FIVE FOR FIGHTING
ling, Ryan Collins, Reed Connor and Elliot Krause. You get the picture. They all crossed the finish line in unison at the NCAA Great Lakes Re- gional last Saturday to give UW its 10th-consecu- tive regional team title and automatically qualify the Badgers to a record 40th-consecutive NCAA meet.
"I think we've got a really relaxed vibe within
the team,'' Darling said. "The guys are excited. Everything is good right now. Knock on wood (He rapped his knuckles on the table). "We're just going to take it as another meet, run together and hopefully get it done.'' Can the Badgers pull off that strategy in the nationals? The pack mentality? "Nothing has changed, we'll run as a group,'' Darling insisted. "It's a little more challenging because there are more people out there. Last year Mo (Ahmed) and I were able to find each other.
"Landon (Peacock, who finished 20th in the
"Nothing has changed, we'll run as a group,'' insisted Darling (hold- ing trophy). "It's a little more challenging be- cause there are more people out there. The first (kilometer) will be a little chaotic, but it will work itself out and we'll find each other.''
ion.
"We'll have the same focuses at the beginning,'' he said. "You have to get out; you can't get tense
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2010 NCAA meet and has since graduated) met up with us later and we worked together and moved our way up. "The first (kilometer) will be a lit- tle chaotic, but it will work itself
out and we'll find each other.'' Ahmed sees things unfolding in the same fash-
