Sick Jazwinski falters at end

By Rhonda Gilmer

Daily Sports Writer

MADISON - It was hard not to feel the disappointment after seeing the face of Michigan senior Katie Jazwinski yesterday after the Big Ten women's cross country championships.

Jazwinski did not have the kind of race that was expected of her, finishing 16th. But, Jazwinski's problems were not all external.

Jazwinski "had a migraine last night," Michigan coach Mike McGuire said.

Apparently, that headache never subsided. At the start of the second lap, Jazwinski was running in the top two with defending NCAA champion Erica Palmer of Wisconsin.

Palmer - who set the pace from the opening leg of the race - was in the lead, but Jazwinski was not far behind. At that moment, it seemed as if the race was shaping up perfectly for Jazwinski as all of her Michigan teammates trailed behind.

With that in mind, the sight at the end of the second lap was very surprising. Jazwinski was not in the top five. At this point, it was clear that Jazwinski had lost her endurance, and her earlier strength in the race never came back. She dropped all the way to 16th.

At the conclusion of the race, Jazwinski appeared to be in shock. This was not the race she expected, and this is not the kind of race she would have chosen to run. Jazwinski chose not to speak about her performance.

But, in cross country running, the best race is not always possible. Mitigating circumstances can greatly affect a runner's performance in a meet.

The night before the race, Jazwinski took medicine to try and prepare herself for the Big Ten championships. Jazwinski was not at her best physically, but she tried to tough it out. The headache affected Jazwinski beyond a physical standpoint - for this race Jazwinski did not have the mental toughness she can usually rely on when running.

Not finishing in the top five was disappointing to Jazwinski for two reasons.

One reason is that as a top-flight runner, Jazwinski consistently competes on a high level and her success defines her as a runner.

Another contributing factor to Jazwinski's disappointment is that she is considered a team leader because she has consistently been one of the best runners for the Wolverines this season. As a team leader, she tries to set an example for her teammates, so a below-average performance affected not just Jazwinski but the entire Michigan squad.

Earlier this season, Jazwinski led the Wolverines to three team titles, claiming two individual titles in the process. Her leadership ability isn't in question after one substandard race.

On the bright side for Michigan, there will be more chances for Jazwinski to run a better race. With NCAA districts in two weeks, Jazwinski has a chance to redeem herself.

Jazzed up

Senior Katie Jazwinski has been Michigan's most consistent runner all season, until a disappointing performance yesterday.

Event Place

Miami Invitational 1st

Spiked Shoe Invitational 1st

William & Mary Invitational 2nd

Notre Dame Invitational 5th

Wolverine Interregional 2nd

Big Ten championships 16th