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No holding back for Butzler
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| Submitted photo Brian Butzler is headed back to the NCAA Division III National Championships. |
By Jim Franz
Sports Editor
UW-Whitewater runner competes in nationals
WHITEWATER - In his past few races, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Brian Butzler has run well.
Extremely well.
Yet he knows he could have run even better.
Call it race strategy, although it had nothing to do with either the WIAC Meet two weeks ago or the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional last Saturday.
Instead, the 24-year-old former Beloit Turner High School standout was looking further ahead to a return trip to the Division III National Meet this weekend at St. Olaf in Northfield, Minn.
“Coach (Jeff Miller) and I talked about saving up energy that I'll need this weekend,” Butzler said. “If you really push yourself with an all-out effort in the regionals in particular it can hurt you for the nationals. I think that's what hurt me at nationals last year. I feel more prepared this time.”
Despite conserving energy for the big race ahead, Butzler still had solid finishes in both the conference meet and at the regional. He was third in the WIAC Championships in Winneconne in 24 minutes and 49 seconds, despite not feeling particularly well, and led the team to a fourth-place finish.
UW-Oshkosh also hosted the regional meet at the same venue, Lake Breeze Golf Course, two weeks later. Butzler was fourth this time, dropping his time to the second-fastest he has run this season, 24:21.15. The Warhawks were ninth in a field of 35 teams and 258 individuals.
The 5-foot-8, 124-pound Butzler says there won't be any holding back Saturday. The national meet will be his final run in cross country.
“My goal is to finish in the top 35, but if I'm in the race later on, I may be able to contend for the title,” Butzler said. “It will probably take the low 25 minutes or high 24s to finish (in the top 35).”
Contending will take something closer to 24 minutes flat. Butzler has been there, too, winning the Brooks Invitational at Oshkosh in October with a 24:01 clocking. (UW-Platteville's Tyler Sigl was medalist at the regional in 24:01.06.)
“My confidence sky-rocketed after winning that race,” Butzler said. “I was really shocked with how well I ran in that meet. I had just got back from running in the Army Ten Miler in Washington, D.C., were I hadn't run that well. I talked to my girl friend (WIAC Scholar Athlete winner Ashley Pick) and told her I was a little nervous about what would happen next. Her exact words were, ‘Man up.' She told me to go out and run and have some fun.”
The pep talk worked. Butzler took the lead with a mile to go and pushed through for the victory.
“I just focused on beating guys rather than time, but I never expected to run that fast,” he said. “I was just hoping to break 25 minutes. I was really surprised when I heard my time. That last mile and a half, though, I knew I had it. At conference, I knew I had it, too, and at regionals. But I didn't have to use it then. Coming into nationals, I know it will be there. I have that confidence. If it comes down to me winning it or finishing in the top 35, I know I'll be able to do it.”
Last season, Butzler admitted he was tired by nationals and finished a disappointing 116th.
This year, if he can duplicate his season-best time, he should be in the hunt.
“I'll have a good shot, but there are probably eight people there who could run that time,” he said. “It's a tough year. There are a lot of good runners. My strategy will be to hang with the leaders and hope that last mile that it is there. The last 800 or 1,000 meters I'll just go as hard as I can. There's nothing left after Saturday.”
Butzler, who won a WIAA state championship as a senior at Turner, said the course and conditions should be ideal.
“The course is kind of rolling, but the ground should be hard and it should be pretty fast,” he said. “I like running in the cold and it'll probably be around 40 degrees.”
A top finish in the nationals will just add to Butzler's long list of accomplishments at UW-W. He was voted the Outstanding Track Performer at the 2007 WIAC Indoor Championships after winning the mile and 3,000 meters. He earned All-American honors by placing second in the mile at the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships last spring and added All-American honors with a third place finish in the 1,500 meters in the NCAA III outdoor championship in May.
Butzler holds the UW-W record for the indoor mile (4:08.73) and is among the top five in the school record book in the indoor 3,000 (8:23.37), outdoor 1,500 (3:54.24) and outdoor 5,000 (14:54.05).
NOTES: Butzler is a bit older than most of his teammates. After graduating from Turner in 2001, he spent a semester at UW-Oshkosh and then joined the Army Reserves. He has senior eligibility in cross country and junior status in track and field. ...He currently holds the top three UW-W team times for season bests and four of the top 10 times for UW-W.
