Nov. 17, 2006
Columbia, Mo. -
By Mizzou Media Relations Student Assistant Andrew Shepler
The 2005 season started perfectly for Tim Ross. As he crossed the finish line in 12th place at the Notre Dame Invitational, a wave of accomplishment swept over him. A time of 24:01, a personal best. All of the hard work over the summer finally paid off as his parents watched on the sideline. A week later, disaster struck.
A freak accident in practice hurt a tendon in his hip. He was out for a month, and so were his chances of a return trip to the NCAA National Championship.
A year has passed, but senior Tim Ross is still ready for that return trip to the NCAA meet, and he will get his chance on Monday in Terre Haute, Ind. Ross also qualified for the National Championship in 2004, where he finished 233rd. "I was really excited to make it in 2004, and I was just glad to be there," Ross said. "This time it's more I knew I should be there so I'm excited about what I can do when I get there."
Ross qualified for the 2006 National Championship after a 5th place finish at the NCAA Midwest Region Championships. He ran with the top pack the whole race and finished within 10 seconds of the champion.
"I think the biggest thing is he put himself in the lead pack the entire way and was leading part of the way," Head Coach Jared Wilmes said. "He just went out and ran with the intention to be in front."
Ross said he hopes to use the same quick start strategy on Monday, but he wished he could do it with his teammates on the course. The Tigers were the last team not to get a bid for the Championship.
"Last weekend was the most exciting thing I've ever been a part of in cross country," Ross said. "Not for me, just for the team. I've never been with a group of guys that wanted to do something so much and all gave it their best on the same day. I'll never forget that meet."
Wilmes sees Ross's leadership ability as an important part of the team's success.
"He's just a steady, dependable guy that you know is going to do his work every day," Wilmes said. "He just does a great job of leading by example. It's great having that kind of leader on a team because then the team is completely behind the coach."
Though Ross is a team leader, he will only be leading himself on Monday. The course at Indiana State University was also the site of the Pre-National meet earlier this season, where Ross finished 50th. Another top 50 finish this week would satisfy Ross.
"If I could get in the top 50 I would be really happy, but more importantly I just want to leave the race knowing I ran as fast as I could," Ross said.
The race comes at a perfect time for Ross. While he has been making steady progress all year, Wilmes said Ross was still experiencing tightness from the injury as recently as the Big 12 Championship.
"After regionals I feel like for the first time I'm back to where I want to be," Ross said. "That was my first race where I felt that everything clicked. I felt good throughout this year, but I hadn't really felt like I did last year until regionals."
Ross ran a personal best 10k time of 30:50.84 at regionals. With a year of recovery behind him, Ross hopes he has one more personal best in him as he crosses the finish line for the last time as a Tiger.