The Michigan Daily - Thursday, April 12 2001 -15A
STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT m4
Regine Carruthers has long been surrounded by track stars; now she is one
By Rhonda Gilmer Daily Sports Writer
or Michigan track and field
senior Regine Carruthers, shoot-
ing for the stars never seemed
too tall of a task, because there were
-Sp~aysplenty close by.
rowing up amongst such future
Olympians as Marion Jones and Inger
Miller, there was always someone better
for Carruthers to look up to. Someone
older, and on that higher level that she
so much dreamed of being on.
As a young girl, she was able to see
how much hard work and discipline
came with being a competitive athlete.
Deciding to run track and field might
have been just a natural reaction.
0 She showed an interest in track
because her best friend, Malika Edmon-
son, ran. Barbara Farrell Edmonson, a
former 1972 Olympian in the Hall of
Fame for the 100-meter dash and Mali-
ka's mom, encouraged the two girls to
run.
At the age of seven, Carruthers started
running for the West Valley Eagles -
he same team Jones ran for in 1987 and
88. Both athletes are from Inglewood,
Calif.
"We were from the same area and she
was going to high school when I was
eight and nine years old," Carruthers
said. "We all ran different divisions, so
we all ran together and practiced togeth-
er and traveled together."
In addition, to her close proximity to
future Olympian Marion Jones, Car-
ruthers came into contact with other
*orld-class athletes. The team traveled
around the nation to places such as
North Carolina, Louisiana and Florida.
This gave Carruthers a chance to com-
pete with athletes outside the California
area who were in similar types of
enrichment programs.
EVENTS, ACCOMPLISHMENTS, BROKEN
RECORDS
* "No matter how long you run, you
still have that desire to compete - that
competitive edge. You want to get on
the track and run fast," Carruthers said.
And run fast she does. Carruthers is
known for her incredible speed and
strides. She has competed in the 600-
meter dash and 800-meter run, but the
400-meter dash is her best event.
Still, she declares that the 600-meter
dash is her favorite event. Part of her
*reference for this event derives from
the strategy that goes into the run. It is
not an easy race, because competitors
have to think during the event about
how to pace themselves.
The 600-meter combines elements of
both the 400- and 800-meter events. In
the 400-meter, no thinking is involved
- runners attempt to come out strong
from the beginning and continue a sprint
0 the end. Anyone who wins the 600
needs that same kind of physical
strength.
The 800-meter run involves more sta-
mina, but the pace is slower. The 600-
meter also requires the mental abilities
to succeed in the run.
It was a good decision by Michigan
coach James Henry to move Carruthers
to this event because she has stepped up.
Earlier ii the year, during the indoor
' on, she won the 600-meter dash at
ie Central Michigan Intercollegiate. At
Big Tens she finished runner-up in the
Michigan crew has been on a tear as of late, but will head south for heated competht 'n
Blue row, row, rows
down to Col
By Jim Weber
Daily Sports Writer
Regine Carruthers stepping out of the blocks at track and field practice. Her definition is determined by her drive to succeed.
600 with a time of 1:32.73 - her per-
sonal best. She was named to the second
team All-Big Ten for her performance.
SPRINT DRILLS
Carruthers has many advantages, but
litheness is not one of them. At practices
before running starts, the team engages
in several sprint drills which requires
flexibility. They work on their running
technique and stretch their muscles.
"Most of my teammates are pretty
limber," Carruthers said. "When it's
time to stretch, I don't do the drills right.
I don't have any coordination, they think
it's funny and laugh at me."
Despite the humor of her teammates,
Carruthers has worked hard to improve
in this area. Since freshman year she has
been working on being a less noticeable
spectacle during the drills.
BEST FRIENDS AND TEAMMATES
Their friendship grew out of living
together. For the past four years, Car-
ruthers has spent plenty of quality time
with teammate Tameka Craig. What
she likes best about Craig is her sense
of selfless giving. No matter what, she
always seems to be there.
"When I'm having a down day,
she'll be able to crack a joke and pick
me up," Carruthers said. "If I'm having
an exam, she slips a note under my
door and wishes me good luck on my
exam."
Craig's openness and warmth makes
her friendship very valuable; but one
thing does concern Carruthers.
"Craig puts everybody before herself
and sometimes that's not a good thing,
but you always know she has your best
interest (in mind)," Carruthers said.
Due to their close relationship, Car-
ruthers is assured they'll stay in contact
throughout the years. She looks forward
to the day when they'll have families
and are still a part of each other's lives.
"That's one person I won't ever have
to wonder 10 or 15 years from now
what she's doing. I'll know that we'll
stay in contact with each other, and no
matter how far apart we live, we'll
TEAMMATE AND COMPETITOR
Trying to keep on good terms is
sometimes a strain on the friendship
between Carruthers and Craig. Not only
are they teammates, roommates and
friends, but they are competitors as well.
Carruthers and Craig both compete
against each other in a trio of events,
which puts an added stressor on their
relationship before and after meets.
"When we get up in the morning the
day of the meet, we don't speak," Car-
ruthers said. "The only conversation we
have is, 'What time are we leaving?'
Then we eat breakfast separately
although we live in the same house.
Once at the track and field building, we
go to our own separate corners, away
from each other."
Establishing a friendship outside the
indoor track season has kept their rela-
tionship going. No matter who is better
on a particular day, what's special is that
they will stay friends. On the bright side,
however, is the outdoor season where
they no longer compete against each
other. For this change, Craig switches to
the 400-meter hurdles, while Carruthers
continues to run the 400-meter dash.
This gives them a chance to reestablish
that open line of communication, which
should be useful since they also room
together when the team travels.
SUPERSTITIOUS
One thing Carruthers is always per-
fect in is maintaining her sense of style.
From week to week she consistently
wears the same exact clothes.
"I have to wear the same short-sleeve
shirt with the same long-sleeved white
shirt and white socks, decorated with lit-
tle yellow starts on them. It gets rough
when you have two-day meets," she
said.
This unwavering superstition could be
the secret behind Carruthers many wins
and good luck.
FROM PAST TO FUTURE
Reflecting back on the past, Car-
ruthers is surprised to look upon Marion
Jones as an Olympian. She always
and during that time they were all just
runners. Since they were in different age
groups they did not have much contact
with each other. But, when Jones made
the Olympics, Carruthers was inspired.
"It's kind of bizarre to hear people
mention her," Carruthers said. "She was
just down to earth like everybody else.
Now she's a role model who had madej
it to the top in track and field. She was
the focal point of the Olympics."j
Also remaining inthe picture is her
childhood friend, Malika Edmonton.
Both friends still run, but Edmonton
chose to remain in California and go to
Southern Cal. They still keep in touch
and although they've been separate from
each other for awhile, both athletes keep
each other posted on their success. Espe-
cially in the 400-meter dash, an event
they both run.
Carruthers has already begun plan-j
ning for the future. A graduate in phar-
macy, she completed her first degree in
three years. She is now in her first year1
of graduate school for pharmacy.
"That was always my goal," Car-
ruthers said. "It forced me to focus. It's a
little bit of stress, but an added accom-
plishment to be able to compete on that
level and produce work."
Carruthers demonstrates that she hasj
that self-drive to achieve success. But
the question is, where will she go from
here?
Track has always been a part of her
life, so why should she quit now? With a
season of eligibility left, she'll continue
to run. Then it's on to pursue the next
big dream of her life - being a pharma-
cist.
The No. 4 Michigan women's crew
team has won 11 of its 12 events this
season, but will face a much more com-
petitive field this weekend in Columbus
including No. 2 Southern California and
No. 7 Ohio State.
"We are all looking forward to this
weekend because this is the first week-
end we are going to be pushed," said
varsity eight rower Bernadette Marten.
Clemson, Iowa, Michigan State and
Sacramento State will
also race.
The first varsity eight COLt.
boat races twice -at Who: No. 4 M
10:30 a.m. and at 2 p.m. No. 2 Ohio Sta
The afternoon race will Southemn Cal.,
be the more important of ers
the two. In this race, pw:10:30
Michigan will square off Latest: Michig
against Southern Califor- 11-of-12, but h;
nia, Ohio State and cut out this me
Michigan State. Although
Ohio State and Michigan State are both
good rowing teams, Michigan is intent
on knocking off the second ranked Tro-
jans.
"We're really excited to race USC,"
said senior Laurel Donnell-Fink. She
added that she thinks this weekend will
be even more important than the Big
Ten Championships which the Wolver-
ines will hold on April 28.
The Wolverines are confident not just
because of the success they have had in
competition, but also the progress the
team has made in practice.
HAWKEYE
Continuedfrom Page 14A
Benedict, LeAnna Wicks, Bess
Bowers, Courtney Reno, Misia Leman-
ski and Sarah Kruer will make the trip.
To prepare for the tournament,
everyone has been working on their
short game, namely up and downs and
putting.
"The short game is what makes the
difference at this level," senior Trish
Watkins said.
Michigan has also played two rounds
of eighteen holes in the last week,
something it was not able to do a cou-
ple of weeks ago due to inclement
fate
.,ar
Ea.r
Ean
neet
"It seems like every dv we get a lit-
tle more solid on the wter," M.rten
said.
During practice, M ci ":n has
worked especially hard on osistency
throughout its 2,000-meter rac . Most.
teams race the four sections. of the.
2,000-meter at different stroke ras,
starting and finishing the race especialiy
strong. Michigan, on the other 1and,
races each 500-meter section equv
except for a sprint at the end of the race.
"Our goal is to race every 500 meters
the same," Marten said.
Due to this strategy, the
WvolverinesmilV al
BUS behind early in te race;
tigan vs. but catch up to thu other
and No. 7 boats by the end o' the
mong oth- race. They are also espe-
cially strong in their sprint
n and 2 to the finishline.
ihas won This consistency requires
its works tremendous fitness because
t. by the last 500 meters the
rowers are exhausted. But
the team feels it can remain consistent
because of their tremendous workout
schedule this season. Each day of the
season, Michigan practices in the afler-
noon for two to two-and-a-half hours.
Approximately 70 minutes of its prac-
tice is spent on the water working on
different pressures and stroke rates.
The Wolverines also practice three
days a week in the morning for about
forty minutes to an hour.
"I haven't heard of teams doing
workouts that we've been doing', Don-
nell-Fink said.
weather.
After last week's sixth-place fini"hat
the Indiana Invitational, the Wolvenries
won't be suffering from overconfi-
dence. According to Benedict, this had
been a problem in the past for th& tamr
"Sometimes you don't think yoo
need to practice," she said. '
A lack of consistency from piayer t)
player has also plagued the team"
according to Watkins.
"It's hard to come together allthe
time," she said.
Of the twelve golfers, just five com-
pete in the tournaments for the team's
official score. This creates a jot of com-
petition among the teammates.
always visit at least once a year." remembered her as being a good athlete,
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