Senior Daniel Galvin works day in and day out to perform the extreme distances required in cross-country running, but physical work is only half of the story. Physicality and mentality play equal parts in most sports, but in cross-country, the mentality of persistence has prominence, Galvin says.

“With cross-country, you can keep on doing it and eventually you’ll get better at it,” Galvin said. “It requires a lot more grinding than most sports.”

Galvin was born in Syracuse, New York, but raised in Tokyo, Japan. Despite being in such a different country, his upbringing in the sport does not differ too much from someone in the United States, Galvin said.

Galvin grew up on a military base in Japan where he was around many American kids. Being in Japan, he competed against many Japanese schools. The level of competition in Japan does not match that of the United States, Galvin says.

“Even in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference, everyone competes and goes out there and gives their hardest,” Galvin said.

Running plays only a small part of the equation. Icing, stretching and general healthy behavior make up the majority of what runners do to make sure they are fit to run their competitions, according to Galvin.

“Realistically, your body isn’t designed to be running 100 miles a week,” Galvin said. “Even me at 70 miles a week, compared to the rest of the team it’s not too much, but compared to the average person, that’s a lot of running.”

Iona’s tradition in cross-country has affected Galvin throughout his time here. Galvin cherishes the determination and pride the team has, which has pushed him to work hard and persevere through the grind of cross-country.

“We’re able to go out and bring it to those guys [on the national level],” Galvin said.

Galvin prioritizes representing Iona College as best as he can, no matter the team they are facing. In the program’s past, the Gaels have done great work in producing top talent in cross-country. The history behind this prestige makes it difficult to leave an individual legacy, Galvin says.

“We’ve had guys go to the Olympics,” Galvin said. “To be recognized as one of the best in Iona’s history, you have to really be not only be the best in Iona athletics, but be one of the best in the country.”

Galvin still aims to leave a personal legacy for all those coming into the program, despite the huge shoes there are to fill. He hopes to continue on the tradition of the Gaels and making sure it stays strong when he leaves the program. The tradition of Iona keeps the team strong and consistent, according to Galvin.

When it comes to those who look to get into the sport, Galvin suggests always getting your miles in and being on top of the little things. While cross-country is a running sport, you are actually running for only around an hour a day, Galvin says.

Stretching, a healthy diet and a healthy sleep schedule unlock your potential to become the best you can be, Galvin claims.

“There’s so much more that goes into cross-country than just going out and running miles,” Galvin said. “Just staying on top of those [little things]…makes a great athlete.”