As they stretch out before a run though Yankton Trail Park, the team talked about activities on campus and what they've seen and done in the Rushmore State.

Brittany Thune says debate preparations were underway before the left.

"They took the soccer field and put up a big media, kind of event center," said Brittany.

The campus has also been surrounded with an 8-foot chain link fence.

The team's back in Sioux Falls after running through the Badlands earlier in the week.

"We'd just stop and climb on the rocks and have fun and take pictures," said Belmont Cross Country Runner Shannon Titus.

Coach Seth Sheridan even made time for an successful antelope hunt.

"With Brittany being from South Dakota it was just a neat opportunity to come up, be part of the SDSU meet, so they treated us really well," said Coach Sheridan.

And Brittany tells us, along with balancing school and cross country, she's also paying attention to politics.

"I do as much as I can, and then of course I call dad and he keeps me up dated on things. Especially with us hosting the debate I think that kept me even more interested to know what's going on," she said.

Tuesday afternoon KSFY also talked to Senator Thune.