Senior Cross Country Captain Josh Grant is the backbone of a highly successful cross country team here at Lyndon State.
Grant has claimed many Cross Country records in the past few weeks, becoming only the second LSC student-athlete to win the North Atlantic Conference Runner of the Week and Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference Runner of the Week award in the same week. Those awards were given to Grant because he placed first overall in the University of New England Invitational, a race that featured a total of 104 runners. In doing so, Grant helped lead the Hornets to a first place finish overall in the invitational.
Grant was not originally aware that he had won all of these awards.
“I didn’t even know until Coach [Chris Ummer] told me,” Grant said. “It’s an honor, but you move forward.”
One extra caveat for Grant and his teammates was that the Hornets defeated the University of Southern Maine in the invitational, marking the first time in LSC school history that the Hornets have defeated Southern Maine in a cross country event.
Grant felt that it does not get any better than facing off against Southern Maine.
“It was a measuring stick,” Grant said. “Now we look forward to the next race, and keep training and keep racing.”
All of these accomplishments were only possible through proper training. That training included running what Grant estimated as 500 miles over the summer. When it came to being motivated, Grant could not help but quote John L. Parker, author of “Runner’s World.”
“The trials are miles, the miles are trials,” Grant said. “I was determined to fit in the miles and help be part of what would inspire the rest of the team.”
Yet throughout all of his training and accomplishments, Grant remains concerned with his team and how the rest of the season plays out.
“I want the team to evolve and have fun,” Grant said. We’re not as young anymore, but we can continue growing as a group of student-athletes.”