university of colorado colorado springs...2015/05/27 · training grounds colorado springs is an...
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University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Men’s Cross-Country & Middle-Distance / Distance Track
Prospective Student-Athlete Packet
Harambee!!!
Having a Successful College Experience at UCCS
The reason why the coaching staff at UCCS is so enthusiastic about recruiting is because of the
opportunity UCCS provides for having a great college experience. We think that there are three
main things to consider when looking at potential colleges:
(1) Does the school set you up for success academically?
(2) Is the location a place that you would enjoy living for 4-5 years?
(3) Does the team provide a great training and competitive environment?
UCCS is a great place to be a student-athlete because for many people it satisfies each of these
requirements. The academics are strong and gain in reputation every year. Colorado Springs is a
great city to live and train as a cross-country and track athlete. The team is made up of incredible
people and consistently competes in the top 10-15% of the teams in NCAA Division II.
Being a Student-Athlete at University of Colorado – Colorado Springs
Our student-athletes enjoy great academic opportunities at UCCS. The school is currently ranked
among the top 15 best public schools in the West and offers exceptional programs in
Engineering, Health Sciences and Business. The school has put significant resources into
creating state-of-the-art labs and classrooms and attracting great professors while maintaining
small class sizes. For example, the brand new Science and Engineering Building, the Osborne
Center, opened in 2009 and Biology and Chemistry labs were renovated in 2010. In addition, our
athletes have had the opportunity to do internships at places like NASA and the US Olympic
Training Center, which gives them an advantage as they move into the workforce or begin
applying for grad school.
Our team is made up of student-athletes that work hard, both in training and in the classroom.
The men’s and women’s teams have consistently maintained a higher GPA than the average
student body and have earned team and individual All-Academic awards every year. Since the
athletic department has earned a strong academic reputation on campus, we have a great
relationship with the academic side of the university. When many of the best students on campus
are athletes, professors are willing to work around things like the occasional missed class for
team travel. Having a strong academic history is something we take great pride in, and the
potential to contribute to this tradition is something we look for in our recruits.
Training Grounds
Colorado Springs is an exceptional location for getting quality training in. Most of our training is
done at an altitude of 6,000 – 7,000 feet, and we can get up to 8,000 – 9,500 feet within half an
hour if needed. We have access to flat trails, the tough mountain trails and everything in
between. This elevation profile, along with the numerous parks, trails and open spaces, creates a
perfect place to train. This notion is confirmed by the fact that Colorado Springs is home to the
US Olympic Training Center. In addition to the many elite athletes living in town, Colorado
Springs plays host to elite runners and triathletes getting in a block of training at altitude. It’s not
unusual to see some of the top runners in the country out on the trails getting their workouts in.
Bear Creek Park
Bear Creek Park, home of the Colorado State Cross-Country Championships, is also a great
resource. Within the 573 acre park, the trails are similar to Monument Valley Park, with wide,
well-groomed crushed gravel trails. Bear Creek Park has many options to get in some good hill
work in, but there is a more moderate 2k loop we can use for faster workouts. There is also
plenty of room for workouts on grass. For hilly long runs, Bear Creek is a great option and
connects to Gold Camp Road through the west end of the park.
Monument Valley Park
Monument Valley Park is our most used running location and perhaps the most popular running
spot in the city. MVP is perfect for workouts with wide, well-groomed, crushed gravel trails.
There are many different loop options (3km, 2km, mile, 1k, etc.) that can contain hills or remain
mostly flat. We’ll use this park for tempo runs, longer repeats, hill repeats and recovery runs.
This is also the location of our annual home cross-country meet. In the winter the city plows the
trails after any significant snowfall, which gives us a reliable place to train even if the weather is
rough.
Palmer Park
Located roughly a mile from both the UCCS campus and St. Mary’s Track, Palmer Park offers
25 miles of trails on over 730 acres. Most of Palmer Park is lined with some of the more
technical trails in the city, but the top of the plateau has some wide, level trails with rolling hills
and amazing views of the city. We’ll use Palmer mostly for longer recovery runs and medium
long runs. We will occasionally use Palmer for hilly workouts or hill repeats.
