “Initially when our old coach left, I was a bit worried. The feeling of not knowing what coach I would have for the next 3 to 4 years was scary. However, as a team we came to the conclusion that all of us love Iowa State and that if we stuck together, we could accomplish big things down the road with a new coach.”

Though, it didn’t take long for Coach Grove-McDonough herself to quell any nerves the runners may be feeling. She won them over, both in personality and performances. Now all eyes are on the present.

Next up will be the Midwest Regional on November 14th. Between now and NCAA Cross Country Nationals, it’s a matter of staying calm and fresh. “The next few weeks will be focused on recovery and listening to my body. I’ve made the mistake before of getting too excited and taking my runs harder than they should be before a big race. Coach McD has been constantly reminding me that I’m supposed to feel good before Nationals but that doesn’t mean I can go out and run 6:10 pace for an easy run. As she told me the other day, ‘You’ve gotta keep all the bullets in your chamber until NCAA’s.’ “

When Crystal Nelson steps to the starting line at the NCAA Cross Country Nationals she will relaxed, surrounded by her team, and more than likely having laughed during a little pre-race dancing. She will be confident from the momentum of a stellar season. But most importantly she will be lined up with a smile, “I think the main goal is to just enjoy the rest of the season and have fun.”

Though a smile, indicative of passion in its purest form, is one of  the most powerful weapons.

———————–

Caitlin Chock (caitchock.com) set the then National High School 5k Record (15:52.88) in 2004. A freelance writer, artist, and designer she writes about all things running and founded Ezzere, her own line of running shirts (www.ezzere.com). You can read more, see her running comics, and her shirts at her website.

Author

  • Larry Eder
    Larry Eder

    Larry Eder has had a 51-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

    View all posts

Previous Post

Atlanta Track Club & Mizuno USA sign historic “integrated marketing ” agreement: What it means to the sport, by Larry Eder

Next Post

Nukuri Ready to Race Fourth Marathon of 2014 at Honolulu Marathon, by Chris Lotsbom, RRW, used with permission

Larry Eder

Larry Eder

Larry Eder has had a 51-year involvement in the sport of athletics. Larry has experienced the sport as an athlete, coach, magazine publisher, and now, journalist and blogger. His first article, on Don Bowden, America's first sub-4 minute miler, was published in RW in 1983. Larry has published several magazines on athletics, from American Athletics to the U.S. version of Spikes magazine. He currently manages the content and marketing development of the RunningNetwork, The Shoe Addicts, and RunBlogRun. Of RunBlogRun, his daily pilgrimage with the sport, Larry says: "I have to admit, I love traveling to far away meets, writing about the sport I love, and the athletes I respect, for my readers at runblogrun.com, the most of anything I have ever done, except, maybe running itself." Also does some updates for BBC Sports at key events, which he truly enjoys. Theme song: Greg Allman, " I'm no Angel."

Similar Post

Conversations with Larry: Shawnti Jackson signs NIL deal with Brooks Running
Convos w LE

Conversations with Larry: Shawnti Jackson signs NIL deal with Brooks Running

September 23, 2023
Coffee With Larry, Berlin Marathon is tomorrow, US Olympic Trials will be well presented, but hotels and Air BnBs are already charging more!
Coffee With Larry

Coffee With Larry, Berlin Marathon is tomorrow, US Olympic Trials will be well presented, but hotels and Air BnBs are already charging more!

September 23, 2023
Will a win -or anything else- matter for Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon?
World Marathon Majors

Will a win -or anything else- matter for Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon?

September 23, 2023
Coffee with Larry, Nike Pre Classic : Best Edition Ever!
Training Tips

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week 2, day 6, a day at the races!

September 23, 2023
Tigst Assefa targets course record once more in Berlin, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday with fastest ever women’s field
Events

Tigst Assefa targets course record once more in Berlin, BMW BERLIN-MARATHON on Sunday with fastest ever women’s field

September 22, 2023
WC / Day Eight: Relay Madness:  4×1 Sweep For USA, Mondo’s Perfect Game Strikes Gold
Athletics Chat

Athletics Chat, Epilogue on Episode 102, Deep thoughts on the Summer of 2023

September 22, 2023

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Subscribe to RunBlogRun's Global News Feed

Wake up to RunBlogRun’s news in your inbox. Sign up for our newsletter and we’ll keep you informed about the Sport you love.

