Justin Tyner Named MWC Runner of the Week
9/29/2009 12:00:00 AM | Cross Country
Sept. 29, 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Air Force junior Justin Tyner was named the Mountain West Conference Men's Runner of the Week, the league office announced this morning (Sept. 29). It is the first such honor for Tyner, who finished fifth among 167 of the nation's top runners at the Roy Griak Invitational NCAA Division I "Gold" Race in Minneapolis, Minn., on Sept. 26.
Completing his first 8K race of the 2009 season in a time of 24:57.8, Tyner nearly matched his career-best time of 24:50.0, set last year. Tyner vaulted through the field throughout the course of the race, moving from 104th (1000 meters) to 45th (3000 meters) to 14th (5000 meters) to fifth (8000 meters). His time was also fifth among the 751 runners that competed in all three collegiate races (NCAA Division I Gold, NCAA Division II Maroon, NCAA Division III Maroon).
Tyner paced the Falcons to an eighth-place team finish, marking the first time that the junior had been the squad's top finisher. Competing just three hours from his hometown of Baxter, Minn., Tyner was one of three Falcons to finish within the top 40.
Tyner shared the weekly honor with Katy Andrews of BYU, who was named the women's cross country athlete of the week.
Players Mentioned
