LEE
WITHERS SPOTLIGHT3-7-03
With the bright lights of national television soon to shine on college sports' most popular event, it is easy to overlook the majority of student-athletes who never will appear on television or get a lot of attention from fans and the media, but who may work harder than the stars of March Madness. This week we aim our Spotlight on senior Lee Withers (Mechanicsville, Va./Atlee), a middle distance runner who will compete at this weekend's IC4A Indoor Track and Field Championships in Boston, Mass. Although the meet is a prestigious and historic competition, Withers, who qualified in the 1,000 meters, isn't interested in glory or press clippings. He is there to prove to himself that he belongs among the best.
"[Running] is about self-fulfillment," said Withers. "It's not like other sports where you have teammates to cover for you if you make a mistake. What you put into it is what you get out of it. That's why it's so rewarding when you're successful, to know that you've done it all on your own."
Withers has come a long way since arriving at VCU from nearby Atlee High School, both in his performance and his attitude towards running. At Atlee, Withers had an above-average high school career but wasn't considered a top recruit with his personal-best of 2:02 in the 800 meters. But Withers wanted to be successful at the collegiate level and knew that in order for that to happen, he needed to change his approach to the sport. "In high school, track was just a recreation, something to do once I didn't make the soccer team," he said. "Now, it's a lifestyle. I hate missing practices and workouts, and I love to run. It was never like that before."
That new attitude helped Withers cut nearly nine seconds off his PR in high school and become a respectable college middle distance runner. But he doesn't think he could have done it without his teammates and VCU head coach Julian Spooner. "He's the best coach I've ever worked for," Withers said. "Plus I trained with some good athletes who inspired me to work harder and take track seriously. If it wasn't for the coaching and the workouts we did together I wouldn't have been able to qualify [for the IC4As]."
The aforementioned IC4A meet is a regional meet for schools along the east coast (the ECAC Championships is the women's equivalent), a meet that Withers had qualified for the past two seasons at the last possible opportunity. This year, he wanted to qualify early in order to rest and prepare for the IC4A meet instead of being tired from trying to qualify so late in the season. With that in mind, Withers and Spooner targeted the Penn State National Open, which is held on a larger (and thus faster) oval and usually draws the top runners from the region. Typical of what Withers has gone through to be able to compete at this level, the race would place several obstacles in his path.
"I was having my best race ever heading into the final 100 meters when a couple guys started falling down in front of me," he recalled. "I got tangled up with them and went down, too." Undeterred, Withers remained focused on his goal, got up and blazed towards the finish. With qualifying the only thing on his mind, Withers then hurled his body across the line, diving to the hard synthetic surface 0.2 seconds under the IC4A qualifying standard. Like Withers himself, his finish was unorthodox and daring, but ultimately effective.
"[After falling] I just wanted to get back up and get it done," he said.
Despite putting in all the hard work and long hours that is required of a middle distance runner, Withers deflects a lot of the credit for hid success to Spooner, a former middle distance runner himself who had great success on the international level in the 1980's. "I love hearing [Spooner's] stories from his running days," Withers said. "I can't hear them too many times. He's done it all as an athlete himself, and has been to the top. He's really been an inspiration for me."
Withers' admiration for his coach coupled with his love of the sport has Withers interested in becoming a coach himself someday. A physical education major, he plans to return to VCU next year and run track in the spring before graduating. Withers' post-graduation plans also include marrying his high school sweetheart, fellow runner Michelle Kidd (Richmond, Va./Atlee), who is a member of VCU's women's squad. He'd also like to keep competing after college if it works out. But for now, Withers wants to run that perfect race again and hopes it comes this weekend, just without the falling and diving parts.
"I'm just focused on trying to place first or second in my heat to get into the finals," Withers said of his race this weekend in Boston. "I plan on getting out in a good spot near the front, away from the back where it gets sloppy. Then about 300 meters from the finish I want to open it up, get out in front and see where it takes me.
"If I die, at least I'll die trying."