*we hate spam as much as you do

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

August 27, 2023
An epic pole vault competition

An epic pole vault competition

August 26, 2023
2022 USATF Outdoor Champs: Melissa Jefferson takes the Women’s 100m title in windy 10.69!

The curious case of Sha’Carri Richardson: How can the sprinter turn around her career?

February 8, 2023
Reborn Sha’Carri Richardson comes back from the brink and is now ready to become the world champion

Reborn Sha’Carri Richardson comes back from the brink and is now ready to become the world champion

July 17, 2023
What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

7
Asafa Powell, Considering Longevity in Sprinting

The RunBlogrun Interview: Asafa Powell

5
2022 Munich Diary, Day Five, a Great Friday Night

2023 European Athletics Indoor Champs, The Women’s 60m, who will win the final tonight?

5
TCS New York City Marathon Broadcast to be Available in More Than 530 Million Homes Around the World on Sunday, November 6

RunblogRun Editorial: The Sorry State of Running Television Coverage, by Peter Abraham, note by Larry Eder

4
Conversations with Larry: Shawnti Jackson signs NIL deal with Brooks Running

Conversations with Larry: Shawnti Jackson signs NIL deal with Brooks Running

September 23, 2023
Coffee With Larry, Berlin Marathon is tomorrow, US Olympic Trials will be well presented, but hotels and Air BnBs are already charging more!

Coffee With Larry, Berlin Marathon is tomorrow, US Olympic Trials will be well presented, but hotels and Air BnBs are already charging more!

September 23, 2023
Will a win -or anything else- matter for Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon?

Will a win -or anything else- matter for Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon?

September 23, 2023
Coffee with Larry, Nike Pre Classic : Best Edition Ever!

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week 2, day 6, a day at the races!

September 23, 2023

Popular Stories

  • USATF / Day Four:  USA’s Assembled Team Is Ready!

    Abby Steiner replies via twitter, on the curiosity about her new professional running contract

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • An epic pole vault competition

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • The curious case of Sha’Carri Richardson: How can the sprinter turn around her career?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Reborn Sha’Carri Richardson comes back from the brink and is now ready to become the world champion

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • What happened to the crowd at Eugene?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
Conversations with Larry: Shawnti Jackson signs NIL deal with Brooks Running
Convos w LE

Conversations with Larry: Shawnti Jackson signs NIL deal with Brooks Running

September 23, 2023
Coffee With Larry, Berlin Marathon is tomorrow, US Olympic Trials will be well presented, but hotels and Air BnBs are already charging more!
Coffee With Larry

Coffee With Larry, Berlin Marathon is tomorrow, US Olympic Trials will be well presented, but hotels and Air BnBs are already charging more!

September 23, 2023
Will a win -or anything else- matter for Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon?
World Marathon Majors

Will a win -or anything else- matter for Eliud Kipchoge at the 2023 Berlin Marathon?

September 23, 2023
Coffee with Larry, Nike Pre Classic : Best Edition Ever!
Training Tips

2023 RunBlogRun Fall Cross Country Training & Racing, Week 2, day 6, a day at the races!

September 23, 2023

Recent Tweets

Next Post

Nukuri Ready to Race Fourth Marathon of 2014 at Honolulu Marathon, by Chris Lotsbom, RRW, used with permission

runblogrun

RunBlogRun comments on the global world of athletics, sports & ethics, and the Olympic movement. @runblogrun

Browse by Category

Newsletter

Subscribe to our mailing list to receives daily updates direct to your inbox!

  • Home
  • Archive
  • Contact Us

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Archive
  • Contact Us
  • Home page
  • My Account
  • Sample Page

© 2022 Run Blog Run - All Rights Reserved

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

Select a password for yourself. (minimum length of 8)

Paste here the user biography.

Provide here the twitter screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the instagram screen name. i.e. @RunBlogRun

Provide here the facebook profile URL. i.e. http://www.facebook.com/RunBlogRun

Provide here the linkedin profile URL. i.e. https://www.linkedin.com/in/larry-eder-5497253

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist