Jarrod Genther is a born-again cross country runner.
Two years ago during high school, he hated running and competed only for attention of others. Now, as an Ohio sophomore, he has fallen in love with the sport again and people are taking notice.
Before the season began, coach Clay Calkins considered Genther to have a major impact on the team and called him a “top recruit” coming out of high school.
“That’s the type of athlete we need to step up,” coach Calkins said. “He is a great example of the jump from freshman to sophomore year.”
And he has.
Halfway through this season, Genther has already clocked in two personal best times and has helped Ohio start its season better than its preseason projection of seventh place in the Mid-American Conference coaches’ poll.
During the first meet of the year at the Miami Invitational, he led the Bobcats to an upset victory over the host team and ran his first sub-15 minute race of his collegiate career with a final time of 14:59.2.
Genther finished 11th individually two weeks later at the Wake Forest Invitational, as he finished with a time of 25:27.83, which is his fastest 8k race to date.
Following the meet, the MAC named him runner of the week.
"I was pretty shocked I got it,” Genther said. “It’s a huge accomplishment, but it doesn’t really mean anything. Giving me the award doesn’t help me at the MAC meet or give me a head start.”
But it wasn’t always smooth sailing for the nursing major.
Genther said other schools didn’t show the same interest that Ohio did, despite his belief in his own abilities. Kent State remains a big motivator in Genther’s running because he visited the school, but was not offered a scholarship.
“Anytime we’re at a meet and Kent State is there, I think about their coach passing me up,” Genther said. “At Pre-Nationals last year I looked [him] dead in the eyes and I was thinking I would have normally been third on their team and a key contributor.”
The runner also says that God has a major role in his life and motivates him when he runs.
On his right thigh, Genther has a tattoo resembling the state of Ohio, with a star in place of Athens. Above it, he has the verse I Corinthians 10:31, “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.”
“I think the verse is very significant for the reasons I want to run,” Genther said. “The verse is saying… Whatever you do, do it for the glory of God. I want my inspiration for running to be myself and God.”
With the men’s cross country team entering the home stretch of its 2013 season, Genther believes the Bobcats have the potential to secure a top-three finish at the MAC Championship and is ready for the challenge ahead.
gh181212@ohiou.edu
@charliehatch_
