Competitive excellence is key to keeping Fairfield Union girls' cross country among the elite programs in the state
PATASKALA – At the recent McGowan Invitational, Fairfield Union’s Andrea Phillips and Anna Conrad were running side by side as they made their way toward the finish line.
Even though they are teammates, both were straining hard to beat the other. On this day, Phillips, a senior, was able to edge out Conrad by two seconds as the duo placed seventh and eighth overall to help lead the Lady Falcons to a third-place finish out of 14 teams.
The fact they can push each other like that, not only in meets but in practice, is the key to the Falcons’ long-standing tradition as one of the top Division II girls’ cross country teams in the state.
Phillips, who has been part of the program for the last four years, welcomed the competition from Conrad, a junior. She knew it would not only benefit herself, but Phillips knew it would help in the overall success of the team.
“This is only Anna’s second season running cross country, and before that, I was always by myself and had to train alone,” Phillips said. “When she joined the team, it was a little bit of a shock because I felt like, wow, this new girl is already faster than me, but as it turned out, it was a great thing. I am so thankful for her because she has really pushed me in practices and in races, and I am better for it.”
Conrad was a standout sprinter in track before Fairfield Union coach Rob Myers was finally able to talk her into running cross country last year. After finding her way a year ago, Conrad has been outstanding this season, and having a partner like Phillips, has made her even more competitive.
“We both have our good days and bad days, but we always push each other and in workouts, if one of us is having a bad day, we always push each other to be better,” Conrad said. “During races, we always go out and try to stick together and help each other and it has helped so much.”
Myers said having two elite runners in the program is a luxury, and beneficial to both.
“It’s very important, and the way I always tell them they can push each other when the other one is having a moment of weakness,” Myers said. “We can help bring them with us rather than run them into the ground. If we can get athletes to work together like that, it is huge for them and the program. For Anna, after being successful in track, I told her she could be just as good in cross country if tried and she finally did. She came out last year and she has made another jump as far as believing she belongs here. She understands what her capabilities are, and she is having a great year.
“You are always going to be better if you have a good training partner because it’s hard to do this sport alone. As for Andrea, she is highly motivated, and she is one of my toughest athletes. She is tough, and there is no doubt her Anna competing with each other, has helped both.”
Upholding the tradition
Phillips and Conrad are the latest in a long line of elite runners to come through Fairfield Union, and they understand there is huge expectations for the program year in and year out.
In the last nine years, the Falcons have won five (2015, 17, 18, 19, and 2021) Mid-State League-Buckeye Division championships and six Southeast District titles. During that span, Fairfield Union has had at least one individual qualify for the state meet every year since 2013, and as a team, the Falcons have qualified for the state meet five times, including a state runner-up finish in 2018.
“I think our consistency is our consistency,” Myers said. "If they buy into what we are trying to accomplish and they focus on that process and nothing more, the results will take care of themselves. We do talk a lot about the tradition, and I think they understand it, but for them, it is more of a matter of pride and representation than it is, as far as the pressure of upholding the tradition.
“I don’t ever want to put pressure on them of feeling like they have to uphold it because it could cause them to go the other way. We just want them to focus on the process, and by focusing on the process, they understand that tradition will stay alive.”
Phillips said she saw it when she was younger and couldn’t wait to be a part of such a tradition-rich program.
“When I was in the eighth grade, I saw the high school girls running and I just wanted to be like them and carry on the tradition,” Phillips said. I understand it and get it, and I love how when we walk into meets and everyone looks at us because they know Fairfield Union has so much tradition.”
Even though Conrad has only been a part of the program for two years, she fully understands there is a standard to uphold.
“Fairfield Union has done so well for so long and it is our job to keep that going,” Conrad said. “The teams in the past we so close and did a lot of bonding things off the course and that makes a huge difference. Those teams in the past were so connected, and we are doing our best to make sure we stay together and be there for each other.”
Regardless if a runner is having success or struggling, Myers preaches all the time about following the process and believing in the system that has been put in place. It has obviously worked.
Both Phillips and Conrad are big believers in what Myers is preaching because they have seen the results firsthand by following the process, which has enabled them and the team to compete at a high level.
“As a freshman, I was four minutes slower than I am now, but I believed what Rob told me,” Phillips said. “Some days, it was hard just putting one foot in front of the other but kept doing what he told me and focusing on that, and the results eventually came.
“I never go into races with a specific goal trying to place anymore because I don’t want to put pressure on myself, but instead, I just try to focus on giving my best effort. My goal is to give 100 percent effort and be dead at the finish line, and I know if I do that, the result will take care of itself. To be honest, though, I love the pressure of being on a top-notch program like ours. The more the better. It gets me hyped to run my best.”
Myers has cultivated a program with competitive excellence, and it doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on Twitter @twil2323.
This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Competitive excellence is key to keeping Fairfield Union girls' cross country among the elite programs in the state