WHITEWATER - In his past few races, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater's Brian Butzler has run well.
Extremely well.
Yet he knows he could have run even better.
Call it race strategy, although it had nothing to do with either the WIAC Meet two weeks ago or the NCAA Division III Midwest Regional last Saturday.
Instead, the 24-year-old former Beloit Turner High School standout was looking further ahead to a return trip to the Division III National Meet this weekend at St. Olaf in Northfield, Minn.
“Coach (Jeff Miller) and I talked about saving up energy that I'll need this weekend,” Butzler said. “If you really push yourself with an all-out effort in the regionals in particular it can hurt you for the nationals. I think that's what hurt me at nationals last year. I feel more prepared this time.”
Despite conserving energy for the big race ahead, Butzler still had solid finishes in both the conference meet and at the regional. He was third in the WIAC Championships in Winneconne in 24 minutes and 49 seconds, despite not feeling particularly well, and led the team to a fourth-place finish.
UW-Oshkosh also hosted the regional meet at the same venue, Lake Breeze Golf Course, two weeks later. Butzler was fourth this time, dropping his time to the second-fastest he has run this season, 24:21.15. The Warhawks were ninth in a field of 35 teams and 258 individuals.
The 5-foot-8, 124-pound Butzler says there won't be any holding back Saturday. The national meet will be his final run in cross country.
“My goal is to finish in the top 35, but if I'm in the race later on, I may be able to contend for the title,” Butzler said. “It will probably take the low 25 minutes or high 24s to finish (in the top 35).”
Contending will take something closer to 24 minutes flat. Butzler has been there, too, winning the Brooks Invitational at Oshkosh in October with a 24:01 clocking. (UW-Platteville's Tyler Sigl was medalist at the regional in 24:01.06.)
“My confidence sky-rocketed after winning that race,” Butzler said. “I was really shocked with how well I ran in that meet. I had just got back from running in the Army Ten Miler in Washington, D.C., were I hadn't run that well. I talked to my girl friend (WIAC Scholar Athlete winner Ashley Pick) and told her I was a little nervous about what would happen next. Her exact words were, ‘Man up.' She told me to go out and run and have some fun.”
The pep talk worked. Butzler took the lead with a mile to go and pushed through for the victory.
“I just focused on beating guys rather than time, but I never expected to run that fast,” he said. “I was just hoping to break 25 minutes. I was really surprised when I heard my time. That last mile and a half, though, I knew I had it. At conference, I knew I had it, too, and at regionals. But I didn't have to use it then. Coming into nationals, I know it will be there. I have that confidence. If it comes down to me winning it or finishing in the top 35, I know I'll be able to do it.”
Last season, Butzler admitted he was tired by nationals and finished a disappointing 116th.
This year, if he can duplicate his season-best time, he should be in the hunt.
“I'll have a good shot, but there are probably eight people there who could run that time,” he said. “It's a tough year. There are a lot of good runners. My strategy will be to hang with the leaders and hope that last mile that it is there. The last 800 or 1,000 meters I'll just go as hard as I can. There's nothing left after Saturday.”
Butzler, who won a WIAA state championship as a senior at Turner, said the course and conditions should be ideal.
“The course is kind of rolling, but the ground should be hard and it should be pretty fast,” he said. “I like running in the cold and it'll probably be around 40 degrees.”
A top finish in the nationals will just add to Butzler's long list of accomplishments at UW-W. He was voted the Outstanding Track Performer at the 2007 WIAC Indoor Championships after winning the mile and 3,000 meters. He earned All-American honors by placing second in the mile at the NCAA III Indoor Track and Field Championships last spring and added All-American honors with a third place finish in the 1,500 meters in the NCAA III outdoor championship in May.
Butzler holds the UW-W record for the indoor mile (4:08.73) and is among the top five in the school record book in the indoor 3,000 (8:23.37), outdoor 1,500 (3:54.24) and outdoor 5,000 (14:54.05).
NOTES: Butzler is a bit older than most of his teammates. After graduating from Turner in 2001, he spent a semester at UW-Oshkosh and then joined the Army Reserves. He has senior eligibility in cross country and junior status in track and field. ...He currently holds the top three UW-W team times for season bests and four of the top 10 times for UW-W.
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