THE UNIVERSITY
The University is located on the southwest corner of the
city, about one mile from downtown Hays. The campus is characterized by the
beautiful limestone buildings that are part of the western
Academically, FHSU offers a wide variety of majors to
choose from; over 60, in fact. Our
students are first rate having won numerous national academic awards in debate,
graphic design, technology studies, agri-marketing, financial planning,
leadership studies and many more.
More than 99 percent of FHSU graduates are employed within 6 months of graduation or have begun study for an advanced degree. FHSU has the lowest tuition rate among four-year universities in the state offering students intensive interaction with top-notch faculty and unparalleled facilities.
THE TRADITION
The FHSU cross country program is one of the most storied
programs in the state of
THE COACH
Coach Jason McCullough recently completed his fifth season
at the helm of the cross country program. In those five years, he has worked to
re-establish the great tradition that makes up FHSU distance running. His teams
have ranked in the top seven of the South Central Region every year over the
last four seasons. Inheriting a team that consisted of only one female returnee,
McCullough gradually built the team into a nationally-ranked squad. His women's
teams have improved from 12th in the region in 2004 to 4th
through 7th over the last four years. The 2007 squad earned its
first national ranking since the 1997 season as they ended the season 24th in the national polls.
The men's team
was also 12th in the region before McCullough helped transform it into
one of the top squads in the area. The 2006 team placed fourth at the regional
and no team has finished lower than seventh the last four seasons. Passion,
Patience and planning are three of the virtues that have been instrumental in
creating long-term success with this program.
THE PROGRAM
One look at the squad and you will notice a theme of over-achievement.
There are very few state champions or state-caliber athletes that make up this
squad. In fact, several athletes are new to cross country and distance running
in general. You will notice a marked improvement among athletes who have
embraced the training program and have risen to the level of college athletics.
There are several stories of average high school runners who have improved
though training and proper preparation. It sometimes takes months and/or years
of persistence, but belief in the athlete, and belief in the program have
produced several runners who are now capable of competing on the conference,
regional and national scenes.
THE TEAM
The basis behind any good individual is a strong support
system. The athletes' successes are very much due to hard work, but also stem
from the team atmosphere that has developed in the program. There is an
emphasis placed on friendship and team camaraderie. These characteristics of the FHSU program are essential
to its success as a team on the cross country course. The men's and women's
squads are not separated. Everyone on the team is encouraged to get to know
each other. The squad hosts dinners, both formal and informal, to help this
cause. The coaching staff is also instrumental in creating opportunities for
team bonding through different workouts and trips. Common workouts create
common runners and common people. Coach McCullough and his staff are always
creating new ways to stimulate the body and the mind through new workouts and
workout venues. Consistency is the bread and butter of great distance running.
Yet, workouts are meant to be exciting and challenging.
THE TRAINING
Distance runners at FHSU work very hard. Coach McCullough
meets with the incoming athletes to determine the type of training that they have
completed prior to coming to FHSU. From this meeting, appropriate training
volumes are determined. During the cross country season, each athlete will
train as part of the team, yet with differing mileage and intensity goals.
Freshmen runners are expected to log anywhere from 40-70 miles (men) and 30-55
miles (women) per week. With the progression that takes place at FHSU, many top
runners near 80-100 miles (men) and 55-75 miles (women) per week as seniors in
our program.
All of our athletes are expected to carry out training
during the "offseason" each year. For many reasons, this is often
viewed as the most important ingredient in producing great results.
During the season, practices are either 6:30 in the morning
or 3:30 in the afternoon, sometimes both. The weekly long run is carried out on
Saturday mornings at 6:30 am when we are not attending a meet. Most morning
practices consist of easy recovery running and core training. The afternoon
workouts are usually longer and more intense.
