Ganzeveld named NAIA runner of the week
By Chasen Selsor
Waldorf junior Nic Ganzeveld made his mark for the first cross country meet of the season by capturing first in Wisconsin along with a team championship.
With the race taking place at the Fourth Annual Viterbo Night Flight race in La Crosse, Wisconsin, Ganzeveld led the warriors by placing first, leaving the competition of 47 runners far behind. The race was four miles long, with four one mile loops for the course. Ganzeveld blew away the field with a time of 21 minutes, 45 seconds. The closest runner behind Ganzeveld finished more than ten seconds later. Ganzeveld thought his first race as a warrior was great and believes this time set the bar for the future meets to come.
“Our goal was to run as a group for the first part of the race and Nic led that very well. I was extremely happy and excited with his performance at Viterbo.” Coach Nathan Christianson said.
Ganzeveld enjoys the new team and thinks it is a large cultural difference coming from Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and winning two national team titles. Ganzeveld wanted to start the season with the new team and with an open mind, and he now loves being a Waldorf Warrior.
Cross country is the sport Ganzeveld selected because he loves the team aspect of it and how it is such an underrated sport. He believes it is heavily over-shadowed by other sports and that makes him want to be that much better to help shine more light onto the sport he loves. Ganzeveld considers one of the best parts of running is getting to clear his mind and becoming more focused on the moment.
“Nic is a big part of the team and has great leadership attributes. He is a huge factor on and off the course,” Coach Nathan Christianson said.
One of his lifelong goals is to finish an Iron man triathlon because he considers it to be the ultimate test of endurance. Ganzeveld’s favorite pre-race meal is rice, beans, corn and chicken. When that is not available, Ganzeveld said he also loves spaghetti. He loves competition and that is what keeps him going through life.
“Blessed, not stressed” said Ganzeveld.