Odell Gains Strength from Mother

NORMAN, Okla. -- When Delilah cut Samson's hair, the legendary warrior lost his strength. When OU sophomore Catherine Odell steps on the track Saturday night for the final in the 1500-meter run, the recently shorn runner will draw strength from her mother.

Odell and 10 other runners will be vying for top five finishes and a trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships Saturday at the NCAA Midwest Regional Track and Field Championships at the John Jacobs Track Complex. The women's 1500 is scheduled for 5:15 p.m.

Odell's mother, Cynthia, was diagnosed with breast cancer in April 2004. She underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy and radiation. Following the treatments, she lost all her hair, and her oldest daughter was struggling to find a way to support the woman she has drawn strength from all her life.

“I knew she was going to the doctor a lot and then I found out about the diagnosis right after I finished a race in Fayetteville. She had the first surgery in April, then they found out in May that the cancer had moved into the lymph glands. She had the surgery for that in May, right about the time of regionals last year,” Odell explained.

“It was so frustrating, not being able to be there physically to help her. It was the little stuff, knowing she needed me and I couldn't be there,” Odell continued. “It turned out that she had a wonderful support system in Enid. The doctor is a family friend and her oncology nurse was the mother of one of my best friends. My dad's work allowed him to be with her as much as he needed to be while the treatment was going on. But still, I didn't feel like I was doing anything.”

Odell came up with a plan about six weeks ago, deciding to cut her hair to the length her mother's was. She went home to watch a younger brother's soccer game, and during the game, she asked her mom how long her hair was. The puzzled reply was two inches. At the end of that week, Odell got her shoulder length hair cut to two inches in length.

The Sooners didn't have a competition scheduled that weekend and Odell called her mom, inviting her to Norman. A few hours later, her mother discovered the reason for the invitation as her daughter's hair was the same length as her own.

“Mom couldn't believe I had cut my hair but it was my way of supporting her. No one is able to go through this with her. When things get tough for me, in class or when I am running, I always have people around to support me, to help me through the challenges. I wanted to do what I could for her. Having my hair short also reminds me of all the things she has gone through.

“One of the first people I met at OU was Jackie Dubois,” Odell said. “Jackie has been through so much because of her lifelong battle with cystic fibrosis. She was so much help when mom was going through the chemo and all. She actually was the first person my mom told and then I found out after my race. Jackie has been such a blessing through all of this. That's what great about college athletics. You have a chance to form special relationships with teammates because everyone is going through the same kind of things in training and in the classroom. When you go through it with someone else, it makes every challenge easier to meet. And that's what was so frustrating last spring.”

The 2005 meet marks Odell's second trip to the regional meet but her second trip is bound to be more enjoyable than the first. Not only is her mom through with radiation and chemotherapy, she will be in the stands, cheering her daughter on during the race.

“That's another thing that made the end of last season so difficult. Mom was always there to watch me run, to cheer me on. She wasn't able to do that last season and it was really hard for both of us. It's great to know she is in the stands, to know that she feels good enough to be up in the stands. We talk all the time and that is so important to me. That has made this season a better one for me.”

Her mother's battle with cancer has helped Odell put things in priority and to understand the importance of family and friends.

“I know I can meet the challenges of running because I have seen what she was able to get through. They tried to tell her she was too young for a mammogram but since she was there, they went ahead and did it. Then they found the lump. They didn't think it would move into her lymph glands and it did. Everything that wasn't supposed to happen to her did happen and she made it through. She knows that it was a miracle and I draw strength from her.

“I know that running isn't everything now,” Odell added. “It is a part of who I am and why I do what I do. I'm not just doing it to pay for school -- it's a part of me and my mom is a definite motivator.”

For Odell, the weekend's goal is simple -- finish in the top five and earn a trip to the NCAA Championships in Sacramento. And when she goes, it's a sure thing her mom will be on hand.

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