The University of Arizona cross country team has closed out its first season in the Big 12 conference.

The women’s team finished 23rd in the region out of 39 teams, with Molly Lakustiak finishing 67th overall in the 6k with a time of 20:59.9.

On the men’s side, the team came in 16th in a field of 31, with Gideon Mengich clocking in at 29:55.7 for a 39th place finish.

“We are competing tough, and more than that, the team is so close,” said head coach Bernard Lagat. “If we rely only on outcomes for motivation, we are missing the whole thing, and that’s not us.”

That’s been Lagat’s coaching philosophy since he took over the program in 2020, and it’s the same principals he followed when he was a runner himself.

Lagat is a five-time Olympian who competed for his native Kenya and the United States. He last competed in 2020.

Before becoming one of the most decorated middle-distance runners in history, Bernard Lagat was a just boy with a dream. No spikes, no stopwatch—just raw willpower.

“Growing up in Kenya was fun, man!” Lagat said. 

Rain or shine, he would spend his days chasing his sister, Mary, down the dirt trails near their family’s farm in Kapsabet. 

“I mean, I never cared about the mud. I was barefoot,” he said.

Those muddy paths set the foundation for a remarkable journey that would take Lagat from rural Kenya to the world stage and finally, to Tucson as head coach of the Wildcats.

Lagat started training competitively in high school. At 16, he was given his first pair of running shoes and quickly made a name for himself, racing in the Kenyan High School National Championships during his senior year.

After high school, he attended Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture in Nairobi, where he experienced structured training for the first time.

“You can train, and there’s a stopwatch? And someone to time you? And those numbers make sense?” said Lagat.

 His coach admired his passion and encouraged him to stay focused, while his sister’s words – “If you keep up with this, you’ve got the talent. You may actually get to America by running for a university there.” – fueled his ambition:

 “So I was patient, I trained hard and I listened to my coach,” he said.

In 1996, Lagat ran a 3:37 in the 1500 meter race at the Kenyan Olympic Trials. This didn’t qualify him for the Olympics, but he did catch the attention of U.S. college coaches.

He received offers from Ole Miss, Harvard and ultimately chose Washington State University. There, he met two pivotal figures: his wife, Gladys, an athletic trainer at the time, and his coach, Dr. James Li.

Lagat and Li quickly formed a bond that would last for decades. In the summer following Lagat’s graduation,  Li coached Lagat through the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where he earned a bronze medal in the 1500 meter.

“In that moment, I felt I had accomplished all,” Lagat said. “I was happier than the man who won first.”

Lagat jokes saying that he would have been satisfied if he had to retire after this performance. Yet, the 25-year-old was just getting started.

Over the next two decades, Lagat became a legend.

He gained American citizenship in 2004 and went on to win two gold medals at the 2007 World Championships for Team USA. He competed in five Olympic Games, and raced professionally at distances ranging from 800 meters to the marathon.

Lagat still holds the 1500 meter national record for both Kenya and the United States. 

Li remained Lagat’s coach even after he moved from Pullman, Washington to Tucson to lead the University of Arizona’s cross country program. 

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Lagat, then 45, was the oldest track and field athlete on Team USA.

Lagat credited his longevity in the sport to his wife, Gladys. 

“I’m under the same roof as a certified trainer and dietitian. I don’t think a lot of people can say they’ve got it better than that,” he said.

After that season, he retired from competitive running. The same year, Dr. Li retired from Arizona, and Lagat took his place.

“I never really considered being a coach, but I did it anyway,” Lagat admitted. 

“I love coaching at Arizona,” Lagat said. “Sure this is my job, but these are the people I’ve been given to take care of while they are here. I don’t want to disappoint these kids.”

Lagat and his team are now gearing up for the indoor track and field season, which kicks off with a meet in January 2025.

Arizona Sonoran News is a news service of the University of Arizona School of Journalism.