Better Than Christmas

I am completely obsessed with DIII athletics.

It is hard to let go of something so great. So I choose to obsess. And this week is a great time to obsess!

ITS NATIONALS!! Indoor Track Nationals to be precise. NCAA DIII Indoor Track & Field Nationals 2011.

My favorite time of year. It is like Christmas wrapped in sweat, colorful jerseys, and spikes. Pretty close to the smell of cookies baking, christmas lights, and shiny ornaments right?

But what do you wrap this time of year? RACES, RACES, AND MORE RACES!

Christmas gets all the hype though. We start the decorating, songs, and shopping way before the month of December. Well, Nationals are this weekend and I have not witnessed much hype. The Championships were hosted at my alma mater (DEPAUW University) last year and I was spoiled with all the attention the meet got. Now I am way out in Texas and have to generate my own hoopla. Letsrun and Flotrack don't even try to get the excitement going like they do for all the other divisions So here is my pre-nationals DIII 2011 hype hysteria hoopla athletes to watch list!

800m
Top qualifying time this year: Keelie Finnel of Coe College with a 2:10.62
Number of athletes: 15
2010 Winning time: 2:09.24 Emily Schudrowitz of St. Norbert
Why I can't wait for this event: I remember watching Keelie Finnel last year in the 400m and praying that I would graduate before she moved up to the 800! She announced her presence this year in the 800 after having a pretty descent run in the 400 realm. Now she faces the past champ in Schudrowitz and seasoned 800m studs in Ann Tank, Meryl Wimberley, and Tara Clemens. Clemens is a great athlete to watch because I knew and raced her older sister. If they are anything alike, Tara will really put her heart out there in the race this weekend. Ann Tank is one of the biggest fighters I have ever raced and will help keep the race honest. Another emerging star is Leah Clement of Wellesley. She has absolutely obliterated races this season and it has been really exciting to watch her progression.

MILE
Top qualifying time of 2011: Randelle Boots of Wellesley College with a 4:50.12
Number of athletes: 15
2010 Winning time: 4:50.20 Marie Borner of Bethel University
Why I can't wait for this event: This event holds a big spot in my running soul. It was one of the coolest races I have ever competed in. And this year the race looks even better. I have another big spot in my running soul saved for Randelle Boots. An absolutely impressive mix of intensity, dedication, and talent can be found inside her. And this is just from the few times I have met and raced with her. She and her coach have done a phenomenal job of getting her ready for this meet and the many more championship meets she has to come. I wish I could be there to see this event in person. It has EPIC written all over it. All 15 entrants deserve to be there and all have an impressive list of reasons why I respect them. I have to give a shout out to Catie Ellingson, Maeve Evans, and Claire Roberts because they are just a great group of girls to watch race. Also, Amy Wilfert, Heather Waterman, and Simone Childs-Walker deserve the tough competitor shout out because I know a little bit about how hard they worked to get to the National Championship this year. Good luck to all of you and make sure you leave the track smoking!

5k
Top qualifying time 2011: Wendy Palvus of St. Lawrence with a 16:57.71
Number of athletes: 15
2010 Winning time: 16:59.40 by Wendy Palvus of St. Lawrence University
Why I can't wait for this event: This is the race I love to hate. In all honesty it is too long for indoor track! But there are some amazing girls ready to tear into this race come Saturday! The returning champ is the firery Wendy Palvus and she does have the impressive career to back her up. With two XC National Championship titles she should find running on a flat track to be quite enjoyable and easier to pace! But, in her abscense from outdoor track Nationals last year another distance start showed her worth: LIZ LAWTON! I will forever be a diehard fan of this savy racer from the University of Chicago. While I have been destroyed in races by both runners, Liz Lawton was just so much fun to watch and had an amazing set of guts! Who really wants to double in the 5k/10k outdoors? She did. She destroyed. She won both! While Palvus won last years indoor 5k event, I think there will be an exchange in the crown this year. Lawton has some fuel for her fire from the Cross Country season and her 2 National Outdoor Titles so I think it will help her win the legitimate battle we have in this race. There will be some excellent doulbers in this event too- Simone Childs-Walker and Maeve Evans are doing both the mile and the 5k. They deserve the major hardcore shout out of the preview because that is a tough double. Especially for indoors. The turns are tight and you don't have very much time to recover from prelims like you do in outdoors. But they both are terrific racers who should handle the fun that doubling brings very very well. Joanna Johnson has been a consistent name in DIII distance as well and will add even more depth to this incredible field.

PENTATHALON
There is only one reason I need to talk about this event. COURTNEY LAUER. And there is only one phrase you need to know for this event- LAUER POWER!!!! While this event is complex with a bunch of events thrown together, the outcome is simple- one winner. And I just happen to know that the person with the most guts, heart, and almost freakish talent out there will be the Ironwoman Lauer. Anyone who can come back from shoulder surgery and rank third in the nation with just 2 pentathalons under her belt is going to bring the heat for the actuall National competition. She knows what a National Championship tastes like too- with DePauw's first Basketball title ever she is well prepared to handle pressure. Plus she got her feet wet with an All-American in the Heptathalon in Outdoors last spring. I will be wearing my tiger striped jersey under my work clothes come Friday and Saturday for her.



I wish I could be there to cheer for all the athletes that will be competing this weekend. My favorite thing to do besides racing is cheering. Graduation has allowed me to work on my cheering skill set and I think I could do some major supporting at the meet after all the practice I have had :) Good luck to all the competitiors. Enjoy the moments. Remember the sounds. Craft your own desire. May you find that you have no limits. I can't wait to see each race unfold like wrapping paper on Christmas day!

Smile. The National Meet is almost here!