But none are on a stage as big as the one she'll be on Saturday at the NCAA Division II Men's & Women's Cross Country Championships. The race is being held at the Tom Sawyer State Park in Louisville, Ky. The women's race is at Noon Eastern Time, 9 a.m. Pacific.
Elhard is the lone (and the first since 2003) Warrior to represent Cal State Stanislaus at the national championship meet. She placed 10th on Nov. 20 at the NCAA West Regionals in Bellingham, Wash., to qualify.
Like the regional race, the national championship run is again in her favor as far as weather is concerned. The forecast for Louisville on Saturday calls for 31 degrees with 90 precent chance of snow -- and that's great news for Elhard.
Elhard, and her twin sister Denali Foldager, were born in Edmonds, Washington and grew up in Seward, Alaska. Together they combined to win several high school state championships, in the snow, in cross country in the snow and track & field.
Elhard had contemplated putting away her running shoes, at least competitvely at Cal State Stanislaus, to return to Alaska to be with her new husband of five months. But since her decision to return to Turlock to run during her junior season, she has turned in a solid year with two wins, an All-Region run and now a shot to run 6,000 meters at the national meet.
And if the snow keeps on falling with Elhard putting in a great -- and perhaps her final -- run on Saturday, she could be an All-American.
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