text: N. CENTRAL RUNNERS LAUGH ALL THE WAY - Chicago Tribune
  N. CENTRAL RUNNERS LAUGH ALL THE WAY
  The College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin cross-country championships will be run next weekend, and the NCAA Division III Midwest Regionals are just three weeks from Saturday. But you would never know it from being around North Central College cross-country coach Al Carius.
  Carius, not an anxious person during the most trying times, is even less concerned about the postseason.
  ''It`s less serious this time of year,'' Carius said. ''You actually feel less secure at the beginning of the year. Then you`re concerned about the shape your people are in and how they are going to react to competition. But this is the fun time of the year, when you get results from your work earlier in the season.''
  Some might consider this a cavalier approach. But it is normal procedure for Carius, who has won seven NCAA Division III national championships and 18 consecutive CCIW titles in 26 years at the Naperville school.
  At North Central, this approach has become a philosophy known as running for fun. The concept, says Carius, celebrates personal accomplishments and the joy of running before team success.
  ''If you have somebody who likes to run, then you`re going to have great distance runners in four years,'' said Carius, whose Cardinals are ranked sixth in national Division III polls. ''Anybody who wants to run can be a part of our program.''
  This year, as in previous years, North Central has good distance runners. Most notable is Derron Bishop, a junior from Canton High School. Bishop, a two-time All-American who has averaged times of 25:15 on 5-mile courses this season, has outclassed most of his competition.
  The only problem is that he has also outclassed most of his teammates. Carius was particularly concerned with a showing at the Notre Dame
  Invitational three weeks ago. Bishop finished second among 151 runners with a time of 25:10.0. The next-highest finisher for the Cardinals was sophomore Dan Mayer, who was 19th with a time of 26:01.5.
  ''I`m looking for some people to pop out of the woodwork and close the gap between Bishop and the rest,'' said Carius at the time. ''This is a team sport. If you have a big gap between your top five runners, then you`ll have a high total team score, and you won`t win races.''
  As it turns out, Mayer may be the man to pop out of the woodwork. Last Saturday, at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside Invitational, Mayer finished fifth with a time of 25:28. That`s just seven seconds slower than Bishop, who finished third.
  Carius figures that Bishop and Mayer will have a good chance to qualify for the Midwest Regionals Nov. 16 in Oshkosh, Wis. Junior Britton Roth, sophomore Dan Iverson, junior Ed Castillo (a Batavia High School alumnus) and senior Kurt Wesselhoff also are good bets to make the regionals, Carius said. Runners who qualify in the regionals will compete in the Division III National Championships on Nov. 23 in Newport News, Va.
  Bishop, the captain, is responsible for inspiring the rank-and-file during these last few weeks of the regular season, says Carius.
  ''He`s a natural leader who gets along with everybody,'' Carius said.
  ''He loves to run, and he has a competitive instinct. He`s made a commitment to the sport.''
  Carius also credits good conditioning for the team`s success this year. Although the team has lost junior Rob Harvey for the season because of a broken back, North Central has suffered few other injuries.