Kansas senior cross country runner Mark Menefee remembers how silly he sounded as a sophomore.

âÂÂI thought I was going to be an All-American that first year,â said the Buhler native and Hutchinson Community College transfer, who received much acclaim after finishing fifth at the national junior college championship meet.

âÂÂItâÂÂs tougher than that.âÂÂ

Real tough.

Menefee has endured four years of injury-plagued inconsistency which insulted his attitude that he should be ranked among AmericaâÂÂs top 20 runners – the criteria for making the All-America team.

Having never even won a collegiate race until this season, MenefeeâÂÂs chance of the prestigious honor seemed nothing more than a pipe dream, which all but ended last weekend when he finished eighth at the Midwest Regional.

But MenefeeâÂÂs dream didnâÂÂt die in Normal, Ill.

Thanks to an at-large invitation to todayâÂÂs NCAA championship race in Terre Haute, Ind., Menefee will get one final race to run for everything heâÂÂs ever wanted.

âÂÂI was not expecting to make it,â said Menefee, who out of optimism was training at Rim Rock Farm Monday before learning of his fortunate opportunity. âÂÂI know IâÂÂm good enough to go. IâÂÂd really have been confident if IâÂÂd finished at least sixth, but eighth place is really on the edge. I think I was pretty lucky.âÂÂ

Luck has been on MenefeeâÂÂs side his senior season.

He won his first race ever as a Jayhawk in his final competitive run at Rim Rock, the course which lured him to Lawrence.

HeâÂÂs been solid throughout this season and spectacular at times, like when he finished 10th at the Pre-Nationals in October on the same course he has conditioned himself for today.

The biggest blessing, Menefee says, is he hasnâÂÂt been bumming because of injuries.

âÂÂI made it through the season, thatâÂÂs the biggest plus,â said Menefee, whose career at KU has been marred by him resting and not racing.

First Menefee had a bout with his iliotibial band – the muscle that extends from the thigh to the knee.

Next was a respiratory track infection. Then he suffered from plantar fasciitis – pain in the underside of the foot.

Finally, Menefee was missing in action because of mono.

But Menefee says thatâÂÂs all in the past, and today, for his final race, heâÂÂs in tip-top condition.

âÂÂMy goal is to be an All-American, thatâÂÂs what IâÂÂm running for,â said Menefee, the first Jayhawk to qualify individually for the NCAAs since current volunteer assistant coach Charlie Gruber in 2000.

âÂÂIâÂÂve got to remember to run my race and not get carried away.âÂÂ

If Menefee does, he might provide the perfect ending to a problematic past.

âÂÂThis is my extra chance,â Menefee said. âÂÂIâÂÂve put in a lot of years and I just want to run a race that IâÂÂll be proud to look back on.âÂÂ