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IOWA Cross Country By CHRIS BREWER MIDWEST RUNNERS Hawkeye cross country teams hit the road to prepare for championship season The University of Iowa will need a couple things to piece together a successful 2012 cross coun- try campaign — a fast pair of running shoes and a durable travel bag. For the first time since opening their home course in 2003, the Hawkeyes will not host a meet on the Ashton Cross Country Course. Iowa has historically opened the season with a home dual or a triangular, but this year's roster will make its debut at the Western Illinois Early Bird Open on Aug. 31. The trip to Macomb, Ill., is the first of 10 road trips on the calendar. "Usually our early September meets — home or away — are really kind of buildup meets," said head men's coach Larry Wieczorek. "We really want to be ready for the last week of September, and our early road meets will prepare us to be ready for that last weekend of September and beyond." "We have a beautiful course so any time we can run on the Ashton Cross Country Course it's a benefit," said head women's coach Layne Anderson. "But it's especially beneficial when you have the appropriate level of competition, and this year we weren't able to coordinate an agreeable schedule with some other Midwest teams. But we'll get some meets under our belts elsewhere and we'll be able to accomplish the same things in terms of preparing for the big meets at the end of September and October. " The Hawkeye men and women share a schedule, but that may be where the similarities end. The men return four of five scorers from last year's Big Championships, while the women have to replace their top three conference finishers. "What really excites me about this group is their offseason," said Wieczorek. "That whole group has bonded better than any group I've had. The freshmen have come in and communicated with each other. The veterans have bonded with the new and they've all trained really well over the summer. They're really enthusiastic and excited about the season. Maybe more so than any team I've had in 40-plus years of coaching. " Sophomore Kayla Beattie and senior Nick Holmes will pilot the Hawkeye cross country teams in 2012.