By ALEX PELLEGRINO
alexp@statesboroherald.net
Georgia Southern University head cross country coach Turena Johnson Lane
has already accomplished a monumental task-she has qualified for a trip
to the U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials.
But before she heads to St. Louis to see how she stacks up against nearly
100 other runners from across the United States, Lane has another huge task
in front of her-finding the funds to support an Olympic-caliber athletes
training efforts to be a contender in Greece in 2004.
GSU Public Health professor Dr. Helen Graf, along with the GSU Exercise
Science and Health Science Majors' Club, decided to hold a raffle to raise
money for Lanes trip in April. Graf knew of the expenses that would be needed
but believed Lane would be reluctant to ask for them from others.
"I have been at Georgia Southern for 10 years, and I don't have any
recollection of someone in Statesboro qualifying for the Olympics,"
said Graf. "We are very excited for her, for Statesboro and for the
University. This is a great opportunity. It is our chance to have a superstar
among us."
Graf says the student groups decided to lend a hand to Lane because of what
she represents.
"Our (groups) have a commitment to overall health, and Turena is a
perfect example," said Graf. "We couldn't have picked a better
person to help. She has the talent, now she just needs the support."
Raffle tickets are $1 each and are available by calling Graf at (912) 681-5137
or e-mailing hgraf@georgiasouthern.edu. The drawing, for a $125.00 gift
certificate from the Athletic Attic in Statesboro, will be held after the
Jingle Bell Reindeer Run on Thursday, Dec. 4 at the Bulloch County Courthouse
in downtown Statesboro.
All of the proceeds will go toward lodging, traveling, food and training
that will be required for Lane to be competitive in St. Louis at the Trials,
where the top three finishers will become eligible for the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Lane earned a trip to the Olympic Trials after posting an impressive time
of 2:40:12 at the Twin Cities Marathon (26.2 miles) held in Minnesota during
October.
It wasn't a bad performance for her first marathon-she paced 6:07 minutes
per mile and finished as the sixth woman overall in the race, which featured
over 7,000 finishers.
Lane is a member of a local running group, The Statesboro Pacers, which
fully supports her quest. "I don't think Statesboro realizes what a
privilege it is for us to have someone here who is training to qualify for
the Olympics," said Statesboro Pacer coordinator Debbie Gleason. "To
qualify for the Olympics is so phenomenal in and of itself. It requires
the utmost discipline, inner strength and superior physical ability. Turena
possesses all of that along with being a wonderful ambassador for Statesboro."
Alex Pellegrino can be reached at (912) 489-9413.