Inside the Lockerrom Chris Free stops running to talk to The Campus

Author: James Kerrigan

Chris Free's '10 successful future as a cross-country runner appears to be locked-up. He has finished just a few strides behind Jimmy Butcher '08 and Will McDonough '07 in three of five meets so far this fall, including a third place overall finish at the Vermont Cross Country Intercollegiate Championship in late September. The first-year runner has been flying around courses all fall and looks to be a major force in the cross-country world over the next three and a half seasons.

Free's running resembles that of his home state of Pennsylvania's mammal, the white-tailed deer, although he has spent more time running away from opponents than from local hunters over the past few weeks.

Both Middlebury cross-country teams will make the trip to Connecticut College this Saturday for the NESCAC Championship. But before the conference's fastest runner and best team can be announced this weekend, an important competition must take place to see who knows the first-year runner better, his senior Captain Will McDonough or his Battell roommate Dan Glatt.

Have McDonough and Free's side-by-side practice sessions brought them close enough to talk about preferred dental products?

Is Glatt's knowledge of Free's intracacies and daily tendencies limited to life in Battell? Who knows Free better, McDonough or Glatt?

In a landslide victory, Glatt records the highest score in the history of the Inside the Locker Room competition. His five and a half points out of a potential seven has set the benchmark for all future roommates.

From Free's first daily activity (brushing teeth) to his last (late-night Grille run), Glatt knows what Free is up to at nearly all hours of the day. He distinguished himself as a dominant trivia contestant.

After correctly identifying "Aladdin" as Free's favorite movie, McDonough went on to mention that the first-year runner's pre-race superstition involves listening to "A Whole New World." Whether Free prefers the charm of Aladdin, the cleverness of Abu or the good looks of Princess Jasmine remains an unsolved mystery.

Despite spending most every afternoon running with his teammate, McDonough has failed to look down and recognize the brand name of Free's shoes.

Regardless of whether he has stripes, a swoosh or any other logo on his running shoes, Free's back will be plenty visible while he prepares the perfect panini in Proctor and while he crosses the finish line ahead of many opposing racers over the next several years.