Arkansas Cross Country Teams Get Up To Speed This Weekend With Chile Pepper XC Festival On Home Turf

By Doug Binder, DyeStat Editor

John Nepolitan photos

Sydney Thorvaldson has finished fourth and second in two previous appearances at the Chile Pepper XC Festival on Arkansas' home course. 

On Saturday morning, Arkansas is expected to roll out its primary lineups as its cross country season revs into a higher gear. 

The Razorback men are No. 3 in the country in the latest USTFCCCA coaches' poll and the women are 12th. 

WATCH THE CHILE PEPPER CROSS COUNTRY FESTIVAL ON  RUNNERSPACE FOR FREE

Thorvaldson, who starred as a prep at Rawlins WY, finished 11th at the NCAA Cross Country Championships last year and made the finals in two distances races at the Outdoor Track an Field Championships in June. She was seventh in the 5,000 meters, 13th in the 10,000. 

Rather than press on into the U.S. Olympic Trials, Thorvaldson took advantage of an internship opportunity to work on a cattle ranch outside Jackson, Wyo. 

She has her sights set on Veterinary School when she has completed her undergraduate degree in Large Animal Science. 

Six weeks working on a ranch in sight of Teton Mountains was a nice break from training, although she is back at it now. 

Placing 11th last year at NCAAs has raised expectations. 

"That was a great accomplishment for me," Thorvaldson said. "Seeing that I could do that kind of propelled me forward and then I think I also had a great track season. So I'm hoping to use that to kind of build momentum and see what we can do in cross."

Running on its home course, Arkansas should have no trouble with the team victories. LSU, Texas, UC-Santa Barbara and Stephen F. Austin are among the other D1 teams in the meet.

But it's still a gauge and there will be something to learn. 

Patrick Kiprop, who leads the men's team and was seventh individually at the NCAA Championships last year, said the Chile Pepper meet gives the Razorbacks a starting point. 

"We use it to project our goals," he said. "What we need to change, what we need to keep the same.

"I think we're the team to beat this year. I'm so excited for everybody."

Kiprop is ahead of the curve already from where he was a year ago, when he sat out of the Chile Pepper meet. 

"Last year at this time I was injured," he said. "I'm healthy now, I'm moving forward, I'm rolling, doing my training. Compared to last year I'm two steps ahead."

The best competition will likely come from small-college powers. NCAA D2 No. 3 East 

(Okla.), No. 8 Western Colorado, No. 14 CSU-Pueblo and No. 28 Harding (Ark.) are entered on the men's side. 

The No. 3 Western Colorado and No. 5 CSU-Pueblo women are also racing. 

An array of top NAIA and NJCAA ranked teams, including the No. 3-ranked Iowa Central CC men and women are also in the meet. 

High School 'El Caliente'

The peppery hot races in the high school portion of the meet draw schools from Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Alabama. 

The Rogers girls of Arkansas, which have triplet sisters in the top top five, are the No. 2 team in the NXR South region. The team's top runner, Lilly Beshears, is the top entry in the girls 'El Caliente' race. FEATURE STORY

Freshman sensation Ruel Newberry of Denton Guyer TX has a good matchup looming with Bentonville AR senior Owen Kelley. Both have recorded 5,000-meter times under 15 minutes this season. 

Newberry is one of the top newcomers in the country. He finished second at the Carroll XC Invite on Sept. 7 in a race where Kelley finished fourth. 

Bentonville AR is the top boys team in the 'El Caliente' field.