I chose sophomore Sarah Shapiro, ace runner of UMB women’s cross country team, as the Mass Media’s first Player of the week for the fall 2004 season. A graduate from Weymouth High, Sarah won the Massachusetts Maritime Academy Invitational in Cape Cod on September 11. With a 19:03 finishing time, she literally dominated the 3.1-mile race by a breathtaking 1:52 margin. With virtually no competition, Sarah was named Little East Conference Runner of the Week.

Asked how she felt about this honor, Sarah chuckled and said, “I even didn’t know that until [coach Chris Fitzgerald] told me. Well, I don’t want any good words for it. I run just because I like it. It’s like ‘Oh, you’re better at it.’ That’s all.” Sarah has participated in her “life-time sport” since the eighth grade, and has continued this devotion up to the present. Her love of the game was so great that, during her career at two other colleges, she discovered there was no cross country program, Sarah practiced by herself for two years. Sarah talked about which element of cross country intrigued her. “I like to watch other people with a good finish time and to see everybody young improve,” she said.

Sarah, of course, is just like other students. “My hobby is to be with kids and do just normal stuff, everything everybody likes to do,” she said, adding that she is a psychology. “I want to be a counselor. I like to be and talk with people all the time because everybody is different.”

What makes distinguishes her from her peers on campus is her enthusiasm of running. On Friday, Sarah tries to get to bed on time, without slacking about, since every Saturday is a race day from September through mid-November. Sarah said it never bothers her, “It’s not like a job. I do this just for fun.”

It’s an irony that Sarah loves the sport and this community, but will have no chance to show us her strides. Unfortunately, UMB hosts no cross country events.

So, students, grab a copy of Mass Media, open our sports section and track the Beacons’ results!