Things were going exactly according to plan for Habtom Samuel. The sophomore at the University of New Mexico was right where he wanted to be—with the lead pack—at the midway point of the NCAA Division I Cross-Country Championships in Verona, Wisconsin on Saturday.
Then, disaster struck.
Just after the 5K mark, halfway through the 10K race, Samuel lost a shoe. He was spiked by a fellow runner, which cut his foot and dislodged his shoe. A video posted on X shows the moment in the race when Samuel kicked his shoe off.
That was it: He’d have to run the second half of the race with just one shoe. But it didn’t seem to slow him down too much.
Samuel stayed composed and continued with his original race plan. He stayed with the leaders until Harvard University’s Graham Blanks, the defending champion, made his move with about 1.5K to go. Blanks extended his lead and won his second consecutive NCAA cross-country title.
Samuel, missing shoe and all, was still able to unleash a furious kick and finish second, celebrating as he crossed the finish line.
He did express some disappointment after the race. Samuel, who won the NCAA track and field title in the 10,000 meters in June, felt he could have had a better shot at the win if he ... well, didn’t lose his shoe.
“I can’t believe I finished number two,” Samuel told FloTrack after the race. “I’m so happy, but at the same time I’m not happy.” He felt his fitness level was in a great spot to make a run at the victory.
His bloodied shoe was recovered by a spectator, and it shows a noticeable hole on the side.
“It’s hard to run barefoot. My foot, I don’t feel anything. (The ground) is so hard,” Samuel added. Temperatures in Wisconsin were in the mid-30s during the race, and it snowed in the days leading up to Saturday. Not exactly ideal barefoot running conditions.
Despite it all, Samuel said at no point during the race did he consider dropping out.
“I can’t quit,” he said. “I don’t want to stop.”
Dan Beck is the deputy news editor at Runner’s World. He has led news coverage teams for major running events like the Olympic Games, World Athletics Championships, Boston Marathon, and New York City Marathon. A former collegiate distance runner at DeSales University, he still enjoys running, just more slowly now. Before coming to Runner’s World, he covered track and field and cross-country at MileSplit. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, where the two like to explore the city’s rich dining scene.