Santa Fe Trail/Pikes Peak Greenway Trail
These two trails connect to form 36+ miles of great running trails. This trail system starts at the
very southern end of town and runs north through Monument Valley Park, up through the Air
Force Academy property and into the higher elevation near the town of Monument. By jumping
on the trail at different trail heads, we can get a variety of recovery and long run options within
minutes of campus. This trail system also helps connect Monument Valley Park with Bear Creek
Park, expanding the route options without having to run on the streets. As a converted rail-trail,
most of the trail is a nice crushed gravel surface, with some paved stretches in the middle of the
city.
Greenland Open Space
About 25 minutes north of Colorado Springs is Greenland Open Space. With over 3,600 acres
starting at 7,000 feet of elevation and access to rolling dirt roads, this is a great location for a
tough long run. The Greenland trails connect to adjacent Spruce Mountain Open Space which
provides even more options.
UCCS Indoor Track
The UCCS indoor track is home to the Mountain Lion Track&Field team. The 200m facility
opened in 2018 and sits on the northwest part of the campus next to the trails at the base of Pulpit
Rock.
Garry Berry Stadium
About 3 miles from campus is the track facility we use, owned by Colorado Springs Public
Schools. The facility, has a great track surface and field turf on the infield. An agreement
with CSPS gives us exclusive access in the mornings to this nice facility.
Other Parks: Red Rocks Park, Memorial Park
Colorado Springs is home to over 150 parks which gives us lots of options when designing
workouts. Memorial Park, Red Rocks, Cottonwood Creek and other parks can provide
variety to our routine as well as a specific surface or terrain to get exactly the training
stimulus we want. During cross-country season, we try to simulate the conditions of our
most important races – the Regional and National Championships. Having access to many
different parks in the city allows us to get exactly the kind of workout we’re looking for.
Gold Camp Road
Gold Camp Road is one of the most beautiful places to run near Colorado Springs. This dirt road
was once a mining railroad line and starts around 7,500 feet of elevation. From there it’s a steady
climb for the next 8.5 miles up to over 9,000 feet. During these 8.5 miles through the mountains
and four original tunnels provides some incredible views of the mountains and the city below.
This location is used almost exclusively for long run days.
Training Philosophy and Competitions
The training philosophy at UCCS focuses on long-term development and enjoying the process.
We want our runners to be aerobically stronger every year and their best performances to come
during their junior and senior years. A majority of our men red-shirt the fall of their freshman
year so that they can develop better and be more competitive as they grow older. This has been a
big factor in cross country as the men compete over a 10k distance at the championship level.
Consistency is the key to this development, so we take measures to prevent injuries and over-
training. We set up a consistent routine for various drills, core and overall strengthening that can
be done anywhere. Along with that we focus on teaching proper nutrition as it directly impacts
performance and recovery. When we set up training, we do so in a manner such that our best
races are during the most important meets of the season. In cross-country, workouts are designed
to mimic the aspects of the Regional and National Championship courses for that year so that our
team is prepared for the unique demands of those races.
The main focus of our program is to be competitive on the national level in cross-country and
outdoor track, with a lesser focus on the indoor track season. As a result, we usually take one
sea-level trip, not including regional and national championship meets, during the cross-country
season and two or three trips during the outdoor track season. In cross-country, this trip allows us
to compete against other top teams in the country and run in an environment that will be similar
to the national championship race. In track, we will go out to California to race in near-perfect
weather against top-level competition. We have also taken select athletes to big meets like Penn
Relays, Kansas Relays, Drake Relays and others.
There is no shortage of competition when we stay closer to home to race. UCCS is a member of
the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference, usually considered the strongest Cross-Country and
Track conference in NCAA Division II. Countless national champion teams and individuals are
produced by the RMAC and the depth of the conference has never been greater than it is now. It
is not unusual for the RMAC to have five or more teams finish in the top 20 at the national
championships, usually with three or more finishing in the top eight. This conference strength
allows us to become familiar competing against the best athletes in the country. When we race at
the national championships, our athletes are not afraid of any team there – they’ve been
competing against the best all year long. We recruit athletes that are excited about the
opportunity to line up against great competition. As a result, our team is very supportive of each
other, but possesses an extremely competitive attitude when it comes to going up against other
top-level teams in the country.
