HUNTINGTON — Offseason is a misnomer for one Marshall University student-athlete.

David Caldwell, a Thundering Herd men’s cross country team runner, will compete in Saturday’s West Virginia 5K Championship in downtown Huntington.The 6-foot sophomore is utilizing the offseason to build on a promising initial season at Marshall.

Highlighting Caldwell’s 2009 season were four top-10 finishes. His top freshman performance was a fifth-place finish at the Evansville Invitational; Caldwell placed 32nd at the Conference USA Championships.

Also featured in his burgeoning college career were ninth places finishes in the Eastern Kentucky University Invitational and Greensboro Invitational. He also placed 10th in the Furman Invitational and was 25th at the Mel Brodt Invitational.

Marshall placed 18th as a team at the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional meet. Caldwell placed third among Marshall runners.

“I think consistently I’m the third or fourth best we have,” Caldwell said. “We’re real deep as a team.”

Saturday’s 5K state championship event, meanwhile, will serve as a gauge leading to the coming season.

“I think I want to run for (needed offseason) mileage and use it as a baseline to see where I’m at,” Caldwell said. “I want to see where I’m at as far as time, but I’m not going to take it too serious.”

The race course for Saturday is basically flat, conducive to runners posting some fast time.
Race director Pat Riley said he is hoping to have more than 600 athletes on the starting line at 8 a.m., Saturday.

To enter or get more information check the website, www.tristateracer.com.

WEST VIRGINIA 5K CHAMPIONSHIP
Saturday, June 19
The race course: Start on Veterans Memorial Boulevard and west to First Street then south to Fifth Avenue. East on Fifth Avenue to Hal Greer Boulevard then west on Third Avenue. Finish on Veterans Memorial Boulevard.
2009 winners: Male: Andrew Benford, Ravenswood, W.Va., 14:54.3; Female: Jen Davis, Star City, W.Va., 17:13.5
On the web: www.tristateracer.com
Race director: Pat Riley - Pat@tristateracer.com
Sponsorship opportunities: cassey.bowden@unitedwaycites.org
Volunteer opportunties: halsey@carsignmentusa.com

Race day schedule
6:30 a.m., Race packet pickup
7:55 a.m., Wheelchair start
8 a.m., Race start
9 a.m., Race course closed
9:45 a.m., Awards Ceremony

 

 

 

National Video