Running Ahead of the Crowd

It's not surprising that Julie Grialou's running idol is Joan Benoit-Samuelsson.

After all, they're both winners. Benoit won the 1984 Olympic gold medal in the women's marathon. Grialou has been the Crimson's first finisher in four women's cross-country races this year--more than any other team member.

They both hail from New England colleges. Benoit-Samuelsson attended Bowdoin College; Grialou attends Harvard.

But those are not the sole reasons why the Harvardian looks up to the Olympian.

"She [Benoit-Samuelsson] has a really good attitude and she keeps it all in perspective," says Grialou.

The 5-ft., 2-in. sophomore has always tried to keep her life in perspective and her options open.

Born to an athletic family, the native Californian parlayed her skills to letter in two sports (soccer and basketball) during her junior year in high school.

It was only in her senior year when she decided to branch out into cross-country running.

"I got more involved in [cross-country] because we would run at the beginning of soccer, getting in shape, and I kind of liked it," Grialou says.

So, she lettered in three sports during her senior year--but it wasn't quite enough to get her accepted early to Harvard.

"My senior year I applied early and didn't get in," she says. "Then I thought, "Oh, God, I don't even want to go there,' but I knew I did."

Grialou made the effort to reapply to Harvard (and to apply to six other schools just in case she was turned down again). The second time, however, brought different results: she was accepted and would come to Cambridge the following fall.

But that summer, Harvard cross-country Coach Ed Sheehan sent her a summer training handbook.

"It was pretty tough," Grialou says. "I looked at it and thought, "No, I don't want to do cross-country,' and I didn't do it last year."

Instead of running cross-country, she opted for the indoor confines of fall track. But she only ran one race due to injury.

So, with the faith of the coaching staff, she came back this semester.

"They give everyone their fair chance," Grialou says. "If you're willing to go out there and put your time into it, that's all that matters."

But the Leverett House resident downplays her performance in what is, essentially, her rookie season.

"Though my times are up there, I feel others can still teach me a lot," she says.

Grialou sees advantages and disadvantages with her transplant from sunny California to the metropolitan area of Boston.

"The people here are different, a little more intense, but more sincere," she says. "That carries over on the people on the team, too. I like them all."

"Julie's a really fun person to be with..[She] enjoys herself," women's cross-country Captain Katie Toner says. "She stuck with it, which inspired us."

Even after all the success she has had this season, she is still keeping everything in perspective as the women's team heads to Lehigh, Penn. for the ECAC championships and a possible shot at the national title.

"I'd like to see our team go to Nationals," says Grialou of her main athletic goal.

Not only that, she keeps athletics in its proper perspective in comparison to her Harvard academic career.

"It's [cross-country] a big part of my life, but it's not all of my life," the biological anthropology major says. "It's a big enough part of my life so that I can learn something from it."

As for Grialou's future plans, she would like to continue her involvement in the field of athletics.

"I would like to get involved in sports medicine," she says. "I actually don't want to be a doctor, but maybe a physical therapist or a sports trainer."

And if she does, you can be sure that Julie Grialou can find success. Whether lacing up a pair of racing spikes to run a long race or gearing up for the longer race of life, you can expect her to finish in front of the pack.