Georgetown track and field co-captain Erin Sicher is a three-time All-American who runs 70 miles a week. She was a member of the outdoor 4×800 meter relay team that won the Big East Championship in 2001 and she just earned her first individual All-American honor in cross country this fall. But this senior refuses to let track and field consume her life.
“I’m a big fan of shopping, and I like to read magazines, especially Us Weekly,” laughs Sicher. “I have a really well-balanced life. I know what my limits are with my social life, my academic habits and running.”
Sicher’s healthy attitude is serving her well this year. She was Georgetown’s top finisher at the NCAA Championships for cross country, crossing the line 39th overall and helping the Hoyas to fourth place. She opened the indoor season as the top collegiate finisher in the 1000 meters at the Navy Lidlifter in Annapolis, Md. last month, placing second. Last weekend, she placed 6th in the mile at the Father Diamond Open at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
As a co-captain, Sicher’s philosophy is to lead by example. “I don’t go up to the girls and tell them what they should do,” she said. “I try to do what’s best for me and hopefully the other girls will see that it works because I’m running really well and have my head on my shoulders.”
“She sets a good example for those around her,” said Director of Track and Field and Cross Country Ron Helmer. “Every year she’s gotten better and taken on more responsibility. We describer her as ‘The Rock,’ the person we can count on to get the job done. That takes great maturity.”
Sicher credits her successes to her ability to lead a balanced life despite the demands of track and field.
“A lot of girls think that if they go out one night or eat too much or skip a day of training, it’ll mess up their entire week of racing,” she said. “I think a lot of running is mental, so you can do those things and still run well. I tried focusing on running one hundred percent once, and it didn’t work. It just wasn’t for me.”
Sicher’s teammates appreciate her realistic outlook. “Erin is very into her school work and she makes time for her friends,” said senior hurdler Jamillah Bowman. “If she has a bad race she’s okay with that because she realizes track isn’t the only thing in her life.”
Though Helmer “hasn’t always agreed” with Sicher’s decisions, he is thankful that she has managed to avoid the insecurity and obsessiveness that plague many runners.
“Erin has the maturity necessary to do what she’s told and give herself the best chance of being successful,” he said. “That is the result of having confidence in herself. She has some great things in front of her.”
Helmer hopes that Sicher will be able to make the NCAA Championship final in an individual event this spring and be equally successful at the Penn Relays in April. Sicher is more concerned about staying healthy through the end of her collegiate career.
Though she hasn’t made a final decision, Sicher is currently applying for jobs and does not think she will continue to run after college.
“If I let running take over my life I’m not going to be able to survive in the real world,” she said. “I have other things I want to do.”
