by Pat Turner, goUTSA.com contributing writer
SAN ANTONIO — Dusan Makevic will leave UTSA knowing he made his mark on the Roadrunners track and cross country programs.
If there are any questions about that, the senior from Sabac, Serbia, has record-breaking runs to prove it, along with numerous other highlights.
Although he fared well as a junior following his transfer from Louisiana-Monroe, his senior campaign has been even more impressive.
After a banner cross country season where Makevic led the Roadrunners in each race he participated in, including a fourth-place finish at the Conference USA Championships and a 16th-place performance at the NCAA South Central Regional, he’s continued to shine during the indoor campaign during which time he registered record-breaking performances in consecutive weeks.
How impressive was that feat?
Well, his time of 14:01.36 in the 5,000 meters, which was good enough for third place at the John Thomas Terriers Classic in Boston, shattered distance coach David Hartman’s 21-year-old mark of 14:36 set back in 1995.
Then, his 8:08.35 in the 3k earned him a gold medal the following week at the Charlie Thomas Invitational in College Station and that eclipsed a mark older than Makevic. The 31-year-old record of 8:10.09 previously belonged to Olympian Roger Soler.
As an added bonus, Makevic won the mile run at last Friday’s Howie Ryan Invitational in a personal-best time of 4:05.96, which ranks second on the Roadrunners’ all-time performers list.
“This season has started out really well,” Makevic said. “I have prepared for this and feel really good. Getting the records gives me a lot of confidence and I feel I have gained respect from my teammates and from the conference. When I broke the records, other coaches were coming up to congratulate me and that was really nice.”
What type of reaction did Makevic get from Hartman?
“He was very surprised,” he said. “It was a lot better than he expected. When I got the 14:01, he was very excited. He deserves a lot of credit for helping break the record.”
Although setting records, shattering personal bests and earning medals has been exciting, the best thing about the situation is knowing there is an opportunity to do more.
Next week’s Conference USA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Ala., is the focus for the time being and Makevic is hoping his recent success is a preview of things to come.
The outlook is favorable. He currently leads the conference in both the 3,000m and 5k and is ranked second in the mile.
“It’s going to be a challenge to run all three,” Makevic said. “I want to do well and keep the pace. It will be three long races in two days, but I will prepare myself. I plan to stretch and avoid getting tired.
“But this is not the first time I have done this. I have trained my body for this and will be ready. Everything plays a factor in this. I’m glad I can help my team because we’re trying to win the championship. If we want to win, we need to earn big points.”
Makevic appears to be in top form for the task and, more importantly, he is wiser.
Makevic has different strategies depending on the competition. As far as the competition goes, he constantly is searching to find all he can about opponents.
Still, the key is preparation.
“It all depends on who is running the race,” Makevic said. “I try to do a little research, so I have an idea about the runners in our conference. I always focus on what am I trying to achieve in the race. In the championship races, I try to sneak somewhere in the group to get the best position and then go all out over the last 200 or 300 meters.”
Although running smart races and studying opponents is helpful, he believes much of the success came from a solid cross country campaign.
Makevic missed that part of the season as a junior because of a stress fracture and, although he had a respectable indoor and outdoor season a year ago, being sidelined early set him back in his training.
This year, Makevic participated in cross country and benefitted greatly.
“Cross country season is more like a workout for us,” Makevic said. “If you don’t have a good cross country season, you’re probably not going to have a good track season. We build up the mileage and it’s made a big difference for me this year. I was disappointed I missed going to nationals, but I still had a good year. I feel like I am in great shape because of cross country.”
Following the indoor season, Makevic looks forward to a strong outdoor season where he is expected to compete in the mile, 3,000m steeplechase and 5k.
This season, Makevic hopes to improve his times and earn a trip to the NCAA Championships. Of course, breaking more records and helping UTSA capture another league crown also are on his to-do list.
“I am looking to do better,” said Makevic, who has one year of eligibility remaining in cross country after this spring. “I am thinking it will be better because of cross country and indoor. I know the coaches are expecting more from me and I want to do more. I want to sharpen my running, so when conference comes I will be at my best.”
Making a name for himself isn’t the only thing Makevic has accomplished at UTSA.
He also has found a special place in the process.
He enjoyed good times at Louisiana-Monroe, claiming multiple All-Sun Belt Conference honors. However, following his sophomore season, the program went through a coaching change and Makevic was uncertain about his future, so he looked elsewhere.
UTSA happened to one of the schools showing interest.
At the time, Makevic had not heard of UTSA. After being introduced to the coaches and learning more about the program, he knew being part of the Roadrunners was a golden opportunity.
“I knew of San Antonio and the Spurs, but I had not heard of the college,” he said. “Everyone welcomed me and my teammates are good friends. They have included me in everything and it feels like home.”