The Drake University cross country teams return to competition on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Chile Pepper Festival, hosted by the University of Arkansas. The Bulldogs' men's team will race in a 8-kilometer race at 9:45 a.m. followed by a women's 5-kilometer race at 10:20 a.m.
 
The Chile Pepper Festival is annually one of the largest meets in the country with a meet-record 65 teams from 17 states set to race against the Bulldogs on Saturday.
 
In addition to giving the Bulldogs their first experience against a large field this season, it will also be the first time the men's team has raced at an 8k distance this season and the second time the women have raced a 5k. Both signal the start of the October portion of the schedule as the team ramps up its preparation for the MVC Championship in a month.
 
Both the men's and women's teams have had two weeks of training leading up to the Chile Pepper Festival after last racing on Sept. 16 at the Grand View Invitational where both teams easily defended their team titles.
 
Individually, Bailee Cofer (Overland Park, Kan.) has led the women's team in every race while Reed Fischer (Minnetonka, Minn.) owns the fastest 6-kilometer time in the Missouri Valley Conference and has twice been honored as the league's cross country Athlete of the Week.
 
Following Saturday's race, the Bulldogs will train for two more weeks before stepping up to the starting line on Oct. 15 at the adidas Pre-National Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind.