Clouds overlay the sky as the outside temperature slowly dips into the low 70s. Winds bellowing through Weibring Golf Course course fall to a whisper, and anticipation fills the air. The running weather is perfect at the 2024 Illinois State University (ISU) Redbird Cross Country Invite. As the starting gun sounds, Caleb Shumaker and the rest of the Northern Iowa cross-country team leap from their box. Practically sprinting to jostle for racing position, Shumaker soon finds himself with the lead pack of runners. He would make the most of the favorable conditions, crossing the finish line in 24:38, a new personal record over the 8k distance. Shumaker is now only 19 seconds away from breaking the UNI 8k school record. Becoming UNI’s leading cross-country runner hasn’t been easy, but Shumaker has embraced the hardships throughout his journey. Now, he is ready to guide a “young and hungry” Panther squad on their quest for a Missouri Valley Conference Championship.
After leading Tipton High School to back-to-back state cross-country titles in 2018 and 2019 before capturing an individual championship in 2020, Shumaker entered the UNI program with high hopes in his first year. However, battles with shin splints combined with an unlucky case of the flu and bronchitis kept him sidelined for most of the season. “It felt like I spent more time in the training room than the track,” Schumaker said During this time away from the sport, Shumaker called back on a valuable lesson that would be the backbone of his return. “Consistency is more important than one big, crazy workout,” Schumaker explained that in running, it is often “you vs you.” Embracing this mentality aided Shumaker to a top-50 place finish in the MVC Championships as a sophomore and a top-30 finish in the same meet as a junior. Entering his senior year, he looks to improve further on this placement, accompanied by the rest of a promising Panther team. “The possibilities are endless,” Schumaker expressed with excitement. “Everyone is in the best shape of their lives.” When asked to describe UNI cross-country, he responded with one word: “gritty.” Leading a blossoming and hard-nosed group like this is easy for Schumaker “Everyone has the right mentality and wants to do the right thing.” With the determination he and the rest of the Panthers embody, Shumaker says he’s commited to“translat[ing] [that] energy in the right direction,” helping accomplish individual and team goals never seen before at the University of Northern Iowa.
Off the course, Shumaker is just like the rest of the students at UNI, working to balance their studies with ever-so-coveted downtime and socializing. As part of the accounting and finance program, he receives a heavy course load within one of the university’s rigorous programs. Factor in running more than eight hours weekly, and his schedule fills up fast. Although the life of a student-athlete can be strenuous, Shumaker states that you eventually do “get used to it” and make the most of the opportunities given to you. In his free time, he enjoys playing frisbee golf with friends and working on his family farm in Tipton. Having outlets to turn to other than running is crucial and allows him to do his best when toeing the line.
Shumaker and the Panthers are competing next at the Gans Creek Classic hosted by the University of Missouri on Sept. 27. Following the regular season, UNI will host the MVC Cross-Country Championship for the first time in eight years at Pheasant Ridge Golf Course. It will be a “fun season to watch,” Shumaker exclaims, and students won’t want to miss it.
