Sept. 13, 2006
Cross Country Weekly Release in PDF Format
Download Free Acrobat Reader
Running the Trails with…Callie Rabun<?xml:namespace prefix=”o” ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office”?>
Each week USCsports.com will feature a different runner on the cross country team as they continue through the 2006 season. This week’s featured harrier is redshirt-sophomore Callie Rabun, an exercise science major and McKissick Scholar from <?xml:namespace prefix=”st1″ ns=”urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags”?>Alpharetta, Ga. Coach Stan Rosenthal expects Rabun to battle for a team top five spot as the Gamecocks progress throughout the season.
Callie Rabun has patience. After joining the USC cross country team in Fall 2004 after an accolade-laced prep career at Milton High School in Alpharetta, Ga., Rabun participated up until the Winthrop Invitational on September 25 before illness caused her to sit out the second half of the season.
“I ran in five races that year,” Rabun said. “I ended up getting mono and couldn’t race for the rest of the year.”
Unfortunately, things weren’t looking up once track season rolled around.
“When I came back in February (from mono), I had a hip injury and tendonitis that kept me out of training for six months,” Rabun said. “When cross country season came around, I started running and was out of shape. I ended up redshirting (in 2005) because I didn’t want to waste another year like I did freshman year. I felt like I wasted my freshman year because I only had the chance to race a few times and didn’t get the most out of it.”
Rabun proved during track season in 2006 that she didn’t waste her cross country redshirt, placing third in the 3K at the Gamecock Indoor Open in February and posting a new personal best for 5K (18:33) at the Spec Towns Invitational on April 8. However it was cross country – not track – that she was looking forward to doing well in. The team aspect of cross country was also a factor in what she missed most after a season and a half of not competing in the fall.
“Sitting out was rough,” Rabun said. “I live for competitions – that’s why I run. It was hard not being able to go out there with the rest of the girls and compete. It was discouraging. They would go out and train, but I didn’t have much to train for.”
Not until an injury-free track season led to over 600 miles of summer training in preparation for the 2006 season. Rabun’s return came in the season opener Sept. 1 at the South Carolina Invitational. Along with the rest of the Gamecocks, Rabun jumped out to an early front position and never looked back, finishing in 19:13 to place 17th. Her time placed her sixth on the team in her return to the field.
“Racing again was awesome,” Rabun said. “My goal was to break 19 minutes for that race. I ran well and I was definitely happy with my time. It was just great being out there and competing with the team again.”
The Gamecocks claimed the team title with 38 points, finishing ahead of nine other teams and rival Clemson. The cross country team then headed upstate the next weekend to compete at the Clemson Invitational and again claimed the team title, finishing with 31 points. Carolina placed three runners in the top five and 11 in the top 20 despite competing without three of its top seven from the previous week. Included in that group of three was once again Rabun.
“I was coming down with a cold,” Rabun said. “I didn’t even make the trip to Clemson. Since I couldn’t race, I decided to stay home and not get any of the other girls sick.”
She will have over a week to get rid of the bug as Carolina will run its “B”-team at the Winthrop Invitational this Saturday. As one of the top-10 runners on the team, Rabun will not compete but will make the trip to cheer on her team.
Next up for her will be the Great American Cross Country Festival on Sept. 23 at Spain Park in Hoover, Ala. She just missed out on competing at the prestigious event in 2004 and is looking forward to the course. Most importantly, Rabun is looking forward to the team experiencing greater success this year with what coach Rosenthal calls his “deepest team in years.”
“I want our team to place higher in the conference competition than the last two years,” Rabun said. “For myself, I want to break 18 minutes (in a race). It may be a little hard but I can do it.”
Any other goals this season?
“I also want to stay healthy this year!”
