Health lifts Scotus grad, McGown to 5-mile wins

COLUMBUS - This year has not been the best health-wise for Molly Engel and James McCown.

But the two runners were healthy enough on Saturday to repeat their five-mile titles at the 19th annual Columbus Downtown Runaround.

Engel, a Scotus Central Catholic graduate who runs collegiately at Concordia University, had to hold off former Scotus teammate Angela Fisher to repeat her five-mile title. Engel finished in 30 minutes, 40 seconds, while Fisher, who competes for Creighton University, was the women's ages 20-29 winning in 30:45.3.

"I was thinking she was going to beat me because I was so tired," Engel said. "I ran 60 miles last week, and I ran 45 this week. So I've been kind of hurting from last week. Last week was one of my highest mileage weeks this year."

If there was one runner in the five-mile field who knows distance, it's McGown. The boys and girls cross country coach for the Wood River/Shelton cooperative program, McGown competed in the Olympic Trials in the marathon in February.

McGown won the men's five-mile race for the fifth time in the last six years, winning in a time of 25:18.5.

"I always want to run faster," McGown said. "I'm not disappointed with my time, but I was hoping to get under 25 (minutes). It was a nice day, no excuses. You always want to run faster."

Engel's time was more than a minute faster than the 31:58 she turned in to win last year's race.

"I'm happy to see I'm in better shape," said Engel, who earned National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) All-American honors last fall at Concordia.

Engel is happy to just be able to run period. Leg problems took away her indoor track season, and an accident, which left her with a broken foot, kept her out for most of the outdoor season.

"We have bunk beds in our room," Engel said. "I just slipped and fell off a step, and I hit a cinder block and broke the outside of my foot in two places."

Engel was able to come back for the end of the outdoor season, but not soon enough to make much of an impact.

She made a big impact in Saturday's race, all the while pushing - and being pushed by - her former high school teammate.

"Angela's a great runner," Engel said. "It was nice to have her there. ... We kind of talked and pushed each other along."

Engel said her goals during cross country this fall include trying to become an All-American again and to maintain her status on top of the Great Plains Athletic Conference.

"I've won conference two years in a row, so I kind of want to win it a third year," Engel said. "I'll just keep working hard and hopefully, the year goes well."

The year hasn't been all well for McGown. Though he competed in Olympic Trials, McGown did so under unfortunate circumstances.

A week before the race, he had to be taken to the emergency room of the hospital with an intestinal virus. There he needed two liters of fluids through an IV. As a result, he finished in 48th place.

"I was really sick the week before, so I was disappointed," said the 29-year-old McGown. "But it was a great experience to run at that level. It's a step below the Olympics. Obviously, I want to go again, and that's what I'm shooting for in 2008."

McGown has had success as a cross country coach as well as a runner. Both of his Wood River/Shelton cross country teams qualified for the state meet last October.

"I had a few of the kids run today," McGown said. "I really enjoyed doing that. It's a way for me to give back to a sport that has given me so much. I really enjoyed working with the kids in our area, and to see them here makes me feel good.

"I get more out of seeing a kid that I coached that in two years they're done running competitively for me, but yet they're still out running a race. I enjoy seeing that. That's rewarding for me."

The high school runners have also been an inspiration for McGown, who has found himself having to practice in his own races what he preaches to them in theirs.

"How can I not give 100 percent when I expect them to," McGown said. "I've never wanted to quit a race so bad as I did at the Trials. I mean I was (done). But I couldn't (quit) because of those kids. How can I tell them, 'hey, you've got to do this and this' when I quit a race?

"They inspire me, and I enjoy working with them. It keeps me young."