Lighthearted atmosphere helps promote cohesion for men’s cross country

Running 35 to 50 miles a week might difficult for the average UCLA student.

But to cover that distance is routine for many of the runners of UCLA cross country, and redshirt senior Robert Brandt said he and the No. 10 UCLA men’s team have had to embrace a different team atmosphere to help them through a grueling season compared to seasons in the past.

“If anything, this year we’re focused on having fun,” Brandt said.

While Brandt said his focus remains on performing well on meet day, he said he is usually the team jokester during the men’s squad’s morning shakeout run.

“I’m almost the guy that’s a little too relaxed going into races,” Brandt said. “Before some of these bigger races, the atmosphere, we try to keep really light.”

Senior Garrett Reynolds – who ran his career-best 8K in 23 minutes and 21 seconds at the Pac-12 championship Friday – said the renewed atmosphere of the team has pushed him to perform his best during his last season with the team.

“There’s kind of a goofy vibe on the team right now,” Reynolds said. “I think it’s part of the reason why we’re so relaxed and able to have fun as a team and maybe it’s easier to do well.”

The men’s A-team roster consists entirely of upperclassmen, and most of them have run alongside each other in practice and races for at least four years. Redshirt junior Andy Ehrenberg – who made his first appearance in UCLA’s top five Friday – said the time he’s spent with his teammates has helped developed their cohesiveness.

“We’re all really comfortable with each other,” Ehrenberg said. “We understand that if we make fun of each other, there’s no seriousness behind it. The fact that we know each other so well really allows us to feel goofy with each other.”

Brandt said he thought assistant coach Devin Elizondo seemed weary of the lack of seriousness during the team’s early-season workouts. But Elizondo said he sees the laughter and frivolity as a sign of a mature and confident team united around the same goal.

“I think it’s the maturity of a group understanding what the vision is and what it needs to look like and how to put it together,” Elizondo said. “A relaxed nature with the really good groups I’ve been involved with comes a deep belief in confidence and believing in the work.”

Last year, the men’s team finished the season unranked and failed to send an individual competitor to the 2018 NCAA cross country championship for the first time since 2013. Now, the Bruins’ top three runners – Brandt, Reynolds and redshirt senior Colin Burke – own three of the top-35 Division I 8K times in the country and have led UCLA to its highest ranking since 2017.

The performances of redshirt senior Millen Trujillo, junior DJ Lawson and Ehrenberg have also helped secure the back half of UCLA’s spread.

Elizondo said the team environment had a role in blotting out the pressure on the Bruins’ top runners.

“(The team’s attitude) takes a little bit of an edge off the question marks,” Elizondo said. “Right now we have more answers than we have questions and (that) is really great going forward knowing this is the way (our team) needs to look.”