Creating and maintaining a great team environment is always a top priority for us. The team
certainly has a ‘family’ type feel to it, with upperclassmen supporting the younger members of
the team, hosting team dinners and organizing team events. Roughly a week before fall classes
begin, the team begins meeting for organized practice and team camp. Team camp consists of us
spending a few days up in the mountains to build strong bonds between the returners and the new
members of the team. By the time classes begin, each member of the team has a fantastic support
network of teammates and coaches. This is incredibly useful for the successful transition to
college for incoming freshmen, who find themselves in a completely new environment. While
talent is important, we also look for high school athletes that are going to positively contribute to
this kind of team atmosphere.
Living in Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs is a great place to live and train. As Colorado’s second largest city and home to
close to roughly 400,000 residents, Colorado Springs has the perks of a big city without many of
the drawbacks. Museums, parks, festivals and lots of great local restaurants and coffee shops all
contribute to the culture of the city. Colorado Springs also provides access to just about any
outdoor recreation activity imaginable. It’s not surprising that Colorado Springs has been ranked
as one of the Top-10 best places to live by numerous national publications.
Another advantage is Colorado Springs’ geographical location. Just an hour south of Denver
gives us easy access to Denver International Airport when we can’t use Colorado Springs’
airport. We’re also close enough to take advantage of big music venues like Red Rocks
Amphitheater, which hosts national tours almost every weekend. Nearby Manitou Springs and
Old Colorado City are home to lots of local shops, independent art galleries and restaurants.
Located on the Front Range, as opposed to the interior, gives Colorado Springs a more moderate
winter without sacrificing the benefits of living next to the mountains.
Weather Comparison
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
Colorado Springs 43
18
45
20
52
26
60
33
69
43
79
51
85
57
82
56
74
47
63
36
51
25
42
17
Denver 44
17
46
20
54
26
61
34
71
44
81
53
88
59
86
57
77
47
65
36
52
25
43
17
Gunnison, CO 25
-7
30
0
43
14
44
22
65
30
74
36
79
43
76
42
69
33
58
22
42
11
28
-2
Sioux Falls, SD 26
7
31
12
43
23
58
34
70
46
79
56
84
62
82
60
73
49
60
36
42
23
29
10
Average Snowfall Average Precipitation
Colorado Springs, CO 39 inches 16.56 inches
Denver, CO 55 inches 15.54 inches
Gunnison, CO 45 inches 10.63 inches
Sioux Falls, SD 44 inches 26.35 inches *From US Climate Data (www.usclimatedata.com)
Financial Aid at UCCS
Many or our student-athletes receive a variety of financial aid to help cover the costs of attending
college. The university has a large pool of need-based and merit-based scholarships available to
students and we encourage all our athletes to apply for those they are qualified for. The
university awards a significant amount of financial aid on a rolling basis beginning March 1st,
which means applying to UCCS and financial aid well in advance of this date can make a big
difference on the cost of college. This is especially true for prospective students who have strong
academic marks and test scores. If UCCS is one of the top choices for a recruit, we highly
recommend applying by the end of January for this reason.
Athletic scholarships are also available to prospective student-athletes who have shown the
potential to be competitive at the conference, regional and national levels. We put a strong
emphasis on rewarding our returners who have produced high-quality results throughout the
year. Athletes that are competitive at these levels, maintain strong academics, contribute to the
team atmosphere and continue to improve will often see their athletic scholarship increased.
Student-athletes who come in as a walk-on always have the opportunity to earn a scholarship by
meeting these requirements.
The Recruiting Process – Next Steps
Prospective student-athletes interested in UCCS can begin the recruiting process by filling out a
recruiting questionnaire on www.GoMountainLions.com here:
http://www.gomountainlions.com/sb_output.aspx?form=4&path=mcross
Once we receive the recruiting questionnaire, a member of the coaching staff will make contact
via email or phone call. After initial contact, keep us updated on how your training and races are
going.
