Cliff Grassmick / Staff Photographer)
For the University of Colorado cross country teams, Friday's NCAA Mountain Regional is all about remaining in cruise control.
The Buffaloes, particularly the men's team, will be chasing history a week from now at the NCAA finals. Only a regional disaster of epic proportions — for instance, as coach Mark Wetmore described, "everybody getting food poisoning" — will keep CU out of the team competition next week in Louisville, Ky.
Nevertheless, Friday's competition in Albuquerque, N.M., still represents the Buffs' final tuneup before next week's finale. With CU's team bids all but intact for the NCAA championships, striking a comfortable balance between keeping the intensity high while not overextending will be the primary goal at regionals.