ADM Cross Country will run in its second race in three days Thursday evening at the Atlantic Country Club. Despite the quick turnaround in between races, Tigers head coach David Zwank isn’t concerned about his runners.

“Knowing that we’re coming back a couple days later, I do feel like at this point in time in the season they’re better able to handle it,” Zwank said “So I guess to some degree, I’m not too wrapped around overall performance other than maybe some more detailed things, some things I talked to them tonight about.”

Zwank said he views this meet as a tuneup for Monday’s conference meet, which he said is the beginning of the most important point in the season. He added that meets in the beginning of the season are intentionally spread out to work his runners back into racing shape, and that the current jampacked schedule is purposely constructed to get his runners focused on the conference meet, the state-qualifying meet and state meet.

This is the time of year when Zwank wants his runners to push harder and get mentally prepared for Cross Country’s version of the postseason, when individual accolades are decided.