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BYLINE: Ralph Leef DATE: Thursday, March 10, 2005 SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 REFRESHED BEI QUALIFIES FOR NCAA INDOOR FINALS Stanford University All-American Sara Bei has wondered what life would be like without running. Now she knows, and the 21-year-old senior is a bit relieved. ``I was able to see that I could live without running,'' said the former Montgomery High standout. ``It's kind of neat to know there is life outside running.'' Bei was sidelined for 12 weeks from a stress fracture in her lower back last October. Fully recovered and with only a month of real training, Bei ran a competition in Seattle two weeks ago and immediately qualified for this weekend's NCAA Indoor championships in Fayetteville, Ark. Bei wasn't sure what to expect after missing almost the entire indoor season, but she ran a 9:13 in her first race back at the meet in Seattle. It easily put her in the 3,000 meter field for the nationals. The nation's best time going into the championships is 9:07 by Villanova's Marina Muncan. Adriana Pirtea of Texas El-Paso is next with a 9:11 followed by Bei. ``It sounds crazy, but I think I have a shot at winning (at nationals),'' Bei said. ``Before I started training again I was just hoping to get a race in this winter. I had no idea I would qualify for nationals.'' Bei has the option at staying at Stanford and running one more cross country and indoor track season, or graduate in May and move on to a professional track career. ``I'm still trying to figure out what to do,'' she said. ``There are great aspects to both decisions.'' * Former Maria Carrillo High School athlete Robert ``Jake'' Arnold, whose collegiate track career appeared over when he injured his right shoulder in 2003, has also qualified for the NCAA Indoor championships. Arnold, 21, will represent the University of Arizona in the seven-event heptathlon. The two-day competition begins Friday. ``It's huge for me to be at the nationals,'' said Arnold, a junior who wasn't sure he could overcome the shoulder injury that required surgery and took more than six months of hard work to rehabilitate. Fourteen athletes qualify for the nationals and Arnold qualified eighth with 5,518 points. Senior Maurice Smith of Auburn is the top qualifier with 6,035 points. Arnold, who is 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, was a walk-on at Arizona. He found out he was versatile enough to do the decathlon (outdoors) and heptathlon (indoors) by accident. He had broken his arm and couldn't vault so kept in shape by doing the hurdles. ``Someone mentioned the decathlon and said I'd probably be good at it,'' Arnold said. ``I never thought I'd do much in track.'' * Former Elsie Allen standout Celedonio Rodriguez is seeded No. 2 in the Division II men's 5000 meters at the nationals. The national leader is Nicodemus Naimadu, a freshman at Abilene Christian (13.41.08). You can reach Staff Writer Ralph Leef at rleef@pressdemocrat.com or 521-5268.
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