May 27, 2008
With the track and field championship season already underway, at least two Stanford athletes will have to balance their NCAA goals with their Olympic aspirations. Both Erica McLain and Russell Brown have had decorated careers at Stanford that include 21 All-America honors between them. However, McLain looks to breakthrough this year with her first outdoor NCAA title after back to back indoor titles in the triple jump. Brown is looking for his first individual NCAA title after winning one indoors as a member of the 2007 distance medley relay team.
In addition, both athletes are looking forward to pursuing Olympic dreams following the conclusion of the NCAA season, which will be their last at Stanford.
For McLain the Olympics are a very realistic goal as she currently holds the United States top mark in the triple jump of 46-7 ¼, which meets the Olympic `A' Standard. She also has experience at the international level, winning a US National title at the age of 19.
"Although I've had thoughts of the Olympics since I was about 8 years old, as a competitive gymnast, the thought never became a reality until my freshman year at Stanford," said McLain. "In my last meet, the US National Championships, although I was still considered a junior (19 and under), I took a leap of faith to compete at the senior level. It was a success; I won my first US National title and earned a spot as the youngest member of the US World Championship team that competed in Helsinki, Finland. It was a wonderful moment. In my event, the triple jump, most jumpers don't peak until about 26-29. Being that I was only 19 at the time, I knew that with hard work I could one day be an Olympian."
Brown faces a tougher road, especially with the depth the United States brings to the field in the 1,500 meters, Brown's best event. However, Brown has his own international experience, having qualified for the World Indoor Championships this past winter as a member of the American squad.
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"I don't know if I ever personally decided it was a realistic goal, or I should say I never considered it wasn't," said Brown. "Lately, it has become more of a reality because I have run well enough times and beat good enough people. But I think almost every runner involved in the sport has Olympic aspirations. Some are more realistic than others, but running lends itself really well to dreaming, so we all think we are capable, no matter what level of talent or success."
Balancing the collegiate season with her international goals has been difficult for McLain, but she credits her coach, Franklin P. Johnson Director of Track and Field Edrick Floreal with helping her with the mental side of training.
"I tend to either be too focused on being a college athlete, which holds be back from my true potential as an elite athlete, or I get caught up looking too far ahead, causing me to lose sight of the immediate task at hand," said McLain. "It's hard to take things one-step at a time and see the "big picture" simultaneously. However, this year, regardless of the meet, I'm really just working on training hard and allowing my coach to do the over-thinking for me. My coach, Edrick Floreal has been the most wonderful coach I could have ever wished for. Having competed in both the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Games in the triple jump, he understands what it takes to be an elite athlete. He has taught me that it requires so much more than physical fitness and athleticism. He taught me that reaching the next level is going to require tedious mental training, which I've found to be more difficult than anything else at this point."
For Brown the balance has been easier as he continues to make the NCAA's his top priority.
"NCAAs are my first priority," said Brown. "This is a result of me having unfinished business in the NCAA as I haven't accomplished everything I want to and that I feel like I owe it to my team to focus on those goals too. Having an athlete represent their country in the Olympics is the highest order of success, but it is important that we have NCAA champions also. I have yet to give that to the program, and I think it is my responsibility to do so, since they have given me everything I need to accomplish it. I also just want it really bad."
Look for both McLain and Brown at the NCAA Championships June 11-14 and the U.S Olympic Trials from June 27 to July 6.