Finish at the Leopard Invitational not a concern for M. X-Country

Tomorrow, the Penn men's cross country team will travel to Lafayette to compete in the Leopard Invitational, but does anyone really care about the outcome? The question does not concern the lack of spectator interest in the sport, but rather the Quakers' concern with their competitors this weekend. With the Heptagonal Championships looming only one month away, Penn has shifted much of its focus away from this weekend's meet in an effort to have more success later in the season. Improved times, not places, will be the focus for the Quakers. "We've been talking about Heps since [summer training] camp. That's our main focus," freshman John Krol said. "We want to do well at all our races, but that's the one that counts." Although the Quakers may not be interested in the other teams in this week's field, the Leopard Invitational will feature many strong squads. Leading the approximately dozen entries is reigning Division III champion Williams. Bucknell is also expected to be among the top finishers. The only team Penn may specifically keep its eye out for is Maryland, which defeated the Quakers in the opening race of the season. The Quakers are hoping to gauge their progress by staying close to the Terrapins this time around. Because Penn has been training hard for the Heptagonals, it has not rested up in the days preceding its meets. "[The workouts] are hard, and our racing now may suffer, but it will pay off a lot more at the end of the season," Quakers freshman Joe Campagna said. "We're starting to do things so we don't wear out or burn out." As the more important races approach, the runners will look to taper -- running fewer miles in an effort to increase race performance -- and heal their tired bodies. "We have been doing a lot of hard work between races. Now we'll calm it down and try to race better," Penn freshman Sean MacMillan said. Coach Charlie Powell is leading the Quakers in their effort to focus only on their own progress at this point in the season. Unconcerned with anyone his team is racing, Powell is looking solely for an opportunity to have a good racing day for the team to come together and gain confidence. This week's Invite will serve as another opportunity for the Quakers to work on their pack running skills and continue their progression toward the Heps. For Penn, winning this weekend is irrelevant. The important goal is still a month away.

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