Chandler Gibbens, a fifth-year student-athlete at Kansas and the reigning Big 12 champion in the 5,000 and 10,000 meters, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing Nov. 18 at his first NCAA Division 1 Cross Country Championships at the Panorama Farms Course in Earlysville, Va. Gibbens qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships in June, placing 17th in the 5,000-meter final in Austin, Texas. He shares how meaningful it is to race in his first Division 1 cross country final following three previous appearances in the Midwest Regional. Gibbens examines the challenge of running a pair of 10-kilometer races in an eight-day span for the first time in his career. He analyzes his consistency this season, highlighted by a victory Sept. 29 at the Joe Piane Invitational at Notre Dame, in addition to finishing in the top 11 in all four races this fall. Gibbens reflects on finishing fourth in the 8-kilometer race Oct. 14 at the Pre-Nationals event at Panorama Farms and how beneficial it was to be able to learn the layout of the course in advance of competing at the NCAA final. He also shares how significant it has been to compete against several other Division 1 championship meet qualifiers, not only in the Big 12 Conference, but at the Joe Piane Invitational and Pre-Nationals, and how valuable those experiences have been in building confidence ahead of his return to Virginia. Gibbens speaks about the impact of Brigham Young joining the Big 12 this season and how it added more depth to an already strong conference and how much he learned from racing against the Cougars, as well as Oklahoma State and Iowa State. He expresses gratitude for the leadership and guidance of Kansas distance coach Michael Whittlesey throughout Gibbens' career, in addition to the support of the entire Jayhawks' coaching and athletic training staff, in addition to his family and how meaningful it was to have them in attendance at the Midwest Regional final at the Greiner Family Course in Stillwater, Okla. Gibbens also explains how special it would be to become the first Kansas male athlete to earn cross country All-America honors since Colby Wissel in 2006-07, and how much athletes like Jim Ryun, Billy Mills and Glenn Cunningham, and plenty others in Jayhawks' history, have helped inspire and motivation him during his career.