Photo by: Jake Willard/TrackTown USA
Brighter Days Ahead For Ducks
09/01/20 | Cross Country, @GoDucksMoseley
Cooper Teare had national championship aspirations dashed by the pandemic, but a workout Monday at remodeled Hayward Field was a reminder of what the future holds.
After all the hurdles 2020 has thrown at them, Cooper Teare and his UO cross country teammates deserved the sort of reward Monday provided them.
Finishing touches are still being completed on the remodeled Hayward Field, and most of the facility is still under wraps until the full track and field program reports to Eugene and can take part in a reveal ceremony. But on Monday, members of the cross country teams held their first workout in Hayward, as Teare and his teammates continue training despite the postponement of the fall season.
That was just the latest effect of the COVID-19 pandemic to be felt by Oregon's track and field and cross country programs. Teare was doing a pre-meet shakeout for his first race at the NCAA Indoor championships in March when the spring season was put on hold, and the all-American distance runner soon saw the outdoor season cancelled as well.
But Monday's workout brought a welcome sense of normalcy, and hope abides that the Ducks will be competing in their new venue come next spring.
"There's still things to look forward to," Teare said. "And the coaches are doing a really good job of helping us out — not letting us lose motivation, having things to look forward to."
In the spring of 2018, Teare was fresh off being named Pac-12 freshman of the year in cross country the previous fall. He toed the line for the 5,000 meters at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor championships in Hayward Field, the last individual men's race before it was remodeled. Teare hopes to be there for the start of competition at the new venue as well, a nice bookend to what has already been a storybook career.
Years from now, though, when Teare thinks back on the story of his UO career, he might skip the chapter about the last few months.
Last winter, Teare was flying high. He had posted top-five times in UO history over both a mile and 3,000 meters. He had helped the Ducks set a collegiate record in the distance-medley relay. When the team travelled to the NCAA Indoor meet, in Albuquerque, confidence was soaring.
"I think a lot of guys were really in the mindset of, we're going to win a couple of individual races," Teare said. "We had really high hopes that maybe we could win the national championship as a team, as well."
A day before the scheduled start of the meet on Friday, March 13, Teare and the rest of the distance-medley relay team were loosening up for the competition. It was their pre-race "shakeout," and as they jogged outside the meet venue that Thursday, they came across other teams doing the same — they thought.
By then, Teare had heard rumors that other teams were considering withdrawing from the meet due to growing concern about the coronavirus. When the Ducks chatted up the other teams they encountered during their shakeout run, rumor became reality.
"We passed six teams," Teare recalled. "Each of them was like, 'We're actually headed back to the hotel. We're going home.' "
It wasn't long before the Ducks were doing the same. Soon enough, their outdoor season was cancelled as well.
Teare had legitimate national championship aspirations that wouldn't be realized. But he thought too of teammates who'd had their dreams dashed, like Cole Hocker, who used a blazing performance at a last-chance meet to qualify for NCAA Indoors as a freshman; like Jackson Mestler, a senior from Eugene who had qualified for his first career NCAA championships event in March; like Carter Christman, who ran for a club program his first two years at Oregon, then walked on with the Ducks and seemed poised to have a breakout senior season in cross country.
"Everything just got taken away from us in the blink of an eye," Teare said. "And we had nothing to look forward to. It was definitely tough, and all of the guys took it pretty hard."
But, Teare added, "at a certain point, you've got to stop feeling sorry for yourself and look forward to what's in the future."
Teare and his teammates put themselves through some time-trial events in the spring so that runners could have a carrot to chase in their training. Teare said he knew of runners elsewhere who took the spring off, but the Ducks were determined to keep pushing.
Coaches talk to Oregon's runners about "stacking seasons" — using a solid summer as a base for the fall, which is a springboard to the winter, and all of that a foundation for the spring. Training without regular competition is a challenge, but it's one the Ducks accepted.
"That's something you have to deal with," Teare said. "And that shows a great team versus a good team. You can still put in those miles and get that workout done that maybe other people wouldn't."
Teare knows the rewards hard work can provide. One of the best memories of his career remains that 5,000 meters his freshman year at Hayward Field.
He can still hear the sound of his name echoing around the facility during pre-race introductions, and the roar of the crowd in support of a UO runner.
"Pro football players, baseball players, they get that feeling a lot," Teare said. "To have that special moment, where the spotlight's on you, and everyone's behind you … even though I didn't have my best race, that was easily one of my favorite races of all time."
Soon enough, Teare will be back making more memories like that in the remodeled Hayward Field. He made one Monday, when the Ducks took part in their first workout at the new facility, a reminder that for all the turmoil of 2020, there are brighter days ahead.
