DURHAM, N.C. (May 25, 2010) – For Keri Brown, landing in Charlotte N.C. is the ultimate triumph. Competing in two events at this weekend’s 2010 NCAA Division II Outdoor Track and Field Championships is a bonus. Earning a place in the school record book is the icing on the cake of a memorable year. (COMPLETE SCHEDULE) / (CHAMPIONSHIP SITE)
A year ago, Brown had trouble finishing races and wondered if she would be able to compete again in the sport that she loves. A year after conquering numerous hurdles and obstacles, Brown has reached the pinnacle of her sport. During last week’s Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships at West Chester, Brown etched her name permanently in the school record book by eclipsing Diane Galleo’s 26-year old school mark in the 1,500-meter run.
Brown’s record run was 4 minutes, 34.2 seconds, a second faster than Galleo’s mark. As an added treat, Brown was surprised to learn that she qualified in the 800-meter run. The 800 is not her signature event, but that didn’t stop her from achieving a strong qualifying time of 2:21.84. Brown will be the only Kutztown woman participating in this weekend’s NCAA Championships at the Irwin Belk Complex on the beautiful campus of Johnson C. Smith. The meet starts Thursday and concludes Saturday.
Brown will run the 1,500-meter preliminaries on Thursday night at 5:40 p.m. She will run the 800-meter preliminaries Friday night at 6:40 p.m. The finals for each event are Saturday. The 1,500 final will start at 6:05 p.m. and the 800 final begins at 7:37 p.m.
“That was my goal the whole season was to break the 1,500-meter record,” Brown said. “I was happy about that even if it was by a second. Last week when I was competing at PSACs, I wasn’t thinking about the record, I was just focused on getting a good time and doing well at PSACs.”
Brown’s effort helped Kutztown finish third overall as a team, its highest finish at the conference championships since 2007. Brown has enjoyed a year that many would just dream about. She was a member of the cross-country team that finished second at the Atlantic Regional championships and tied for 14th at the NCAA Championships.
Her exemplary season continued during the indoor season. Brown helped the distance medley relay team qualify for NCAA Championships and set a school record in the event (11:54.0). She also set the school record in the mile (4:59.81). Then, during the outdoor season, the affable Brown topped off the year by unexpectedly qualifying in the 800.
“I didn’t expect to make it in the 800,” Brown said. “I hadn’t been turning in good 800 times until PSACs. That was my best was 800 and that was kind of a surprise. Didn’t think I was going to make nationals. It feels good to know that I can do the things I used to do after going through what I went through last year.
Last year, Brown struggled as was having breathing difficulties after completing the most basic of jogs. Walking up the stairs was a chore. Her times on the track were getting slower. Even with rest and cutting back her routine, Brown wasn’t getting any better.
“I got every test under the sun to find out what was wrong with me,” Brown said after winning the 800-meter run at the Golden Bear Indoor Invitational in January. “Nobody could still find out what was wrong with me. It was really frustrating. It seemed like I went to see a million doctors.”
Those doctors included a pulmonary specialist, gastrologist, cardiologist and many more. Even more frustrating than visiting the gaggle of doctors was that nobody could specifically diagnose Brown’s condition. Eventually, Brown began getting better. She started training slowly until she felt comfortable enough to go out for longer jogs.
“I was scared that something serious was going to happen to me,” Brown said. “I wasn’t worried about running track; I just worried about getting healthy. I am better now. Even though I was depressed, the entire experience made me stronger. I started taking acid reflux medicine and seeing a breathing therapist. That’s when things started to improve for me.”
Now, she is visiting the Queen City which is North Carolina’s largest city for the first time in her life. One of the first things Brown plans to do upon arriving is to find a great place to grab something to eat. Brown is having fun. After the weekend, Brown will be ready to enjoy her summer by going to the shore with her family, chilling with friends and working at a day camp. It will be a well deserved break for Brown, who has turned winning into an art form during the 2009-10 season.
“It’s definitely a 360 from last year when I had trouble finishing a race,” Brown said. “This is so much better. I am just going to stay calm and positive. I am just happy to be back to my old self. I know this will be a lot of racing, but I am ready. I am excited and it’s cool to be in two events.”