http://www.bouldernews.com/bdc/other_sports/article/0,1713,BDC_2416_2777454,00.html
Top-3 finish Saturday would put Boulder runner in Games for fourth time By Michael Sandrock, For the Camera April 2, 2004 Last Sunday, Colleen De Reuck was out for one of her final training runs before Saturday's U.S. women's Olympic Trials Marathon in St. Louis. She was accompanied by her daughter, Tasmin, who rode her bicycle alongside her mom. When Tasmin got tired after 55 minutes, De Reuck ran back to their house, got Tasmin settled, and then went into her basement to run another 15 minutes on the treadmill. Such is the life of De Reuck, one of the top U.S. distance runners for whom family comes first. On Saturday, the 39-year-old will be going for a spot on her fourth Olympic team when she runs the Olympic trials marathon against a field that includes U.S. record holder and three-time Bolder Boulder champ Deena Kastor. The top three finishers will advance to the Olympics, assuming they've met the Olympic A standard of 2:37. The race, part of the Spirit of St. Louis Marathon and Family Fitness Weekend, starts at Washington University's Francis Field, with the runners following a criterium course in Forest Park. A purse of $250,000 is up for grabs. Other locals competing among the 132 qualifiers include De Reuck's sometime training partner, Katie Blackett; former NCAA 10,000-meter champ Patty Murray; Tanya Poel; and Nicole Kulikov and Nikole Johns, residents of Fort Collins who train in Boulder with their coach, 1992 Olympic marathon bronze medalist Lorraine Moller. "Everything has gone well and according to schedule," De Reuck said. "Training has gone better than before Chicago (last fall, when she clocked 2:28:01). I am just a little apprehensive and nervous right now, that's all." Part of the reason for De Reuck's nervousness is her desire to don a U.S. singlet in Athens this summer. De Reuck, who has a marathon best of 2:26:35, competed in three Olympic Games for her native South Africa before becoming a U.S. citizen in December 2000. "I am quite motivated and focused for this because I am living here, and we have made the United States our home," said De Reuck. "Just to be part of the trials is important. It is a great experience and honor to be running; I never thought I would be doing this." De Reuck is running very well as she nears her 40th birthday. She won all three races she competed in this year: the Halliburton half marathon in January, the U.S. 8K cross country championships in February, and the Gate River Run 15K last month. "In that first race Colleen was just going to test her fitness, and she ran 70:55, which is fast for the middle of January," said her husband and coach, Darren, head of the Boulder Striders training club. "The workouts indicate she is in better shape and stronger than last fall." Kim Gillard, a top Australian runner living in Boulder, agreed. Last week, he and De Reuck did a workout of 7 x 2 minutes, 40 seconds on the road. "Colleen is the fittest I've seen her her," said Gillard. "She won the 15K in Jacksonville so easily. The key to her running is her strength. If she doesn't beat Deena in St. Louis, she should give her a battle." Darren De Reuck said he expects a large group of women to be up front with Kastor in the early going. He is hoping for an "honest" halfway split of 74:30, which should be fast enough to whittle the lead pack down to a half-dozen runners or so. "Colleen is going to run her own race," said Darren De Reuck. "When you are strong and running your race, you just go, like Joanie (Benoit) did in 1984 (when she won the inaugural women's Olympic marathon), or like Frank (Shorter) did (when he won the 1972 Olympic gold medal). She won't make a move until after halfway, if she needs to." Said Colleen De Reuck: "Obviously, Deena has a 2:21 best and is out there by herself. I am going to play it by ear. The race starts at 20 miles; after that, I am going to run how I feel. I don't know how others are planning on running. I don't think anyone is going to start too fast, especially since the 'A' standard was moved to 2:37 and more girls have made that time. I hope my experience will carry me through. I felt good at Jacksonville, very comfortable, and that helps my confidence. But you still have to respect the marathon." De Reuck, former world record holder on the roads for 10 miles (51:16) and 20K (1:05:11) ran the St. Louis course last year, placing second in the U.S national championships. She had a tough experience, however. A cold front came in the day before the race, and De Reuck could not stay warm. By the end of the marathon her body temperature had dropped to 86 degrees, and she was taken to the hospital afterward. The weather is expected to be better on Saturday, and De Reuck traveled to St. Louis Thursday with the support of her family and her friends. Before she left, the Running Republic of Boulder, another club which Darren heads up, gave her a card reading "Good luck Colleen on the road to Athens through St. Louis." And even if she does not come in the top three Saturday, De Reuck will come home to her daughter, her long-time Boulder home and her husband. "Colleen is totally devoted to her family," said Gillard. "She is a mother and her family comes first. That is the secret to her success." -ENDS- =========== "I like the dreams of the future better than the history of the past." Patrick Henry _____________________________________________________________ Sign up for a 6mb FREE email from http://www.spl.at Join the buzz, chat with us! http://chat.spl.at
