By Rob Moseley
Editor, GoDucks.com

There came a point, perhaps three-quarters of the way through Saturday’s 10,000-meter NCAA Championship race, when Edward Cheserek was ready to concede defeat.

The conditions in Terre Haute, Ind., were muddy, cold and windy. Texas Tech senior Kennedy Kithuka came into the day unbeaten in a college race, and seemed well on his way to capping that with a national title.

Just past the halfway point, Kithuka made a strong move. Cheserek wasn’t sure he could answer.

“I was like, ‘I’m done,’” Cheserek recalled Monday. “’If this guy’s gone, I’m done.’ … I was just going for second.”