Hoosier upperclassmen push on, succeed despite injury setbacks

Jessica Gall doesn't understand the meaning of the word "quit."\nOver the past five years, the senior has endured injury after injury only to recover and succeed on each occasion. Groin problems, stress reactions and a freak bicycle accident have all prevented Gall from staying completely healthy.\n"Injuries are never easy, but it makes you appreciate those times you can run," Gall said.\nStill, Gall finished 18th in the NCAA Championships in 2004. In 2005, after missing half of the season, she finished fifth in the Regional Championships and 32nd in nationals. On Sept. 15 she finished second in the Indiana Open after posting a time of 17:40, tying her career best, on the 5K course.\n"There's a tenacity there that I don't think a lot of people I've run into have," IU coach Judy Wilson said after the event. "If you look up driven in the dictionary, there's going to be a picture of Jessica Gall."\nOften times in sports, athletes opt to transfer or quit after having the same type of bad luck as Gall. However, after five years, she still runs in an IU uniform.\n"In the end, I'm glad they happened because I've learned lessons from everything," Gall said.\nOne of the reasons that Gall said she stuck with the Hoosier cross country program was because of its head coach, Wilson.\n"She's helped me a lot and has kicked me in the butt when I needed someone to get me going," Gall said. "I came here because of coach Wilson, and because of her I've been able to persevere here."\nSo far this season, Gall has remained healthy because of a new training program and through working with a physical therapist. Gall said she works with the therapist on flexibility and running form, which can limit injuries and help record faster run times.\nBeing one of the two seniors on the team, Gall assumes the leadership role with the team's other fifth-year senior, Lindsay Hattendorf. Last year, Hattendorf also had to deal with injuries and suffered through back problems most of the season.\n"I know what injuries are like because I went through a year of it too, just like she did," Hattendorf said. "It's very hard at times, but you have to be very mentally strong to overcome it and hope that in the end everything will work out."\nWith the Big Ten Championships at the IU course this year, Gall said that she and Hattendorf would both like to surprise some teams as an added bonus to their final season.\n"We want to defend our home turf, and we want to give our best shot," Gall said. "It's our last year here, so we have some extra motivation to do well."\nWhile it has seemed as if each injury has acted as a possible threat to her collegiate career, Gall has battled back each time only to succeed and has garnered praise from her coaches and teammates in the process.\n"Sometimes, to be really focused on something, you have to be selfish in a good way," Wilson said. "She has stayed the course through it all. It's kind of what you want with everybody"