Camel of the Edition: Tristen McDonough

Courtesy of Sean Elliot

Camel of the Edition is a series that seeks to highlight extraordinary Connecticut College athletes who have stood out from the herd due to their recent performances or as a leader on campus or on their team.

Tristen McDonough ‘29 has been an important contributing member of the Men’s Cross Country team throughout the season so far. His hard work over the past several months came to fruition with a breakout performance at the NESCAC championships, where he ran a time of 26:31 for the 8,000 meter, and took 70th place as the Camels’ third runner. McDonough will be looking forward to the Mid-East Regional Championships at Trinity College this weekend as a chance to continue to showcase his stellar form. 

Although the races start in September, any good Cross Country runner will tell you the real season starts in May with the beginning of a summer of rigorous training. For three months over the summer, Cross Country athletes prepare for the season by running every day and reaching new highs for weekly mileage. 

What was your training like this summer and throughout the season leading up to this race?

This summer was a difficult and strenuous season of training. I’d reached 70 miles per week for the first time in my running career, and combined with the constant heat and humidity, I was burnt out. After taking it easy for a few weeks upon moving back to Conn, I bounced back. In-season, the training has been shaped to the demands of the 8K race, including workouts with longer, hilly intervals and daily runs between 8-11 miles, including double runs. Overall, the training has been extremely helpful in preparing for races and has helped me learn more about myself and my strengths as an athlete.

An 8,000 meter race is a very taxing physical battle for under half an hour but more than anything it is a mental battle. Cross-country runners will tell you the most challenging part of the race is having the mental fortitude to maintain such a painful pace for a very long race

What was going through your mind throughout the race?

During the race, I was ready to attack the challenging course. I knew where the toughest parts would be, and I knew that I had to race hard, but also smart. With this race in particular, I felt more confident in myself and my ability to push up the hills and maintain the desired pace. I also made it a point to stray from negative thoughts and only think about putting one foot in front of the other. In other words, I was present in the moment, rather than thinking about what came after. That is not something that comes naturally, but a skill that takes a lot of practice as well as belief in the self. 

This race was 22 seconds off of McDonough’s personal best 8,000 meter time but it occurred on an exceptionally difficult course at Middlebury where McDonough beat a large handful of runners from rival schools that he has never beaten before. 

Were you surprised when you saw your result after crossing the finish line?

Honestly, yes, I was. Going into it, I knew that the time I would run was not going to be a best time, due to the hilly, difficult nature of the course, but I was surprised with how I placed and how I did relative to other runners I had raced throughout the season. I’ve never thought of myself as somebody with the potential to make waves in a championship race, so coming to that realization that it’s actually possible for me was heartwarming. I was pleased with my performance, and it makes me feel optimistic about the Regional Championships coming up next.

McDonough is coming off a breakout Track season last year, where he ran 15:22 for 5,000 meters and 32:19 for 10,000 meters. He also earned All-New England honors in the 5,000 meters and placed 21st in the 10,000 meters at the NESCAC Track and Field Championship.  

What are you looking forward to in the rest of the season and onto Track?

I look forward to finishing out strong this cross country season. Even though cross country has always been my favorite season, I look forward to transitioning to track this coming semester. I love the support that we are able to give people during track season because we’re not all in the same race, but we’re scattered into different events throughout the day. Even when one person’s event is on the track, a crowd of us will line up and cheer. The team is like a family, and the sense of community has always been something I love.

McDonough will compete in what may be his final race of the season at the Regional Championships two weeks after his outstanding performance at the NESCAC Championships. This will be his first time running at the Regional Championships, and the Camels will be hungry for a strong result in the biggest meet of the season.