Wednesday, November 5, 1997

Barefoot practice has paid off for Lady Eagles

By TED DUNNAM

Assistant Sports Editor

Renee McAden's decision for her cross country team to practice barefoot evolved for one simple season:

Time wounds all heels. Especially if shoes are involved.

"We started this two years ago and we haven't had a single injury," said McAden, the Abilene High girls cross country coach. "Running barefoot strengthens the arches and ankles, and it's eliminated all of our shin problems."

It's also improved the Lady Eagles' performances. Each runner has bettered their respective season-opening times anywhere from two seconds to one minute. McAden says the decision to run barefoot came about because of time constraints.

"We just got tired of waiting in the training room to get our arches taped," she said. "Plus, I had read somewhere that it helped other runners, and I remembered that Zola Budd used to run barefoot. It's been good for us. We haven't had one ankle sprain."

The Lady Eagles, who won the District 4-5A championship last Saturday, hope their unique practice strategy pays off this weekend when the team competes in the Region I-5A cross country meet at Lubbock's Mae Simmons Park.

Abilene High, which qualified for state last year with a third-place finish, needs another top-three finish this Saturday for a return trip to Austin.

"I think we'll definitely be in the top five," McAden said. "But it's so hard to tell in cross country. You can't judge teams by times because you don't know what type of course they're running."

Leading the Lady Eagles' charge will be seven runners - Kristen Adkins, Ashlee Espinoza, Jamie Green, Amy Guzman, Allison Hare, Helen King, Audrey Williams - and three alternates.

So how do runners in an individual sport come together as a team?

"We just push each other as hard as possible in practice," said sophomore Adkins. "We motivate each other every time we practice. Then when it's race time, we just go out there and try our hardest.

"On race day, we just joke around and do a lot of kidding to relax. Hopefully, I can finish in the top 10 and help us get to state."

Adkins ran a 13:37 to finish second at the district meet. However, just about all of the Lady Eagles' top six runners finished within one minute of Adkins.

"All of us can't run as fast as Kristen," Espinoza said, "but we all know how high we have to finish. Kristen pushes our team a lot. We just all encourage each other to do the best we can. That's what motivates us."

Espinoza said the running hills near Abilene Christian University will prepare the team for the undulating Mae Simmons Park course.

"This is my fourth year on varsity and the eighth or ninth time I've run on that course," she said. "I really enjoy it. It seems like it's always windy or cold or both up there. But that doesn't bother me. I like running in rain, snow, whatever. I'll be prepared for anything."

Is this team better than last year's?

"I don't know," Espinoza added. "But we all have better attitudes. It's been a lot more fun this year."

Green, who suffered a separated shoulder 10 days ago, said her condition is considerably improved.

"It feels a lot better," Green said of the shoulder. "I just popped it out of place during a club soccer practice. It's sore, but I'll be fine."

Like Espinoza, Green will be competing at Mae Simmons Park for the fourth consecutive year.

"I hope we can win it, but I'll take third place. That'll get us to state," Green said. "The last time we ran there, I finished sixth. But this is regionals and I'd just like to finish in the top team.

"It's a fun course because of the hills and just the variety of the course. I think we'll be ready. Everybody on this team works hard. I expect Kristen to beat me, but I like to think that I push her. And I expect Ashlee to push me. Everybody on this team runs pretty close to someone else so it makes us pretty competitive."

Would she like to run it barefoot?.

"If I knew there weren't going to be any holes and no stickers I would," she said.

McAden says that team unity and a strong effort are the ingredients she hopes will take the Lady Eagles to state.

"All of these girls get along so well together," McAden said. "I think that's one thing that's kept them motivated all year. They all seem to share each other's interests."

And that includes running barefoot.