Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 3, 1982)
<Mu/ Ttf+ds %Kjr*cjJs. 4+*~ *** hat<u*>*c ^ G*r*J^*. Leann Warren— All in a day’s work World class runner; full time student Leann Warren is just like you, and me and 16,000 other students on the Oregon campus. But sometimes the Corvallis native travels to another world that we can only dream about. It’s filled with excitement, glamour, and travel, but also endless competition, killing pressure and hard work. She’s a world class track athlete who’s also a full-time student. Leann Warren is no stranger to that world of success. A track all-American as a freshman, world class now as a junior, and possiblv the most famous athlete on the Oregon campus, her list of accomplishments could fill a book. A 1980 Olympic team member in the 1500 meters. Double winner at the 1981 collegiate track championships in the 800 and 1500 meters. Collegiate record holder at the 800 meters and mile. Winner of the first New York Fifth Avenue mile. All of those feats are only but a page from her book. But what’s it like being a talented world class athlete, a media star, and a hot item in the track world — and all while pursuing a degree fT'elecommunication.s) like her fellow students? Well it’s not all fun and games says Warren, who recently was named the nation’s top female collegiate track and field athlete for the 1981 season. It would be more accurate, adds Warren, looking forward to her upcoming spring schedule, to label her as a full-time athlete who’s also a full-time student. While everyone may envy the exciting life Warren lives, they sometimes forget the work that got her there. And from there, things don’t get much easier— tiring travel, frustrating injuries, mounting pressures, and the constant adjustments required to perform. In all, being world class can be a pretty tough and demanding job. “It’s getting harder now because I’m getting invited to more and more meets." she says of the growing track and field promotions game. “The people want you to be talking to this high school and that high school, and be a guest here and there. It really gets hard." The result for Warren, who might sometimes might be a little too good-natured to say “no thanks", means a busy schedule, skipping a few classes, and a lot of staying up late. So much for the "glamour” in Lcann Warren’s life. Now, halfway through her collegiate career, Warren’s outstanding list of accomplishments leave her opponents, coaches, and others around the track world asking, “What's next5” “Wav down the road will be Europe this summer, the World Cup next year, and then the Olympics,” says Warren. “But right now I'm concentrating on getting ready for the outdoor season, and then maybe doubling at the NCAA’s. That would be nice.’’ An interesting note surrounding Warren's running career, has been her succecsful adjustment every couple of seasons to longer distance races. “I was a 50-metcr hurdler in junior high, but then moved up to the 400 and K(X) meters in high school,” says W'arren. Now she runs anywhere from a 400 meter relay leg to the 800-metcr, 1500-meter, and even occasional 3,000 meters races. And it opens up the intriguing question — where does Leann Warren’s racing future lie? In the 800, 1500, 3000-meters, or even a longer race? “To a point it’s natural for a runner to go to the kingcr distance when she’s capable of handling it, because that person’s speed is a greater advantage.” says her coach, Tom Heinonen. “A person with 53-sccond quarter (mile) speed is a heck of a threat at the end of a 3000-meter race, much more than at the end of a 800-meter race. “Leann is showing herself more and more capable of handling longer distances, and doing quite a bit of aerobic mileage, 75 miles a week now,” adds Hemoncn. “But there’s a poin' where you start throwing away the advantage. Where the speed becomes less important and the aerobic capacity is much more important.” Heinonen says he doesn’t see Warren eve going beyond 3,000 meters. “Right now we re looking toward the 1500, until 1084 We haven’t thought {last the W'orld Cup next vear Continued on Page 3B GET A GRIP ON YOUR CAREER! AT THE 6TH ANNUAL CAREER EXPLORATION FAIR Find out about career opportunities, where they are and how to plan for them Talk informally to professional representing 70 career fields relating to the areas of: • Finance • Science/Research • Education • Marketing • Management/Personnel • Government and • Media/the Arts • Transportation/Hotel/Food Public Service EMU BALLROOM WEDNESDAY, FEB. 3 Sponsored by: the Career Planning and Placement Center. ASUO. Alpha Kappa Psi, the Oregon Alumni Assoc . and SURC. EMPLOYER PANELS 10 AM PANELS 11 AM PANELS Marketing Finance Transportation, Hotel and Food Science/Research Media/Arts Management/Personnel Service Education LARGE GROUP FORUM - NOON-3 PM 'Love me tender\ love me true, Say it in the Emerald and I’ll yloue you. X ODE HEART THROBS H for tl.M If pUctf toy Feb. 11 at the usual locattans. * Coning Feb. 12 *ODE, >00 EMU ■ UO Baa feature • EMU Main Desk ODE Produc tion for all vour
