St. Edward’s University now has two organizations that aims to give students an opportunity to enjoy their passion for running and participate in competitions.

Since St. Edward’s cut both the men and women’s cross country teams in January 2009, citing a lack of proper infrastructure in place to support both programs, the team members and the students coming to campus hoping for an opportunity to join the team were both at a loss.

“Before coming to the school, I had gotten in contact with the then coach and I was looking forward to joining the [cross country] team,” Edgardo Jimenez said. “Once I got here, I was told the team had been cut. Since then, I have been considering transferring to a school that offers cross country.”

Jimenez did not want other students to turn away from St. Edward’s or consider transferring because there was not a running program, so he helped start a cross country club team last year.

“I wouldn’t want prospective students to make their decisions on not being able to be part of a running team,” Jimenez said.

Junior Candice Rogers also missed the adrenaline rush of pushing her body to its limit while running, and she has also taken action. This year Rogers founded the St. Edward’s club track team that offers students who enjoy running and miss competing in the sport a way to get involved again.

“I missed running, and most importantly I missed running competitively and winning,” Rogers said. “If I missed it, then I knew other people would as well.”

Both the cross country club team and the track club team are student-driven efforts to give other student athletes an opportunity to run and compete.

“People who love running and competing get a runner’s high,” Rogers said. “It’s when you get excited by the way your body feels as its running, before or even after as your legs, thighs, and abs ache. It’s amazing to feel the wind race against you as you run at your top speed, and when you win, you feel like you are Flash Gordon.”

The track team will begin practicing twice a week in November until the spring semester begins.

Practice will be held on Tuesday from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m.; and from 2:15-3:15 p,m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

“Practice will be off campus because this school doesn’t have a track,” Rogers said. “Going off campus will also give us a chance to work on field events and hurdles.”

Rogers said that the best part about track as a club sport is that track meets allow Division I, II, and III schools to compete against each other, and although the track and cross country clubs are different organizations, they have the same sponsor, and some students compete for both clubs.

“If a person doesn’t show up to a track practice, they can go to a cross country practice,” Rogers said. “We will often merge on some occasions as well, but we are separate clubs that operate together.”

Rogers said that both clubs have a greater goal than just giving runners a place to practice and compete.

“The purpose is to compete and win, but also to have the club grow,” Rogers said. “Hopefully in the years to come [track] can become a legitimate team on campus again.”

Editor’s Note: This story has been changed to reflect that Candice Rogers hopes that track will one day be a team on campus.