The next step, and the best way to gain perspective on what it would be like to learn and compete
at UCCS, is to schedule a campus visit. Prospective student-athletes can take a tour of campus,
meet in-person with the coaching staff and members of the team.
After your campus visit, keep us in the loop on how your training and racing is going and where
you are in the college decision process. If a prospective student-athlete decides that UCCS is one
of their top choices, we discuss what their role with the program might look like and, for
qualified athletes, the potential for athletic scholarships.
For those who are ready to formally commit to UCCS, and who have been offered a roster spot, a
National Letter of Intent can be signed in the Fall between November 11th – November 18th and
in the Spring beginning on April 13th.
What we look for in a prospective student-athlete:
- Academics
o Strong GPA
o Advanced classes
o Good test scores
- Athletic Capability
o Ability to compete at the high-end of the DII level
o Potential to develop throughout collegiate career
o Durability / limited injury history
- Ability to Contribute to Team Environment
o Makes teammates better
o Leadership qualities
o Self-sufficient / Good time-management
o Personality
- Good Fit for UCCS
o UCCS offers desired area of study
o Comfortable in Colorado Springs (all four seasons, altitude)
o Interest level – has submitted application, scheduled visit & maintains contact
Important Dates
First Possible Recruiting Contact: June 15th preceding junior year of HS
Fall Early Signing Period: November
Recommended Application Submission: Before January 31st
UCCS Scholarship Distribution Begins: March 1st
The UCCS Men’s Cross-Country & Track Coaching Staff
Mark Misch– Head Men’s Cross-Country & Distance / Middle-Distance Track Coach
The 2018-2019 school year marks Mark Misch’s 12th season with the University of Colorado
Colorado Springs cross country and track and field programs. He is currently the Head Men's
Cross Country and the Assistant Track and Field Coach for men's distance.
In 2018, Misch guided the Mountain Lions to a 12th place finish at the NCAA II Championships
as well as fifth place finishes at the RMAC Championships and at the South Central Regional
Championships. Tim Howley, Mark Simmons and Sam Nofziger earned all-conference honors
and Howley and Afeworki Zeru earned all-region honors for the men. Academically five
Mountain Lions were named to the RMAC All-Academic team.
Misch also guided the men's cross country team to the NCAA Division II National
Championships in 2008, 2011, 2012 and 2014, where they finished 17th, 19th, 11th and 23rd,
respectively as well as individual qualifier David Kimaiyo in 2017. The 11th place finish matched
the best finish in program history all while competing in the top distance running conference and
region at the NCAA II level. The Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference currently holds the
NCAA II record for having the most teams qualify for a National Cross Country Championship
in the same season with six teams, a record which the UCCS men's squad has been a part of
setting or tying five times since 2008.
He also led the Mountain Lion women's cross country team from 2007-11. In 2008, Shannon
Payne recorded one of the best seasons in program history with a win at the NCAA Division II
regional championship and a third-place finish at the NCAA II National Championships as well
as finishing as the second collegian and 15th at the USA National Cross Country Championships
and all-American honors in the 10,000m run in track as well as RMAC titles at 3000m and
5000m.
Since 2008 the UCCS Mountain Lions have had 34 different men qualify to compete in 48
different distance events at the NCAA II cross country, indoor track & field and outdoor track &
field championships as well as multiple all-RMAC and all-region performers. On the academic
side, the Mountain Lion men’s cross country teams have won nine U.S. Track & Field and Cross
Country Coaches Association All-Academic awards and have had several student-athletes earn
individual RMAC and USTFCCCA all-Academic honors. Ryder Tam was named the RMAC
Summit Award winner in 2013 with the top cumulative grade point average among runners at the
conference championships. Misch also coached cross country runners Luke Dakin and Mike
English who were named recipients of the UCCS McLaughlin Award which is the highest award
given out by the UCCS Athletic Department.
Misch also started the annual UCCS Rust-Buster Jamboree Cross Country meet in 2007 and was
the meet director for the 2012 RMAC Cross Country Championships and the 2012 Colorado
USATF Cross Country Championships which at that time was the biggest combined cross
country event in RMAC history.
