Women's harriers ready for NCAAs

Last Wednesday night, Michigan cross country runners Julie Froud and Elizabeth Kampfe studied together, trying perhaps to maintain a semblance of normalcy in the week before their No. 7 team traveled to Greenville, S.C., to run in the NCAA championships. Despite their efforts, they found themselves reading and re-reading lines several times, as distractions crept in.

Reporters' questions needed to be answered, suitcases had to be packed, visions of running in the South Carolina sunshine had to be channeled, focused, saved for motivation.

Not that the Wolverines need any extra motivation for today's race.

LOUIS BROWN/Daily Elizabeth Kampfe and her teammate, Katie McGregor, tried to keep their lives as normal as possible while preparing for the NCAA championships, which will be held today in South Carolina. But as the meet approached and their adrenaline kicked in, all they could think about was running.

"I'm so pumped," Froud said. "We just want to go down there and prove we're a seventh-ranked team."

This is the first NCAA championship for Froud, who redshirted last year, but she is no stranger to big races.

The St. Mary's, Ontario, native competed in the world championship cross country skiing race when she was in "grade six" - what they call sixth grade "across the ditch."

Froud never began running competitively until high school, but was highly recruited by many southern schools. She turned them down to come to Michigan, where she felt more challenged, by books and weather.

"It was just too easy there, I wanted to be challenged," Froud said.

Froud likes being challenged more than most people do. Challenges excite her, she likes it when things are tough.

Several southern schools with strong track programs expressed interest in her, but Froud turned them all down because she felt that life would be harder at Michigan.

Having a hard, cold winter appealed to Froud, as did location, but what really turned her off about the southern schools was how their athletic departments seemed to do everything for athletes, she wanted to have as normal, as diffcult a time as she could.

As much as Froud enjoys a good battle aginst adversity, she loves running, any time, any place, even more.

"You just grab your shoes, and you go and run, that's what I love about it," Froud said.

Running is the fundamental sport, though, and in such a straightforward sport, athletes can easily overanalyze their own and others performances.

"As soon as you think too much, you screw up" Froud said. "You've just got to go out and run."

When she's not running, but only thinking about running, Froud admits that she looks to teammate Katie McGregor as an example of a good mindset for a runner.

"I love her mental outlook on things," Froud said. "She's just 'To hell with everything, I'm Katie McGregor, I rock, I'm gonna go and race.'"

"Thats what we all need."

Froud wishes she could erase the small, scattered pockets of self doubt she still carries and adopt more of McGregor's outlook.

"Its all about confidence and just knowing you can do it," Froud said. "That's the kind of attitude she has."

While Froud may appreciate her teammate's tough attitude, she certainly has a similar approach to racing.

"I like the competition and I like trying to beat people" Froud said.

11-24-97