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Show Being chased in cross-country 'cool . . , "Thev figured anyone who ran the by FRED KEMPE Chronicle Staff Three 6'1" 150-pound freshmen have already placed in crosscountry cross-country meets this year, promising Coach Pete Carlston a bright future in the coming three seasons. Jeff Schnell, Brian Parker anri Tom Takach refused two offers each to run at Utah. Schnell, the Ohio two-mile prep champion, is probably the best of the three and has played an important part in the "early running," covering for the injured Utah ace, Scott Bringhurst. Wyoming two-mile champion Tom Takach and Idaho champ Brian Parker, although not from as competetive states, have also impressed Coach Carlston in early season action. Sports conscious " came from a sports-conscious neighborhood," commented Schnell on his modest track beginning begin-ning "Other kids in the neighborhood neighbor-hood played football and that bu-1 was always a skinny little kid Schnell has obviously capitahzea on his choice, winning Ohios cross-country crown as a junior and two-mile crown as a senior. Schnell turned down offers in Michigan and Illinois. He explained the programs were comparable but savored the Utah mountains. "If you've ever seen Toledo, it's flat," Schnell said gesticulating a long open range with his outstretched arms. Parker on the other hand didn t begin serious running until high school. After breaking a leg and an arm Brian decided to switch from football to track. "Two miles just about killed me," reflected the blonde moustachioed runner. really got excited about it later on," concluded Parker. Time consumed by workouts Sheridan's Tom Takach first decided de-cided he was a runner in grade school after a 600-yard run-walk. "They figured anyone who ran the whole way was great," he maintained. main-tained. Tom also played prep basketball bas-ketball which is out of the ordinary for long distance runners, their free time usually consumed by workouts. Living on a diet of "as much as you can eat, "the trio are agreed that orange juice and apples are taboo, while their diet consists of carbohydrates. Bitten only once They have encountered everything from dogs to irate neighbors in their workouts. "Every farm has a dog," sighed Schnell about his Ohio milieu." I've only been bitten once," added Schnell sounding astounded at his luck. "People throw beef cans at you," exclaimed Parker adding to the list of obstacles. Little kids on tricycles were also accused of sabotage. When the race comes around all kidding is aside and a nervousness sets in. "You've got to be nervous," ner-vous," Takach said. "Nervous energy," added Schnell. Extra effort "I always think I've got to put out a little extra," explained Parker, feeling a pressure he hadn't felt being number one in Idaho. "You continually keep telling yourself, you've got to keep pace," supplemented sup-plemented Takach. Schnell summed' up the general race feeling, "When they're chasing you, it's cool." Schnell, Parker and Takach run in their first home meet Saturday morning at 11:00. The six-mile course follows the periTO, 90lf course and gradual hills, which are r some of the toughest tor, ' Western Athletic Conferer |