Outside of coaching at UCCS Misch founded the Colorado Springs Free Cross Country Camp
held every summer at Monument Valley Park and is a founding member of the non-profit
Harambee Foundation. He also served terms as the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
representative on the USTFCCCA Executive Committee, President and Vice President for
NCAA Division II Cross Country as well as on the USTFCCCA Board of Directors.
Misch has also mentored and coached several post-college runners nationally and internationally,
including current Drake Relays Meet Director and sub-4:00 miler Blake Boldon and Estonian
Olympians and national record-holders Tiidrek Nurme and Kaur Kivistik. Misch was named to
the Estonian National Team coaching staff for the 2018 European Track&Field Championships
in Berlin, Germany where Nurme placed 9th in the marathon and Kivistik broke the 47 year-old
national record in steeplechase while clocking 8:28.84, and advancing to the finals where he
placed 9th. Misch also coached Nurme at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and the 2017 London
World Track&Field Championships. Nurme also won the 2018 Birmingham Mercedes-Benz
Marathon in a course record time and is one of only four men in history to have qualified for and
competed in separate Olympics Games in the 1500m (2008) and the marathon (2016) during
their career.
Misch is a native of Coffeyville, Kan., where he earned All-Southeastern Kansas honors in cross
country and track and field, and all-state honors in track and field at Field Kindley Memorial
High School. He graduated from Baker University with a bachelor's degree in mass
communications in 1995, where he won seven Heart of America Athletic Conference
championships and was an 11-time All-HAAC performer. Misch was also a member of teams
that won back-to-back HAAC conference championships in cross country and qualified for the
first time in program history for the NAIA National Championships. Misch went on to compete
for several years as a post-collegiate runner and as a master’s runner he was a member of the
Boulder Running Company / Adidas team that won both the 2014 and 2015 USA Masters
National Cross Country Championships.
Misch was the Head Coach at Bethany College in the 1995-96 season before he moved became a
coach at Alameda High School in Lakewood, Colo., to train and study the effects of altitude
training. He went back to school to earn his master's degree in athletic administration and
communications from 1998-99 at Fort Hays State University. During that time, he worked as an
assistant coach and focused on the cross country team and on middle and long-distance runners
during track and field season.
Misch became the Head Coach in 2000 at Southwest Baptist University and built the cross
country and track and field programs from scratch. He coached T.J. Sanderson as the first SBU
student-athlete to qualify for the NCAA II cross country, indoor and outdoor track and field
national championships.
In 2005, Misch began serving on the staff for Athletes in Action Track and Field, continuing a
relationship that started in 1994 as a volunteer. Over the years, Misch has traveled to numerous
countries via AIA and attended international events such as the World Cross Country
Championships, the Commonwealth Games, the World Track and Field Championships and the
Olympic Games. He concluded his commitments with AIA in 2006 before accepting the position
at UCCS.
Jeff Wilson – Assistant Men’s Cross-Country & Distance / Mid-Distance Track Coach
Jeff Wilson is in his sixth season as an assistant coach with the UCCS men’s teams. During his
first two years at UCCS, he assisted Coach Misch with the cross country and middle and long
distance men’s team as a graduate assistant before becoming the assistant coach in charge of
strength and conditioning. Wilson earned his Masters of Sports Medicine with a focus in
Strength and Conditioning, and graduated in May 2015. He was awarded the student of his
program award by his advisors. Wilson currently teaches classes in the UCCS Health Sciences
Department and also owns a personal training business.
Wilson is a native of Michigan where he ran cross country and track at South Lyon High School.
There he was the captain of his team where they placed sixth place overall in Division I at the
Michigan State High School Championships meet in 2005. Following high school, he attended
Saginaw Valley State University located in Saginaw, MI from 2006-2011 graduating with a
degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science and ran five years of cross country and track. In
2010, he placed 17th at the GLIAC cross country championships and had personal best times of
14:55 in the 5000m and 8:35 in the 3000m.
Contact Info
Head Men’s Cross-Country & Distance Track Coach Assistant Men’s Coach
Mark Misch Jeff Wilson
[email protected] [email protected]
719-255-3005 (office)
719-255-3029 (fax)
