A lot has changed in the last 25 years since I ran my last official Track and Field race.
Pop Punk was the preferred genre of music on radio and MTV. People actually listened to radio and watched music videos on MTV! The only super shoes we had were the Bob Kennedy racing spikes. Bicarb meant you ate two lunches to prep for the big 10K you were running that weekend. Of course our version of The Matthai Twins Youtube channel was The Tommy Show website, documenting the lives of college runners and connecting D3 runners via Geocities.
Where am I going with this?
The past few weekends, I watched a lot of Outdoor Track and Field Championships between the D1 event this weekend and the D3 event two weekends ago. While watching the D3 10K it hit me: I ran my last race as a UW-La Crosse Eagle exactly 25 years ago!
It’s cliche, but it’s true… where did the time go?
The Road to Decatur: 2001
I remember it vividly. Millikin University in Decatur, Illinois was the host. After three years of provisionally qualifying for the NCAA Division 3 National Meet in the 10K, I finally made the big dance in 2001.
Provisional qualify? Yes, we had two marks to try and hit back then – Provisional or Automatic qualifying times. This was my first season of racing after missing a Summer and Cross Country season due to a sinus surgery to open up some nasal passages that had me racing my Junior year of Track with significantly less oxygen than a normal athlete can breathe. I somehow managed to hit a provisional qualifying time but wasn’t high enough in the field to be selected into the meet.
Sophomore year my teammate Tyler Foos and I raced each other into qualifying times at a last chance meet. Tyler was the last one selected in, I was the first one left out. We were separated by mere tenths of a second.
So, making it in 2001 was incredibly special for me. I was hitting new PRs and feeling stronger every week and the teams chances of winning it all were better than ever.
6.2 Miles of Memories
The whole race is still fresh in my head for some reason. I remember the first mile and settling in behind WIAC and National legends Jeremy Burks (UWW) and Jesse Drake (UWSP). I spent most of the first 5K tucked in behind them in around 3rd or 4th place. I felt strong and the pace seemed effortless.
Then, the dreaded side stitch hit.
I spent the next couple of miles fighting it, praying it would go away. It didn’t. I watched myself slowly drop to the back half of the field. By the time the stitch finally subsided in the final mile, the damage was done. I managed to link up with a few other runners and gutted it out across the line for 12th place.
No All-American award. No points for the team. But as soon as I crossed, my teammates let me know they were there for me. They knew I gave everything I had for the team.
The Power of the Team
I didn’t mean for this to turn into a total “back in my day” race recap, but looking back, that weekend wasn’t defined by my 12th-place finish. It was defined by what happened next.
As a team, the UW-L Eagles won the national meet that year.
Despite my personal disappointment, I remember the overwhelming pride and happiness we shared. We scored points with throwers, pole vaulters, sprinters, hurdlers, distance runners… and Andrew Rock (our young Freshman and future Olympian). It was a complete, unconditional team effort. Everyone bought in, worked hard, and sacrificed. We weren’t just a roster; we were a family.
The Next Generation: 2026 and Beyond
Watching this year’s National Meet via YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and live streams, the media access has changed drastically—but the culture hasn’t.
Watching the 2026 UW-L squad, I saw the exact same qualities, grit, and culture that I felt on the track 25 years ago. It was thrilling to watch the event winners, the All-American finishes, the broken school and D3 records, and yet another National Championship trophy head back home to La Crosse where it belongs.
Congratulations to the 2026 UW-L track team. I have no doubt you’ll be just as proud when you’re watching the 2051 team compete.
2051?! Damn, I’m old!
Over to You:
If you ran college track or XC, how long has it been since your final race? Do you still get the itch to race when watching the National Meets? Let’s reminisce in the comments below!