5. Cross Country Is Back

What more of a reason do you need… #RunJunkie

4. Who’s this year's Nate Jewkes?

Last year —out of nowhere— Nate Jewkes hunted down Texas All-American Craig Lutz for the individual title, helping lead his Southern Utah Thunderbirds to an overall team title on the men’s side.

Griak marks the unofficial official start of the cross country season. No more tempo runs. No more B-squads. No more messing around. There's a "Nate Jewkes" type out there who's ready to win this thing. 



Nate Jewkes victory was a bit of surprise. We love surprises. With a field of a few Saucony Flo50 ranked teams in Colorado State, Southern Utah, Boise State, and the “giant killers” in Adams State - we could see another surprising top finisher make another big statement this year. 

3. Defending Champs

The Michigan State Spartans start their title defense in the “Land of 10,000 Hills.” (Minnesota has changed their official slogan for this meet).

Will the loss of the majority of their Top 5 Championship team slow them down? Not if Rachele Schulist has anything to say about it. The Junior placed 5th her last year behind Seniors Shelby Houlihan, Rachel Johnson, Katy Moen and All-American Crystal Johnson who has redshirted her 2015 season.

That means she's going to win this year right?



The individual title is all but locked up for Shulist, and NCAA 11th place finisher Lindsay Clark could be right behind her. It all comes down to the Juniors in Alexis Wiersma and Shelby Jackson and that oh so important 5th woman to repeat as Griak Champions.

Over/under for Spartans team score: 63.5 points

2. Chris Walden vs. Trent Lusignan

Trust me: this one's to be neck and neck, all 8 kilometers.

Walden had a breakout year in 2014, Lusignan sat out in 2014.

Stay with me...

Last year Walden placed 17th at NCAA’s and 4th at this here Griak meet.

Lusignan was watching Griak LIVE on FloTrack at home due to injury. But back in 2013 he had an impressive 12th place finish in Terre Haute beating out guys with last names like Geoghegan, Lutz and Fauble. With an entire year off of training —and not seeing his name on the Saucony Flo50— he's going to be hungry.

Adding the pressure that the aforementioned surprise athlete to be named back up there in section #4. I’m visualizing an all out sprint to the finish for that 2015 Griak Title.

This race is going to be insane.

1. Allie Ostrander.

Enough Said.



World Mountain Running Champion. Freshman standout. Boise State Bronco. Badass.

Allie Ostrander already has two wins early into this 2015 cross country season. One was a 6k win in San Francisco in her debut college run. The other was up the side of a mountain in Wales to win a World Title.

I don’t think those teeny tiny hills in Minnesota are going to be much of a challenge. 

We couldn't quite get Allie O. to make any predictions on the race when we talked to her on Track Before Dark. But I would hate to say I told you so when the much smaller Allie Ostrander runs down the much taller Rachele Schulist in the home stretch... 

Just Watch Griak XC Invitational LIVE!