As a young, inexperienced and anxious Utah women's cross country team prepared for the year's first meet, freshman Jenny McCune separated herself from the moment to cherish the rising foothills and rolling farmlands of Cache County.
For at least one morning, the American Heritage Center in Logan became paradise.
"Going into that race, I was in heaven," McCune said. "Obviously I was nerve-racked, but the reason I was in heaven, I was running on a farm. I'm a total country girl. I was running by horses and chickens and peacocks. The scenery was beautiful.
"It inspired me, to say the least."
On that glorious morning, the Utes ran third to Utah State and Weber State, while McCune finished 11th to lead all Utah runners. Freshman teammate Amanda Mergaert was right with McCune, finishing 13th.
With eight freshmen and three sophomores, the Utes are in a rebuilding year under coach Kyle Kepler, whose team was picked to finish fourth in the Mountain West Conference. Utah lost four seniors from 2008 and is redshirting senior Alyssa Abbott.
As the Utes prepare for Saturday's meet at Montana State in Bozeman, all Kepler asks for is more improvement. McCune and Amanda Mergaert, two of his top two runners, are prepared to work.
"These are the years that keep the job different," said Kepler, embracing his role as teacher. "Every kid on the team is unique in their own way. They've bonded and blended as a group real well."
Although it was Kepler's role as recruiter that eventually won over Mergaert, a native of Shelby Township, Mich., half the recruiting battle was won on the plane ride into Salt Lake City.
"We were on the plane and my mom said, 'Open the shade,'" said Mergaert, a high school McDonald's Athlete-Scholar. "The scenery and mountains took my breath away. I had this feeling, you know, like you know you belong someplace.
"Where else can you pick up your whole life and move across country? I'm adjusting. I miss everybody back home, but I love it here."
The reasons why Mergaert and McCune feel they belong at Utah are different. Both runners also bring a wide-eyed integrity.
"Those two, even in the recruiting process, were that way," Kepler said. "With most recruits, its 'yes or no.' Other times, kids want to know everything.
"It's a huge positive. I feel like I connected with them immediately. They're very bright kids."
For McCune, a resident of Sandy, family ties to Utah run deep. Her uncle and grandfather competed as Utes.
Another, more important reason, is the declining health of her parents, Mark and Liz. Her father is battling cancer, while McCune's mother has respiratory issues.
"They're just troopers, and I like to go home and help them," she said. "Sometimes I worry about my family, whether I should be there instead of here. This is where they want me to be. My biggest letdown [for them] would be not working toward my future and my goals.
"Kep is very understanding about my family situation. He said I have to be tough as nails. That stuck with me."
Mergaert has different reasons for moving halfway cross country.
"In Michigan you have to drive hours to find a hill," she said. "Here, it's crazy. We're up in the canyons, running at 8,000 feet. You have to keep focused on where you're going, but, it's like, 'Oh my God, coach, are you getting a video of this?' We're running someplace new every day.
"Cross country is very rewarding. We work our tails off all year round. Not every day is great, but the reward after that is one of a kind."
They bonded just as quickly with their new coach.
"Most coaches like to brag about their awards and how their teams did," Mergaert said. "Kep told me what he expected from the team. I was interviewing him instead. We have a lot of potential. In the next two years I think we can win the [MWC] championship."