Do we run on
Sunday? Never. We will never meet on a
Sunday to practice. That is your personal day to do with as you wish. Some
athletes travel home after the Saturday morning practice and spend the weekend
with family. We expect our older athletes to continue to train everyday. Our
freshmen and middle distance runners will sometimes use Sunday as a full
recovery day or as a cross-training day. Either way, that is an opportunity for
you to determine your own recovery needs. We wish to push our athletes to their
limits. But increased running is not always the best for everyone. Some
athletes require an additional rest day or a very easy workout.
Our program is designed to help you achieve your ultimate potential.
Therefore, it is important to create a long-term plan for your continued
improvement. Unlike many programs that trash your legs with repeated interval
work over and over, the FHSU training program is designed to bolster your
aerobic development. As you get stronger through prolonged training, you are
able to carry out faster and more intense training sessions. The season
training program calls for one tougher anaerobic interval session per week,
which usually consists of hills or longer repeats. Each week will also consist
of one faster tempo run, a medium long run, and one longer tempo run, often in
association with your long run on Saturdays. It is not uncommon to work on
shorter, faster repetition work once per week either. Strides, hill work,
plyometrics, hurdle drills, weights and core training are also essential parts
of your training. We incorporate barefoot training, massage, ice therapy and
stretching into your recovery. As a runner, your training makes up only a
portion of your development. Attitude, nutrition, sleep and recovery are also
very important factors in your success as a runner.
THE TRAINING FACILITIES
The training facilities in and around Hays are often
thought of as some of the best in the state. The majority of our training takes
place along the countryside of Hays. There you can choose from many soft, flat dirt roads for
tempo runs or intervals. Or you can choose several hilly routes that make up
the landscape just west of and north of town. The Tigers train at elevations
ranging from 1800-2400 feet. Most of the countryside is sectioned off into mile
roads. Thus, training becomes easier to monitor.
We often explore the visiting towns of Munjor, Yocemento,
Schoenchen, Liebenthal, Catherine, Ellis and Victoria, just to name a few. The
challenging hills and serene surroundings make these routes perfect for
training. Traffic is very rarely a concern for our Tiger runners, making
running that much more safe and stress-free.
The FHSU cross country course is host to at least two
collegiate and one high school meet each year. The mostly-grass course is ideal
for faster workouts when you want softer ground to run on.
FHSU also trains at Alex Francis track, an all-weather
eight-lane track that was recently resurfaced. Many of our interval workouts
and tempo runs are completed here. The remainder of our training takes place on
the Hays city streets or at municipal parks where we can choose softer running
surfaces.
One of the great advantages to FHSU is our indoor running
facilities. We are able to train year-round regardless of the weather. There is
a six-lane indoor track housed inside Gross Memorial Coliseum and a larger running
surface found on the second floor of the coliseum. The brand new student
fitness facility also boasts six state-of-the-art treadmills that go up to 12
miles per hour with a 15 percent grade. So bad weather is not a deterrent to
our training.
We also have some of the best athletic training facilities
in the area. We are blessed with two training centers, one at Gross Memorial
Coliseum and another at Alex Francis Track. We have four different ice baths
and one hot tub for our use. Our athletic training staff is present for all
FHSU cross country practices. We also have the use of four massage tables for
recovery.
THE WEATHER
The weather in
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN TO YOU?
If you are interested in developing your talent as a
collegiate runner and are willing to work hard, check out FHSU. We offer a true college experience. You can experience life away from home, yet within
driving distance of your friends and family. You will have the opportunity to
be part of a team effort that is striving to be the best. But check us out
first and make a visit! FHSU is not for everyone. But if you choose our
University, you will be rewarded with the top efforts from your instructors,
coaches and teammates.
We hope to hear from you soon!
To Schedule a
Visit!
Call the Admissions Department at 1-800-628-FHSU and ask for admissions.
Or you can call Coach Jason McCullough directly at (785) 259-5349 or reach him by e-mail at jmccullo@fhsu.edu.
Come
and see if FHSU
is
right for you!!!
FHSU Cross Country website
http://www.fhsu.edu/athletics/crosscountry/
