McLean leads M. X-Country

With only two laps left to go in the 10,000-meter run at the Heptagonals, the Ivy League championships, stellar distance runner Terry McLean took the lead for 300 meters. Running the best race of his life, as a sophomore, McLean finished second overall. His time was a personal best of 30 minutes, 46 seconds. Now a senior co-captain and a two-time academic all-Ivy selection, McLean has firmly established himself as a dominating force for Penn on both the track and cross country teams. And this weekend, the Quakers will rely on McLean as they compete at the Paul Short Invitational. Plagued with injuries throughout his career, including numerous stress fractures, a broken hip and vertebrae, one would think he would have given the sport up long ago. On the contrary, McLean feels "life would seem pretty bland without running." "He's the toughest runner I know," co-captain Joe Hall said. "Terry has the ability to give 100 percent every time he steps onto the track." After finishing in the top five in seven meets during last year's cross country season, and 16th at the Heps, McLean was named Penn's Most Valuable Player. Beginning in the seventh grade, running has been a tradition for McLean and his three older brothers. Originally from Cincinnati, McLean came to Penn from a nationally ranked high school. His team went to the state meet 25 years in a row, and consistently finished in the top two positions during Terry's four years there. Ironically, running does not come naturally to him. "Ideally, I'd be 6-foot-4 and really skinny," he said. Though not given the perfect runner's body, standing at 5-10, McLean has been a strong asset to Penn's team. "He is very eager to lend his expertise," men's cross country coach Charlie Powell said. In his most recent meet, at the Fordham Invitational, McLean intentionally went out slower than his teammates, beginning the race around the 35th position. After an uphill stretch, the course began to flatten out and McLean started picking up speed. He was able to pass 15 runners in the next three-quarters of a mile. He eventually caught the last 10 competitors along the next one and a half miles. Edging up into fifth position at two and a half miles, Terry picked up his pace. "It is important to be close to the position you want at three miles in a five mile race, because with two miles to go, you can't pass people comfortably." Finishing first for Penn and 10th overall, McLean was satisfied with his performance. After four years on the varsity team, Powell has watched McLean gain confidence with each season. He believes McLean is "in top form and strong as a bear now." According to Powell, he is on the "verge of being a national-caliber kid." Calling himself an "extremist but not a perfectionist," McLean delivers everything he has in each meet. "Typically, when you cross the line you don't want to have anything left," he said. Competing so hard, McLean has occasionally passed out after a meet. His ultimate goal would be to make it to nationals. This accomplishment would be the high note of his career.