Schneider returns to cross country course for the first time since 2013, ready to take on 10-kilometer race in pursuit of qualifying for IAAF World Cross Championships in March in Denmark

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Rachel Schneider enjoyed a memorable February last year when she won both mile and 3,000-meter races in less than an hour at the Camel City Invitational at JDL Fast Track in North Carolina.

Schneider, an Under Armour professional, is seeking another significant start to February, only this time it won’t be on an indoor track and the distance will be more than double.

For the first time since her senior year at Georgetown, when she placed 69th at the 2013 NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships, the 27-year-old Schneider is scheduled to return to the sport Saturday at the USATF Cross Country Championships at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee, Fla.

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“For a long time, I framed myself as a 1,500- and 800-meter athlete. It’s taken many years to gradually build my strength and endurance, but the thought of doing longer events no longer intimidates me,” Schneider said. “I’m definitely a different runner than I was six years ago, and I’m really looking forward to giving cross country another swing this weekend.”

Schneider, who trains in Flagstaff, Ariz., is scheduled to compete in the 10-kilometer race along with ASICS professional Rachel Johnson, an occasional training partner, in addition to HOKA ONE ONE Northern Arizona Elite athletes Stephanie Bruce, Kellyn Taylor, Grayson Murphy and Aliphine Tuliamuk.

Bruce placed third in last year’s race and Tuliamuk won the 2017 women’s title.

Schneider competed in a half marathon in Las Vegas in November, along with four 5,000-meter races from May to August, capped by a gold medal in Toronto at the North American Central American and Caribbean Championships.

“I think it really took some time for me to feel comfortable stepping outside the middle-distance box I had mentally placed myself in and toe the line with confidence in longer races. Last year I was surprised by how much fun I had racing a few 5Ks, and am super hungry to race more of those on the track and roads,” said Schneider, who achieved outdoor personal bests last year at distances ranging from 800 to 5,000 meters.

“Overall training has been going well the last few months. The last couple of weeks have been some of my highest weekly mileage and longest workouts to date, so I’m hoping that shows in races. We’ve got a ways to go, but definitely looking forward to testing the legs out on Saturday in the 10K U.S. Cross Country Championships.”

Schneider had won the mile the past two years at Camel City, along with a victory and runner-up finish in the 3,000 in her past three appearances, but decided to switch up her schedule this year to take on a different challenge in the Southeast.

“This definitely seems like a different type of year for track and field as far as formatting goes. With no Indoor World Championships, and the Outdoor World Championships not being until the beginning of October, I think many runners are taking different approaches to their training and racing goals right now,” Schneider said. “I can't speak for others, but personally, we decided to try something new and really prioritize doing a massive training block January to April, with the hope of hitting the outdoor season really hard. Cross Country fits well into the type of training we’re doing right now, so we decided it’d be fun to mix it up and race this weekend.”

Schneider represented the U.S. twice in international competition last year, also placing second in the 1,500 in the inaugural Athletics World Cup in July in London, in addition to racing in the 1,500 and 5,000 at the NACAC Championships in Toronto.

Although the women’s field is a deep one – with Saucony’s Molly Huddle and Laura Thweatt, along with Bowerman Track Club athletes Amy Cragg, Courtney Frerichs, Marielle Hall, Shelby Houlihan and Karissa Schweizer all scheduled to compete – Schneider is motivated by the opportunity to potentially represent the U.S. again March 30 at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships in Aarhus, Denmark.

“It’s always an honor to wear the USA uniform and represent our country and this sport at the highest level,” Schneider said. “No matter what the outcome is Saturday, I’m really just viewing this event as an awesome opportunity to physically and mentally challenge myself against some of the best athletes in the sport, and continue preparing for what will hopefully be a big 2019 and 2020.”

The USATF Cross Country Championships are the first stop on the USATF Running Circuit. The junior and senior races will be shown live on USATF.TV. All races will be available on demand after the meet. A full list of entries are available on USATFRunningCircuit.com.