UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. – Benedict College freshman Donald Kibet ran a personal best time in grueling conditions and finished 50^th overall out of 262 of the nation's top runners at the NCAA Division II Men's Cross Country National Championship on Friday afternoon.
 
Kibet ran 30:45.5 over the 10K Chambers Creek Regional Park course.
 
"He really ran well. It was cold and tough conditions," said Benedict coach Frank Hyland. "The terrain was tough. A lot of the top runners went down, so he ran really well. He ran a perfect race for his shape and his condition."
 
The temperature at the 9 a.m. local time start of the race was 36 degrees, but dropped as the race progressed to 31 degrees.
 
Kibet said he was proud and happy with his performance in the demanding conditions.
 
"I can't complain. It was plenty cold. I'm not used to this. It was so, so cold. It was a good race, though."
 
Kibet worked to move his way up after a slow start. He was in 175^th after the first 1.2 kilometers, and had moved up to 122^nd after two kilometers. Kibet made a move and climbed to 75^th at the third kilometer. He made another move up to 60^th at the 3.8 kilometer mark. At the 4.6 kilometer mark, he had moved up another five spots, and had moved up to 48^th at the four mile mark. He was 45^th at the 8.2 kilometer mark, but dropped to 48^th at the 9K mark, before losing two more positions before the finish.