UM's McGowan to run at indoor track championships
3/8/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Indoor Track, Men's Track and Field, Women's Track and Field
UM's lone national qualifying trackster, Scott McGowan, is cool and confident heading into Friday's NCAA Indoor Championship in Fayeteville, Ark.
McGowan, a junior from Poplar, Mont., ran a mile time of 4:05.75 two weeks ago at the MSU multi-indoor track and field meet in Bozeman, which qualified him for nationals. Accompanied by head coach Tom Raunig, McGowan is the only person from both men's and women's track teams traveling to the championships.
This will be McGowan's first time participating at the national level. He is currently ranked tenth going into Friday's preliminary event.
"I have no pressure on me," said McGowan. "Right now, the key is the preliminaries. I'm just going to run my own race, stay focused, and hopefully, I will make it to the finals."
Despite the intense level of competition McGowan faces, he admits he rarely gets nervous. The day before a race he keeps his composure by reading. During his pre-race warm-ups, McGowan says he is too concentrated on the race to get intimidated by opponents.
"There is actually a lot of strategy involved in distant running," said McGowan.
McGowan's strategy for Friday is to not lead too much, stay in the first lane, maintain a quick turnover and try not to get boxed in.
McGowan is excited that he has the opportunity to run at nationals, but he said it would be more fun if some of his teammates were joining him.
"I know a lot of guys (at UM) that could do it," said McGowan. "I just happened to have a good race on a particular day, so could any of them."
McGowan hopes to gain experience from the weekend's events. He is hopeful that this meet will lead to a good start for the outdoor track and field season, which begins with the Oregon Triangular, March 13.
McGowan, a junior from Poplar, Mont., ran a mile time of 4:05.75 two weeks ago at the MSU multi-indoor track and field meet in Bozeman, which qualified him for nationals. Accompanied by head coach Tom Raunig, McGowan is the only person from both men's and women's track teams traveling to the championships.
This will be McGowan's first time participating at the national level. He is currently ranked tenth going into Friday's preliminary event.
"I have no pressure on me," said McGowan. "Right now, the key is the preliminaries. I'm just going to run my own race, stay focused, and hopefully, I will make it to the finals."
Despite the intense level of competition McGowan faces, he admits he rarely gets nervous. The day before a race he keeps his composure by reading. During his pre-race warm-ups, McGowan says he is too concentrated on the race to get intimidated by opponents.
"There is actually a lot of strategy involved in distant running," said McGowan.
McGowan's strategy for Friday is to not lead too much, stay in the first lane, maintain a quick turnover and try not to get boxed in.
McGowan is excited that he has the opportunity to run at nationals, but he said it would be more fun if some of his teammates were joining him.
"I know a lot of guys (at UM) that could do it," said McGowan. "I just happened to have a good race on a particular day, so could any of them."
McGowan hopes to gain experience from the weekend's events. He is hopeful that this meet will lead to a good start for the outdoor track and field season, which begins with the Oregon Triangular, March 13.
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