For Coach Jim Hopkins and the GW cross country teams, last Friday was filled with mixed emotions.
The high of both the men’s and women’s teams performing well at the ECAC Championships in New York City was cut short when teammate, Sara Johanson, suddenly collapsed during the race and was rushed to the emergency room of a Bronx hospital.
“Obviously I’m pleased with the way we ran, but I have mixed feelings because of Sara,” Hopkins said. “We were all very concerned.”
Hopkins said Johanson was released from the hospital Monday night after a series of tests, but the cause of her collapse has not yet been identified. He said Johanson is feeling better and is scheduled to undergo more tests to determine the cause of her collapse.
The teams responded to Johanson’s collapse with an outpouring of support, filling her hospital room with balloons and flowers.
“I think that says a lot about our team, that made my day,” Hopkins said. “I’m proud of how they ran, but I was more impressed with how they expressed themselves in that situation.”
Hopkins said he was pleased with the performances of both the men’s and women’s teams. The GW women won their division, finishing ahead of 18 other schools, including two Atlantic 10 Conference schools.
“I’m very pleased with how the women ran,” Hopkins said. “They all ran very well. The women up front did a great job.”
The GW women placed four runners among the top 20 finishers, including freshman Gail Haggerty.
“Gail is just a freshman and that is a great race for her,” Hopkins said. “This is probably the first time most of the freshmen have been in a race this big, and they responded very well.”
The men’s team placed seventh in the 29-team field. “The men’s team is young and they did well,” Hopkins said.
Both teams appear to be peaking at the right time of the season, with the A-10 Championships only two weeks away.
“I think both teams can finish in the top five (at the A-10 Championships), but predictions don’t mean anything – it’s what happens in the race that matters,” Hopkins said.
Several team members have said Hopkins’ training methods have helped them this season. Hopkins focused on training hard earlier in the season, tiring his teams for several races. However, he believes the hard work will pay off.
“Jogging and junk running doesn’t help you, that’s not what happens in a race,” he said. “I’ve just tried to get (the teams) to compete at a higher level. When you’re training hard, you’re not going to race well, but later on if you’ve done the hard work, getting ready to race is just a matter of resting your body.”
