By Lauren DeFilippo, Randolph Herald



Randolph - Elizabeth Carr knows something about reaching goals, completing the task – getting to the finish line.

But the road hasn’t always been easy. In fact, at the start, it wasn’t even apparent.

Carr, a 2007 Randolph High School graduate, wasn’t particularly interested in running when she was younger. Basketball, that was her game.

But, to play hoops, one of her teachers at the middle school told her to try cross-country to get into shape. She remembers trying to run three miles at practice.

“I didn’t think I could do it,” Carr said.

She did.

And she hasn’t looked back.

“I really loved it,” she said.
Now, a half-dozen or so years later, that love of running combined with her solid work in the classroom has culminated in quite an honor.

The UMass/Lowell cross-country runner, now in her second year, was named to the Northeast-10 Conference 2007-08 Commissioner’s Honor Roll, divided into three categories. Gold Scholars include student-athletes who finished among the top five percent in grade point average at UMass/Lowell, while Silver Scholars are in the top six and 10 percent, and Bronze in 11- to 15-percent bracket.

Carr, a Bronze Scholar, is one of 39 Scholar student-athletes from Umass/Lowell.

“She’s a good athlete and an excellent student,” UMass/Lowell coach Gary Gardner said.

The coach, who said Carr brings a positive attitude to the team, said he expects an even bigger impact from her this season.

She’s used to contributing – no matter whom she’s running for – or with.

In high school, Carr ran three seasons of track, usually with the boys cross-country team since there wasn’t always enough participation for a girls team.

College, however, was a new experience.
“(I was) kind of nervous,” she said, noting that the girls who became her college teammates had more experience and training. “I wasn’t used to running with girls.”

But, with the help of those fellow runners, and a coach who understood what she needed to step up her training, Carr made fast friends and competed well.

Carr, 19, said she runs more than twice the mileage she did in high school, and trains six days a week nearly year-round.

While at UMass, Carr competed as a third team Northeast-10 Conference All-Star this year, finishing 19th at the NE-10 Championship in a field of 131 runners, with a time of 19:58 in the 5K.

Carr also competed in the NCAA Northeast Region Championship, finishing 46th among 128 runner with a time of 25:32 seconds in the 6K race.

At the National Collegiate Athletic Association Championships in Joplin, Mo., UMass placed 21st among 24, with Carr placing 180th out of 189 with a time of 25:14 in another 6K race.

As student-athlete, Carr had to take all her classes during the day to free up her afternoons and evenings for practice.

“There were a lot of late nights at the library,” she said, adding that as a year-round athlete she had to turn down a lot of opportunities to hang out with friends.

“(I’d) definitely say it’s worth it,” she said.
This summer, Carr is even taking a physics class at Quincy College so she can free up her fall schedule, which will include four courses and a lab.

Carr plans to pursue a degree in Exercise Science and Physiology, with a minor in Nutrition and Psychology.

She hopes to go to graduate school to become a physical therapist.