Pictured: Mansfield’s Megan Rose, second from the left on the back row, is pictured with her Southeastern Oklahoma State teammates. Rose recently finished as her team’s second scorer for the second consecutive time this season.
At her second scheduled race in this abbreviated spring cross country season, former Mansfield Lady Tiger, Megan Rose, once again helped set the pecking for the Southeastern Oklahoma State Bison.
The GAC Preview Meet in Weatherford, OK welcomed a small contingent of conference schools for the January, 29, afternoon run. SEOSU, Rose’s home since 2018, was among the competition.
Hosted by Southwestern Oklahoma State University, the Friday 5K was a longer course and larger field than the stampede the Bison roamed two weeks ago in Russellville.
Rose finished second on her team for the second consecutive meet. According to the college junior, it wasn’t exactly the perfect finish.
“I got second on the team again” explained Rose. “I was in fifth place behind third and fourth when we all ran the wrong direction at one point. We got corrected and I steadily moved back up.”
The typically cerebral runner admitted being confused by the multi-colored markings along the curvy course.
“The boys’ race was longer,” noted the experienced racer. “They marked their course with one color and ours with another. At one particular turn, we hugged the corner too tight and missed the markings for the girls’ course.”
Rose admitted she was only slightly frustrated at her finish time because of the confusion on the course. Her goal going into the race was to be under 21 minutes. The detour pushed her past that target time to 21:26.
“I went the wrong way,” sighed Rose. “It’s okay though. I’m content with my time and happy with my place on the team.”
The later than normal cross country season has otherwise been kind to the former high school star. Through the early going, she has established an improved pace. A week of 1000m repeat workouts with active rest has helped lift her into the top tier of her own squad’s performances.
“My next step is trying to close the gap between me and the first place girl on my team,” announced Rose.
