Zais Brothers Make UMAC Meet Family Affair
ST. PAUL - Martin and Adam Zais bring a whole new meaning to the term “sibling rivalry.” The brothers, both top runners for their respective cross country programs, will compete against each other Saturday at the 2011 Upper Midwest Athletic Conference (UMAC) Men’s Cross Country Championships.
Martin, a freshman at the University of Minnesota, Morris, boasts the team’s top time for this season, finishing in 28:16 at the Roy Griak Invitational on Sept. 25, where the brothers raced each other for the first time this season. Adam, a member of the Northland College cross country team, finished the race in 27:06.
“Ironically, we are racing more in college than in high school,” Martin said. “The Griak is comprised of about 500 runners, so I didn’t see him during the entire race. We both managed to run personal bests for the 8k.”
The two only spent one year running together for Hudson High School in Hudson, Wis., with Adam running on the varsity and Martin competing as junior varsity.
“I like to think that I helped mentor him along,” Adam said. “He might dispute the accuracy of that statement though.”
Definitely not so, as Martin admitted that during his freshman year he had trouble keeping up during runs.
“He showed me what hard work is,” Martin said. “I steadily improved through the school year and summer, and by my sophomore year I was a contributing member of the varsity squad. I wouldn’t be the runner that I am today without Adam’s mentorship.”
Despite being three years older than Martin, Adam is also a freshman on Northland’s roster. He spent a year at the University of Wisconsin, Madison before taking time off to work for AmeriCorps and the Montana Conservation Corps. During that time he responded to disasters, built houses, and served as a wildland firefighter. He started thinking about earning a degree in forestry, and after hearing about Northland, he went on a visit and decided to attend.
“It’s interesting being simultaneously the oldest runner on the team and the newest,” Adam said of his experience at Northland. “I like to think that I bring some experience to the table, but try to be careful to not change long standing traditions.”
The brothers wish each other the best at the conference meet, but perhaps no one is more excited than parents Jeff and Pat, who will travel to Mankato to watch their sons compete against each other for the conference title.
“My parents seem to be having a good time with our sibling rivalry,” Martin said. “Cross country meets provide convenient family get-togethers.”
Martin has yet to beat Adam in a race, but already knows what he would say if he does at the conference championship.
“I would tell him to lay off the ice cream and coffee.”