Muhlenkamp seeks return visit to state

Everett Muhlenkamp reached the pinnacle of his cross country career last year with a trip to the state meet in Columbus. Now, the junior has even higher sights as he prepares for the start of the Tippecanoe cross country season, which begins in just a couple of weeks.

Muhlenkamp advanced to the state after a strong run in both the district and regional meet to qualify as an individual. He joined his teammate and eventual state champion, Landon Kimmel, in the final race of the year.  It was a very successful season last year as several Tipp runners put together good times. Muhlenkamp knows it was the older runners who set the tone for the Red Devils last year, leading them to a memorable season.  “The upperclassmen leadership was a large contributor to the success of our season,” Muhlenkamp said. “They knew when to have fun and let loose, but they also knew when it was time to dig in and work hard. This balance built team unity while making us strong competitors.”

Muhlenkamp and his group of runners have begun the start of practice leading up to the start of the new season, and he has really put in a lot of time to get ready for what lies ahead. “Running is a sport that is difficult to take a day off from,” he said, referring to his summer workouts he has done this year. “It’s important to train each and every day. However, you have to run a variety of workouts such as speed, hills, and distance.” One big difference this year for the Red Devils is they will drop down to Division 2 and will not have to run against the big schools at the state meet. For Muhlenkamp, he was brief and blunt about the change. 

“I’m excited about the switch because it will allow more individuals, or even the team to head to State this year,” he said.

Now that he is an upperclassman, Muhlenkamp expects to see his production improve. He also knows that his leadership role will also be a key factor in the success the Red Devils have this fall. “I think emulating what our past upperclassmen did will continue to help us reach our goals,” he said. “We have to work as a team, build unity, and practice hard each day.” While his biggest goal is to get the team to the state meet, he also has some personal goals he is aiming for as the season progresses. 

“I would like to get to 15:30 in the 5K,” he said. “Later in the year, I would like to get sub 2 in the 800 meter and sub 4:25 for the 1600 meter.”