POCATELLO, Idaho- Idaho State runner Joseph Simmons finished 24th out of 189 runners with a final time of 59:38 at the North American Central American and Caribbean (NACAC) Mountain Running Championships July 8.
"How many people can say they've done something like that," Simmons asked. "I didn't know what I was getting myself into and still came out on top. It is a great confidence boost."
The NACAC Mountain Running Championships are held annually to determine the men and women who will compete on the U.S. Mountain Running Team. The race was held on the Loon Mountain Course in Lincoln, N.H.
The course boasts a 3,200 foot gain in elevation over a distance of 6.6 miles. The pinnacle of the run is a black diamond ski slope named Upper Walking Boss, which spans the last kilometer of the race and features an impressive 40 percent grade.
"That was something else," Simmons said. "You have already ran up a mountain and then you have to run that."
Head Coach Nate Houle believes this performance highlights the Bengals' climb through the Division I ranks.
"We are not second class; we have every opportunity to be as good as everyone else," Houle said. "We expect to be able to compete with anyone at the Division I level."
The race brought a newfound confidence for Simmons, who believes this experience will help him in the collegiate season.
"I can trust that I'm going to be successful as long as I keep working hard," Simmons said. "It's doable."
Simmons will return for the Orange and Black Sept. 1 as the Bengals head to Orem, Utah for the UVU Invite.
