Ahead of the pack:
Junior runner credits success with running 15-20 miles daily
To some athletes, success is all-natural and just needs some fine-tuning. This is hardly the case for NDSU cross country runner Greg Liebl.
Liebl, a junior, attributes his success to a grueling training regimen that has resulted in two individual victories this season.
Over the past summer, while most students were relaxing and enjoying their summer, Liebl was shaping up for his most impressive and rewarding season as a Bison.
Liebl, a Montevideo, Minn., native, often ran twice a day, accumulating more than 75 miles a week on training for the upcoming season.
To measure his progress, Liebl ran the Fargo Marathon in May. Against many marathon veterans, Liebl captured the half-marathon title. The victory propelled him into this year’s success.
“ The field in the Fargo Marathon was worthy competition,” Liebl said. “To go out and beat them was a huge confidence boost as I headed into this year.”
All the hard work from the summer has paid off for Liebl as he has been named Division I Independent Runner of the Week twice this season.
Liebl has been winning in impressive fashion over tough competition.
After finishing as high as third place during his freshman and sophomore year, Liebl won his first collegiate event at the NDSU Open this year.
After winning at the NDSU Open, Liebl took his momentum to the South Dakota State Classic Sept. 30, where he broke the meet’s record with a time of 24 minutes, 31.90 seconds in the 8-kilometer race. Liebl broke former SDSU and now professional runner Brad Lowery’s record.
Liebl’s success hasn’t happened all at once, but has been a steady increase over each year.
Last year, Liebl overcame an injury to help lead the Bison to a third place finish in the team competition at the Division I Independent championships.
Liebl also competes on the track and field team for the Bison where he captured the 5,000 and 10,000-meter title last spring at the Division I Independent championships.
Assistant cross country coach Ryan Godfrey credited Liebl’s success to all his training and hard work over his career at NDSU.
“ Greg’s training and maturity over the past few years has helped him become very successful this year,” Godfrey said.
The term “gym rat” is often used for football and basketball players, but the same can be said about Liebl as ge tries to be at the Bison Sports Arena every day training.
With all this success early in the season, Liebl admits there might be pressure to win, but he feels otherwise.
“ Pressure to win each invitational increases with each victory, but everyday can’t be your best day,” Liebl said.
Despite all Liebl’s training, he also enjoys his time off while he has it, with plenty of sleep and relaxation.
With the Division I Independent championships on Oct. 28, in Fort Wayne, Ind., Liebl will need all the rest he can get to cap off an already tremendous 2006 season.