2B • THEUNIVERSITYDAILYKANSAN
KANSAS RELAYS 2002
FRIDAY.APRIL19,2002
Javelin thrower takes stabs at success
By Matt Norton
Kansan sportswriter
Senior Andrea Bulat makes throwing the javelin look easy. She runs about 30 yards down the tartan runway, pulls the javelin way back behind her ear and lets it fly.
But watching and listening to Bulat and throws coach Doug Reynolds at a practice session Wednesday night was like getting a lesson in advanced physics.
They talked about positioning shoulders, knees and hips at precise angles, centers of balance on the javelin and judging the aerodynamic features of a given headwind or tailwind when on the runway.
Bulat admitted throwing the
javelin was harder than it looked.
"There's definitely so many aspects to throwing, it's hard to concentrate on all of them at once," she said. "At the end, you put it all together. For me right now, I just have to be patient. That's the most important thing."
The Canadian record holder and NCAA All-American, Bulat heads into the Kansas Relays coming off what Reynolds called her best two practices of the season.
And she needed them — Bulat has had two consecutive performances that did not live up to her expectations.
She fouled out of the competition at the Texas Relays and threw only 148 feet, more than 20 feet less than her best, last week
at Arkansas.
But Reynolds said he thought that those performances may have been just what Bulat needed.
"Maybe she's had a little bit of anxiousness in the last couple meets but I think this last weekend she really had a wake up call," he said. "She really needs to buckle down and focus on technique and not just focusing on throwing far and beating people."
Bulat said she agreed that she had been putting too much pressure on herself to have a successful senior season.
"I had a good season last year and I was really happy with how it ended," she said. "I want to do just as well and that's part of why
it's so hard being patient because
it wants to be better than last year."
Pressure to perform well on the track isn't the only thing on Bulat's mind, however. In addition to taking a full course load in pre-physical therapy, she is also a teaching assistant for a human anatomy lab.
"Yeah, it's a little busy," she said with a chuckle.
Reynolds said often Bulat couldn't come to practice until 6 or 7 in the evening.
"She's got a lot on her plate and she's just trying to manage that," he said. "It will come around when we need it there."
Bulat said working as a T.A. served two purposes - to make more money than she did working at the Robinson Center and
to be in a learning environment.
It also helped take her focus off of track on occasion and give balance to her life.
"You can't focus too much on one thing, and you can't focus too much on too many things," she said. "We're in school now, and we have to be student-athletes."
Keynolds said Bulat was starting to improve her technique.
"We had a really good practice the other day, and I think we just need to keep having practices like that," he said. "We're working on some new things, and some old things that that we had together last year. Physically she's faster this year, she's more explosive, more dynamic. Now we've just got to get that to carry
over into the throw."
over into the throw. Bulat, who will graduate next May, said she would continue to train under Reynolds next season. She will take a year off from school to try to make the 2004 Olympics, then go to graduate school.
But for now, she just wants to have fun completing her career at Kansas.
"I think if anything, the most important part of your last year is to enjoy the atmosphere, enjoy the meets and take it all in," Bulat said. "It's just incredible to go to the meets and think, 'This is my last year as a Jayhawk.'"
Contact Norton at mnorton@kansan.com. This story was edited by Justin Henning.
Gruber wants his mile time among elite Kansas records
By Matt Norton Kansan sportswriter
When senior Charlie Gruber came to Kansas in the fall of 1998, he had two goals: to become an All-American and to run a sub-four minute mile.
In 1999, Gruber earned All-America status in the 1500 meters at the NCAA outdoor championships in Boise, Idaho. That was the first of four All-American awards garnered by Gruber to date.
Gruber to dull Last year, Gruber ran the mile in 3 minutes, 58.51 seconds at the NCAA indoor championships in Fayetteville, Ark., and placed second.
Now what?
What better way to cement his spot in the storied annals of Kansas track and field than to break four minutes in the mile this Saturday at his final
"I've always believed that once I achieved goals, just set new goals and keep striving for that." Gruber said.
Gruber is a big fan of the history of Kansas track and field, and proof of that lies in the framed and autographed photo of Jayhawk great Jim Ryun on the cover of a 1972 Sports Illustrated issue that hangs on Gruber's bedroom wall.
"I think I'd be lying if I said it wasn't really important to me."
Charlie Gruber Kansas senior runner
Kansas Relays as a Jayhawk?
While a jayhawk has won an outdoor conference title in the 1500 or mile 20 times, only two other Kansas runners have broken the still-magical barrier of 4:00 outdoors: Ryun's former world record of 3:51.1 in 1967 and Bill Dotson's 3:59.0 in 1961
Gruber and distance coach Doug Clark said that while getting an automatic qualifier to this season's NCAA championships is the primary goal. Gruber added that breaking four minutes, at this meet in particular, would have special significance.
"I think I'd be lying if I said it wasn't really important to me," Gruber said. "I've thought about it a lot and it would be good to do it at the Kansas Relaws."
Gruber said his finishing kick was still rounding into shape early in the outdoor season after sitting out much of the indoor campaign. He completed his indoor eligibility in 2001.
But having a weakness now is all a part of the bigger plan, Gruber said.
"Basically coach and I are working to be able to run fast in May and June, and not necessarily run fast at the start of April," he said. "It would be nice to do both, but it's just hard to maintain that peak."
Still, Gruber ran an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 3:44.65 in the 1500 meters last week in Fayetteville, Ark.
Clark said that it usually took around 3:43 in the 1500, or 4:01 for the mile, to qualify for the NCAA meet.
Gruber said while the time at Arkansas wasn't his best, he was pleased with his progress this outdoor season.
“It's nice to get that first good, serious race out of the way and now try to get after a big mark,” Gruber said.
Now is not the time to assess his place in history, Gruber said, with several big meets left to go in the season.
But it has crossed his mind.
"I think definitely if I can get into the mid-3:50s and hopefully be a part of the top two or three milers that have come through KU," Gruber said.
Gruber's races this weekend
Men's Distance Medley Relay Friday 2:40pm Invitational Mile Saturday 6:45pm
"With the tradition we've had here, and I take that tradition and history very seriously, it would be a big deal to be a part of that."
Contact Norton at mnorton@kansan.com. This story was edited by Justin Henning.
Right: Senior Charlie Gruber keeps pace in a race. Gruber will attempt to break the 4 minute mile barrier in his final Kansas Relays this weekend.
AARON SHOWALTER/KANSAN
CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Right: Chris Jones, freshman middle distance runner, competes in the 5000 meters. Jones took 7th overall in the 5000 meter race.
Left: Maurice Greene collects his thoughts after competing in the 400 meter relay. Greene will compete at 7:30p.m. tomorrow.
AARON SHOWALTER/KANSAN