Brooks: Saarel’s Pace In All Things Hits Warp Speed

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BOULDER – The last thing Mark Wetmore wants from Ben Saarel is to see him become a slacker – not that there’s even a remote chance of that ever happening. But Colorado’s veteran cross country/track coach would like to see his newest (and potentially finest) middle-distance runner dial it down just a bit, kick back and relax.

That might happen when the clock strikes never because, well, Saarel is wired to not only compete but to excel. From the way Wetmore describes him, he’s the Energizer Bunny times nine. “Driven” is about six adjectives short of describing Saarel’s motivational level; if he isn’t going full speed in every pursuit he obviously believes he’s coasting.

All in all, this isn’t a terrible dilemma for a college coach. Most see motivation like this in one of their proteges as winning the lottery. But Wetmore has been around long enough in the CU running world – 23 seasons, 20 as the boss – to comprehend the demands on student-athletes. And saying those demands are fierce falls ridiculously short.

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