Freshman Robin Harkins has been a strong asset to the Puget Sound cross country team this season. He not only led the men’s team in every meet this fall, but went the extra mile and qualified for the NCAA championships.
“I had a great season in cross country this year. With the help of all the coaches I feel like I am running much better than I did in high school and I am learning a lot of new things about running. I have an amazing group of coaches that are all dedicated to helping me become a better runner,” Harkins said.
Harkins talked about what contributed to his success as a runner this year. “I think being able to run with some of the older runners and the assistant coaches Francis and Courtney helped me improve greatly this season. Every day I learn something about running cross country by asking the older runners and coaches questions about their experiences.”
He didn’t have any specific goals for the season but noticed an overall improvement.
“I did not come into the season with any expectations, but I am definitely doing better than I ever imagined at the beginning of the year. Most importantly, this season gives me an indication of what I should expect next year,” he said.
Harkins enjoys being on the cross country team at Puget Sound.
“I like being part of the group and being able to hang out with the team. The team is very close and I often ask some of the older runners for help on homework, which they are glad to do.”
He also likes Puget Sound for other reasons. “I was drawn to Puget Sound because of the small size and its reputation for being very good academically,” he said.
“At nationals I am just looking forward to the experience with the hope that I will be back next year. I want to be competitive throughout the race, but I have no expectations of place,” Harkins said about the NCAA championships.
The division three NCAA championships were held on Nov. 20 at Wartburg College in Iowa. Harkin placed 189th out of 279 runners with a 4k time of 26:00.7.
A big congratulation is due to Robin Harkins for a great season and for representing Puget Sound at nationals.