Running Down a Dream – Blue Dragon Men’s Cross Country Capping Great Season at NJCAA Nationals

By Tatum James
Staff writer
Email: thehutchinsoncollegian@gmail.com

As most athletes see it as their punishment, these athletes see it as their sport.

The Hutchinson Community College men’s cross country is in a good position to do well at nationals this coming week.

“As long as we focus on running for one another, we know we’re capable of doing something special,” Blue Dragon coach Jafet Molinares said. “That Region (6) championship gave us all a great amount of confidence going into nationals. Region 6 is a very tough region, so we know we belong with the best of them.”

A standout for the Blue Dragons is Titus Kiprotich. He placed fifth in the Region 6 Championships and fourth in the Jayhawk West with a time of 23 minutes, 58 seconds which also led him to breaking the Blue Dragon 8,000-meter record.

Kiprotich has some set goals to keep him focused and motivated for nationals.

“My goal is to perform at my absolute best, pushing my limits and aiming to hit a personal record, “Kiprotich said. “Beyond the times, I also aim to stay calm under pressure and learn from the experiences I have had from other races.”

Molinares has turned this program around to be one of the best. As recruiting takes a lot of time and uses a huge thought process, he couldn’t have done it without his “village.”

“I give a lot of credit to (former Blue Dragon) coach Justin Riggs and the foundation he set here – I wouldn’t be able to do this without coach (Al) Petz and coach (Robert) Spies. The confidence they put in me keeps me going everyday,” Molinares said.

As Kiprotich came to Hutchinson from Kenya, he has had to learn how to deal with training in a different climate, environment, and get used to the available resources he has here.

“Back home, the altitude and terrain are often different – I may focus more on hill workouts or trail runs. Here, I have access to different facilities, like the gym and track, which can allow for more structured strength work,” Kiprotich said. “Training with teammates also pushes me in different ways, as I can learn from their strengths and adapt some of their techniques to improve my own performance.”

This team has a special bond that helps put them to where they need to be. With a group like this, they can achieve whatever they believe and put their minds to.

“The trust they have in their training and the love they have for one another was a major part of it,” Molinares said. “We hadn’t put the pieces together at a meet during the regular season, but they trusted the process.”

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