Former Coach Claims Rainey is Overworked

Meredith Rainey's former track coach charged yesterday that Harvard exploited the sophomore runner last weekend in a track meet. But Rainey said that she was not overused, just used to her capacity.

During Saturday's triangular meet with Yale and Princeton in New Haven, Rainey participated in the finals of five events, posting three first-place and two second-place finishes.

"No coach can advocate using someone like that," said Fred Thompson, Rainey's track coach during her elementary and junior high school years. "They are exploiting her talent. Harvard didn't have a chance to win that track meet. It's abominable."

Crimson track Coach Frank Haggerty '68 declined comment, but Co-Captain Katie Toner said that the co-captains, Haggerty and Rainey discussed the extra workload well before the track meet.

"Before the season began," Toner said, "we all looked at the schedule and picked certain meets where people were asked to give their all. We went into the meet looking to win. Given the time spread, she did not have to put out 100 percent effort in all of the races."

"Frank consulted me," Rainey said. "It was my decision. I don't feel I was exploited, but I wouldn't do it on a regular basis. I wouldn't even say I was overused. I was used to my capacity."

Thompson, however, said the decision should not have been left to Rainey.

"She doesn't understand she is being used," Thompson said. "A lot of kids don't understand when they are being used."

During the meet, Rainey was given an occasional breather when the men's team or the women's JV squad was on the track.

"It's not like if she just stayed on the track, waiting to run," Toner said. "The day could be considered a difficult workout for Meredith."

Thompson, however, said Rainey should not have run the five races in one day despite the temporary breaks.

"It's still wrong," Thompson said. "I don't care who talked about it or how much time there was that day. The coach can't advocate that responsibility. It doesn't matter if Meredith agreed to it. I don't think a coach should ever advocate running a kid five times in one day."

Rainey won the 200, 400, and 800-meter races. She also placed second in the 55-meter sprint, and anchored the women's mile relay to a second-place finish.

"Why did she run in five events?" Thompson continued. "It's because she's talented, and they were exploiting her talent."

Toner agreed that five races in one day was a lot.

"Meredith usually runs three to four races," Toner said. "[Five] is an unusual number of races. It will not happen again this season."

As a youngster under Thompson's tutelage, Rainey ran for the Atoms Track Club in Brooklyn, N.Y., for four years. She gave up the sport when she turned 14.

But in December of 1986, she walked onto the Harvard track team and was an instant success. She already holds school records in three sprints: the 55, 200, and 400-meter dashes.

Rainey's success continued into this year. Two weeks ago, she qualified for the NCAA Championships in the 400-meter run with a time of 54.57.

Thompson said Rainey has the potential to qualify for the Olympic trials.

"She is capable of making the Olympic trials," Thompson said, "but she will never make it if her coach runs her like this."

"If this kind of thing happened at Nebraska, everyone would say how crazy it is," said Thompson. "Why should it be any different at Harvard? This kind of thing is not supposed to come out of Harvard. We all look at Harvard differently. The thrust of a Harvard education is fulfilling one's potential, academically and athletically. It's abuse."

"I appreciate Freddie's concern for me," Rainey said. "His motivation is because he's concerned for me. He probably knows of situations where runners are overworked, but that's not applicable in this situation."