THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, November 5, 1996 TAG: 9611050490
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: ATHLETES OF THE WEEK
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: 42 lines
Ever have one of those days when it seems like things might not turn out right?
Tallwood's Pam Edwards had such a day Thursday. But that didn't stop her from posting a stunning time of 18:19 - one second shy of the course record - in defending her Eastern Region girls cross country title at Newport News Park.
That Edwards won the event last year suggests that Thursday's victory shouldn't have come as a great surprise. But the Lions sophomore had struggled to meet her own exacting standard in 1996. She wasn't pleased with most of her times, and she'd gone 0-for-the-season against top-ranked Adrienne Parker of Kempsville.
A solid week of practice leading up to the regional meet might have done wonders for Edwards' confidence, but she said her practices were only so-so.
``My legs didn't feel that great,'' she said.
Nervousness consumed her as she stood at the starting line.
``I could feel the pressure since I won last year.''
And once the race began, Edwards got boxed into a trailing pack as the other top runners jockeyed toward the front.
``I was probably in about 40th place after the first half-mile,'' Edwards said. ``I could see the leaders, but I was way, way back.''
But that's when Edwards began her remarkable assault. By the two-mile mark, she'd caught and passed the leaders for good. Edwards said she had no idea how fast she was going as she dashed toward the finish line, but as one opposing coach put it, ``She was flying.''
``When it was over, I felt relieved because a lot of people were expecting me to do it again,'' Edwards said. ``Including myself.''
Turns out a season's worth of subpar times, nerves and and a terrible start were no match for Edwards' raging desire to win.
Which just goes to prove that sometimes, things aren't quite the way they seem. ILLUSTRATION: [Pam Edwards] by CNB