Finishing touches are still being completed on the remodeled Hayward Field, and most of the facility is still under wraps until the full track and field program reports to Eugene and can take part in a reveal ceremony. But on Monday, members of the cross country teams held their first workout in Hayward, as Teare and his teammates continue training despite the postponement of the fall season.
That was just the latest effect of the COVID-19 pandemic to be felt by Oregon's track and field and cross country programs. Teare was doing a pre-meet shakeout for his first race at the NCAA Indoor championships in March when the spring season was put on hold, and the all-American distance runner soon saw the outdoor season cancelled as well.
But Monday's workout brought a welcome sense of normalcy, and hope abides that the Ducks will be competing in their new venue come next spring.
"There's still things to look forward to," Teare said. "And the coaches are doing a really good job of helping us out — not letting us lose motivation, having things to look forward to."
In the spring of 2018, Teare was fresh off being named Pac-12 freshman of the year in cross country the previous fall. He toed the line for the 5,000 meters at the 2018 NCAA Outdoor championships in Hayward Field, the last individual men's race before it was remodeled. Teare hopes to be there for the start of competition at the new venue as well, a nice bookend to what has already been a storybook career.
Years from now, though, when Teare thinks back on the story of his UO career, he might skip the chapter about the last few months.
Last winter, Teare was flying high. He had posted top-five times in UO history over both a mile and 3,000 meters. He had helped the Ducks set a collegiate record in the distance-medley relay. When the team travelled to the NCAA Indoor meet, in Albuquerque, confidence was soaring.
"I think a lot of guys were really in the mindset of, we're going to win a couple of individual races," Teare said. "We had really high hopes that maybe we could win the national championship as a team, as well."
A day before the scheduled start of the meet on Friday, March 13, Teare and the rest of the distance-medley relay team were loosening up for the competition. It was their pre-race "shakeout," and as they jogged outside the meet venue that Thursday, they came across other teams doing the same — they thought.
By then, Teare had heard rumors that other teams were considering withdrawing from the meet due to growing concern about the coronavirus. When the Ducks chatted up the other teams they encountered during their shakeout run, rumor became reality.
"We passed six teams," Teare recalled. "Each of them was like, 'We're actually headed back to the hotel. We're going home.' "
It wasn't long before the Ducks were doing the same. Soon enough, their outdoor season was cancelled as well.
Teare had legitimate national championship aspirations that wouldn't be realized. But he thought too of teammates who'd had their dreams dashed, like Cole Hocker, who used a blazing performance at a last-chance meet to qualify for NCAA Indoors as a freshman; like Jackson Mestler, a senior from Eugene who had qualified for his first career NCAA championships event in March; like Carter Christman, who ran for a club program his first two years at Oregon, then walked on with the Ducks and seemed poised to have a breakout senior season in cross country.
"Everything just got taken away from us in the blink of an eye," Teare said. "And we had nothing to look forward to. It was definitely tough, and all of the guys took it pretty hard."
But, Teare added, "at a certain point, you've got to stop feeling sorry for yourself and look forward to what's in the future."
Teare and his teammates put themselves through some time-trial events in the spring so that runners could have a carrot to chase in their training. Teare said he knew of runners elsewhere who took the spring off, but the Ducks were determined to keep pushing.
Coaches talk to Oregon's runners about "stacking seasons" — using a solid summer as a base for the fall, which is a springboard to the winter, and all of that a foundation for the spring. Training without regular competition is a challenge, but it's one the Ducks accepted.
"That's something you have to deal with," Teare said. "And that shows a great team versus a good team. You can still put in those miles and get that workout done that maybe other people wouldn't."
Teare knows the rewards hard work can provide. One of the best memories of his career remains that 5,000 meters his freshman year at Hayward Field.
He can still hear the sound of his name echoing around the facility during pre-race introductions, and the roar of the crowd in support of a UO runner.
"Pro football players, baseball players, they get that feeling a lot," Teare said. "To have that special moment, where the spotlight's on you, and everyone's behind you … even though I didn't have my best race, that was easily one of my favorite races of all time."
Soon enough, Teare will be back making more memories like that in the remodeled Hayward Field. He made one Monday, when the Ducks took part in their first workout at the new facility, a reminder that for all the turmoil of 2020, there are brighter days ahead.
Players Mentioned
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
/ Cross Country
Aaliyah McCormick | NCAA 100M Hurdles National Champion
Thursday, June 19
Matti Erickson | NCAA 800M Runner Up
Saturday, June 14
Hayward Field History
Thursday, June 12
2024-25 Oregon Track & Field Intro Video
Thursday, June 12
