At the beginning of the summer, Michaela Courtney tossed her running log in the garbage to help her focus on the non-scientific part of cross country.
Courtney is taking a more relaxed approach to things as a junior at Marquette. While dealing with all of the rigorous aspects of being a Division I student-athlete, Courtney has found a way to successfully balance her activities.
"She's a little bit more laid back than a lot of runners, which works to her advantage, in terms of both personality and running," said head coach David Uhrich.
Courtney first attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison for a year near her hometown of Dodgeville before transferring to Marquette. Since arriving in 2003 she has made key contributions to both the cross country and track teams.
She started this season off by finishing first overall at the Bradley Open with a personal record of 17:42, but she wasn't always too serious about the sport.
"I never really even liked cross country in middle or high school, but now I love it, it's much easier when you train," Courtney said.
Courtney trained with junior Heidi Lindeman and senior Jodi Jakubek at local parks and the Milwaukee lakefront. Courtney has a number of close relationships with teammates that extend to the classroom and beyond.
"Michaela has struggled through college using trial and error, and finding a balance for everything. She's concerned about things besides running, like her social life," Lindeman said.
A history major and psychology minor, Courtney has given serious thought to becoming a teacher but has not completely decided as to what she will do after school. However, her joy and success here at Marquette thus far is a certainty, much of which is attributed to Uhrich.
"He is a big reason why I transferred here," Courtney said. "He is a great coach, and he does a lot to make sure we are close as a team."
Uhrich's team concept has no doubt rubbed off on her.
"It's genuine here, we are really good friends, and when we go out and run it is just as much for each other as it is for ourselves," Courtney said.
This article was published in The Marquette Tribune on September 20, 2005.