From the time he began running track in the eighth grade and then cross country his sophomore year of high school, AU senior Brendan Fennell's life has been all about improving his running. His dedication and determination to the sport is reflected in the numerous awards and recognitions he has received during his athletic career at AU.
Much of Fennell's success comes from a deep passion for the team competition in cross country.
"It's nice to have a whole bunch of guys racing with you," Fennell said. "Cross country is more of a team - more about the people, not the time."
The team aspect of cross country is made clear on race day. Fellow teammates help to push each other through the several different courses the team runs on. The courses change depending on the location of the race.
"You're just out there competing against the guys; you don't worry about splits or anything," Fennell said about race day. "It is just head-to-head, every guy versus guy, which is the aspect I like most."
There are many aspects to the sport, but patience is one of the most important. If there is one thing that Fennell has said he learned throughout his athletic career at AU, it is that success comes from having patience. When racing against the clock and other athletes there are moments throughout the season when the time on the clock doesn't accurately represent the intense amount of training a cross country athlete has undergone.
"You have to be really patient," Fennell said. "It's a little frustrating at times because what you do today, you're not going to see results right away."
Fennell has seen results from his training, though. Having a large amount of experience in his sport has provided Fennell with an advantage over beginners who still have to learn about the compounding training required to excel.
"It might take years and years of training consistently to get the results you want," Fennell said.
It was the highly developed training program that drew Fennell to AU. Running being such a vital part of his life, Fennell knew that choosing a school was going to be dependent on the running program the school had and its academics.
Fennell was not only attracted to the many team accomplishments, but to coach Matt Centrowitz's accomplished running resume as well.
"Coach takes each runner, coaches them individually and helps them grow, being the best they can be," Fennell said.
Fennell has grown over the years and has helped the young team grow into the close-knit group it is.
"We have 10 to 12 new freshmen, all young, new and enthusiastic, fired up," Fennell said.
The men's cross country team lost key graduating seniors at the end of last year, but Fennell and other seniors took up the leadership role and guided the team.
"You've got to show them what coach expects of you and what you are supposed to be doing," Fennell said. "You have to lead by example, like the older guys did for us when I was a freshman and sophomore."
As his senior year season comes to an end, Fennell says his strongest individual moment came in the 2006-2007 season when he earned himself Patriot League Champion in the 1500m.
His determination and hard work are also reflected in the classroom. Being a Division 1 athlete has helped to keep Fennell on schedule with his grades.
"If you are in a routine, and every athlete has a routine, you are fine," Fennell said. "The moment you step out of the routine, it gets hard and gets away from you."
Fennell is majoring in business administration. As he looks to the future and graduation, he is uncertain on his running career.
"It all depends on how fast I can run, then I will explore my options," Fennell said. "I definitely want to pursue running - it will just come down to the when and where."
Right now, Fennell concentrates on the cross country team heading to the NCAA Mid-Atlantic Regional meet, where top finishers advance to the NCAA Championships in Indiana.
"I've learned before what to do and what not to do when I get to cross country nationals," Fennell said. "It's a big race, and I've improved with it each year. Hopefully, I can jump into the top 40 and earn the All-American status"
