A long season complete with hundreds of miles of training came to an end this last weekend for the University of Houston cross country team. After a season of ups and downs, of illness and blisters and victories, former Pflugerville resident Cole Bessner (Hendrickson High) took some time to reflect on the season that just was.

The Cougars’ year came to a conclusion at the NCAA South Central Regionals in Waco on Saturday. The men’s team finished 13th overall, and Bessner took 101st with a time of 34:52 in the 10K.

“It was my first regional,” said the 19-year-old sophomore. “We don’t run many 10ks.”

Bessner is most comfortable running 5Ks and 3Ks, and the team runs plenty of 8Ks throughout the year. But a 10K – which is about 6.2 miles – is a different beast. To be successful at that distance, Bessner and his fellow Cougars put in longer hours leading up to the event.

“We try to up our mileage, and going into the race, stick with the pack,” he said.

The increased mileage Bessner encountered as a college freshman last season was an eye-opener. In high school, he ran 20 or 30 miles a week. In college, that pace was picked up to 70 or 80 miles a week.

“A lot of it is experience,” said Bessner as to the key to improving. “I wasn’t used to the mileage. It’s a whole different level.”

A highlight for Bessner this season was the LSU Tiger Cross Country Festival in Baton Rouge at the end of September. Both the men and women finished first, and Bessner ran a 26:48, good enough for eighth place.

“I think I was happiest when I had the meet at LSU,” he said. “That was a really big meet.”

However, the LSU meet set back Bessner for much of the rest of the season. Heading into that event, he felt something akin to the flu coming on. Instead of resting and letting it pass, Bessner pushed himself.

“It kind of drained me,” he said.

Bessner was also pleased with his performance at the Notre Dame Invitational in October, where he finished 70th in a time of 26:25 in helping the men to a 13th place finish.

Staying focused while logging so many miles during the week leading up to an event can be a challenge, but Bessner keeps in mind that improvement on the course is key.

Bessner chose the University of Houston after attending Hendrickson High School, where he was a two-time regional and state qualifier. Now he is part of a young Houston team with a number of sophomores and freshmen on board.

“I think we all play our own role,” said Bessner, who has yet to declare a major but is eying business. “We’re all leaders. We’re all competitive. We depend on each other.”

With a successful season behind him and a young team to boot, Bessner is excited about the possibilities to come.

“The season went well,” he said. “We all improved. The team is progressing a lot.”