UC Irvine Notebook : McGrann Leaves Fun and Games Behind Her

Beth McGrann, UC Irvine’s All-American distance runner, hasn’t always paid heed to athletic wisdoms.

Get to sleep early? McGrann preferred to go dancing.

Take every workout seriously? At times, McGrann procrastinated on her daily runs--sometimes waiting until long after dark. She once dashed out for a quick six-miler--at midnight.

Live a regulated life? McGrann admits her former self relished spontaneity.

“If someone suddenly wanted to go do something, I’d always jump on the boat,” she said. “It wasn’t like going out and getting drunk or something like that, it was just doing stupid, crazy things.”

A teammate once nicknamed McGrann Tigger the Tiger because she always seemed to be bouncing around, happy and carefree.

Today, McGrann, a senior, and a three-time Big West Conference track champion--twice in the 5,000, once in the 10,000--sports a more serious outlook, the result of the realization that if she wanted to be one of the nation’s best long-distance runners, it might help to start acting like one.

“I guess I’ve made a decision to give myself a fair shot,” she said.

So far, the results have been outstanding.

Last Saturday, McGrann finished fifth in the invitational 10,000-meter race at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays. Her time of 33 minutes 7 seconds shattered her school record of 33:53 and qualified her for the National Collegiate Athletic Assn. track and field championships May 30-June 3 at Provo, Utah. It also ranks her as the second-fastest collegiate 10,000-meter runner in the nation this year.

Only Texas San Antonio’s Jody Dunston, who finished third at Mt. SAC in 32:47, has run faster.

For McGrann, 23, the decision to be more dedicated came last July after she competed in the 10,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials at Indianapolis.

There, McGrann finished 12th in her heat, and had one of the top 25 times overall. But McGrann was not entirely pleased. She knew she had the potential to do better.

“It was really a neat experience just being out there, running with the very best in the U.S.,” she said. “It was just an incredible feeling; you could see the joy and happiness on the faces of people who made it (the Olympic team).

“But watching and seeing it all, I asked myself what the difference was between them and me. I talked to a lot of the other runners; the answer seemed to be that they were a little more dedicated and worked a little harder.

“I just decided I’m going to try it. I mean, I’ve gotten this far.”

Not surprisingly, Irvine Coach Vince O’Boyle was pleased with McGrann’s change of attitude. O’Boyle, who coached U.S. Olympian Ruth Wysocki for many years, always knew McGrann had great potential, but that McGrann lacked focus until this year.

“I told her a long time ago, ‘God gave you this talent, and just because you work hard two to three hours a day doesn’t necessarily mean it’s going to make you great,’ ” O’Boyle said.

“I’m not saying she has to live and die running, not at all, but if you come to me and say, ‘Hey, I want to be great,’ but then don’t do the things it takes to be great, you’re not going to get there.

“Now she’s got her head together. She knew if she did the sacrificing, it would pay off. And it has.”

McGrann’s training regimen this season includes lifting weights, something she had never done seriously, and working out in the pool two or three days a week.

The pool workouts, in which McGrann simulates running in place while in deep water, has helped her cut down on her former setback--frequent injuries.

Has it made any difference?

“It has. I feel a lot better overall, a lot stronger this year,” said McGrann, who runs about 50 miles a week. “I don’t hurt as much after a race either, I’m not half as fatigued as last year. The day after Mt. SAC, I was surprised. I felt fine.”

McGrann, who said she has given up such things as running at midnight and wearing high heels (thus reducing wear on her legs and feet), has found the new routine to her liking. For the most part, that is.

“I really cut down on my social life. I hardly go out at all,” she said. “I don’t think I’ve gone dancing once this year.”

Has McGrann given up her I-just-wanna-have-fun mentality altogether?

“No,” she said with a laugh. “I still have my moments where I want to go off the wall. I goof off and joke around in workouts. And I always get an itch to go dancing, especially after a good race.

“But now I’m just trying to get things done that have to get done. I know there’ll be a time for the fun.”

Add Track: Along with McGrann, Irvine freshman Caroline Plier ran exceptionally well in the Mt. SAC 10,000. Plier finished 20th in her first attempt at the event with a time of 34:44, close to but not quite making the NCAA qualifying standard of 34:25.

Junior Brigid Stirling qualified for the NCAAs in the 3,000, running 9:23.8. The qualifying mark is 9:25.0.

Some of top track and field athletes from the United States and beyond will compete this weekend at the UC Irvine Invitational.

The women’s portion of the meet will be run Saturday, and the men’s will be Sunday. Competition begins both days with the field events at 10 a.m. Running events begin at noon.

In the women’s meet, top athletes expected to compete include U.S. Olympians Diane Williams in the 200 meters, Maicel Malone in the 400 and Pam Pagel in the 100-meter hurdles. Also competing will be Swedish national champion Maria Araika in the 1,500, NCAA runner-up Alisa Harvey in the 3,000, and former Texas standout Tara Arnold in the 800.

In the men’s meet, Nigerians Patrick Nwanko (100 meters) and Ada Olukoju (discus) will headline their events, while Italian Olympian Luciano Zebrini (discus), and Great Britain’s Derek Redmond (400) also will compete.

Local athletes competing include Irvine’s Mike Morales in the hammer throw, and Irvine’s Ricky Martinez and Marc Goulet in the 1,500.

Anteater Notes

Irvine’s men’s and women’s tennis team, as well as its golf team, will compete in Big West Conference Championships this weekend. The men’s tennis team, led by No. 1 singles player, 11th-ranked Mark Kaplan (29-6), travels to Ojai to defend its title. The fourth-ranked Anteaters have won the past two conference titles, and seven of the past 11 conference tournaments conducted. The women’s team (13-15, 6-4), led by sophomore Stacey Cadigan (17-11) is seeded fourth in the tournament at Ojai. In golf, Irvine will host the conference championships Monday and Tuesday at its home course, the Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach. Three-time defending champion Fresno State returns as the tournament favorite. . . . Junior Brian Pajer and freshman Devon Coate were named most valuable swimmers for the men’s and women’s teams Sunday. Pajer, from Mission Viejo, is a three-time Big West Conference champion in the 100 and 200 breaststroke. Coate, from Tustin, placed sixth in both the Big West 400 individual medley and 1,650 freestyle.