Cross-country champion can't wait to get started

All track athletes have been waiting anxiously for the outdoorseason to start. For Micah VanDenend, that wait is just going to be alittle longer.

"People tell me I should be [patient]," the Glenbard South seniorsaid. "But I'm not."

VanDenend won the Class AA state cross-country championship andled the Raiders to the team title in November, after an injury-plagued junior year. He carried the momentum from the fall into theoffseason, until he developed pain in his left leg in late February.

I had a great winter, got a lot of miles in for a base, and thenthis happened," he said.

Doctors were uncertain whether the pain was a strained patellartendon or slightly torn calf muscle, but after three weeks of rest,VanDen-end was feeling better by mid-March and is still easing hisway back into training. He expected to be running hard again bytoday.

VanDenend had wanted to run at the Top Times meet Saturday, butGlenbard South coach Andy Preuss nixed that idea. As it is, he onlyexpects VanDenend to run in five or six outdoor meets this spring,given his history. A stress fracture in his right fibula sidelinedhim for most of his junior year. Preuss and VanDenend have targetedthe Raider Invitational April 19 at Glenbard South for his return.

"I love to race," VanDenend said. "But I know it's important tostay healthy."

VanDenend will get his chance to run soon enough; he wants todouble in the 3,200 and 1,600 at state. He qualified for both as asophomore, but pulled out of the 1,600 in prelims. As a junior, hefinished ninth in the 1,600.

VanDenend remains undecided on where he will run in college. Hehas taken visits to Iowa, Missouri, North Carolina State andWisconsin and has a visit upcoming to Illinois.

FINISHING TOUCH: Morgan Park figures to be the team to beat in thePublic League again this year. After winning the indoor championship,the Mustangs learned something at Top Times. In first place nearingthe finish of the 4x400 relay, Jean Middleton, running the anchor legfor Morgan Park, had the baton knocked out of his hand as he crossedthe finish line.

Middleton dove back across the line to get it, and wasdisqualified on the grounds that he interfered with the otherrunners. He and coach Lexie Spurlock both were upset, but Spurlock istaking it in stride now.

"As long as my team ran the best time. ..." he said. "We didn'tget the medal, but we know we won. From now on, we're going to makesure we're so far out in front, that can't happen."