Last year

was a very good one for Garcia. She placed fifth at the

USA Track and Field Cross Country 8K Nationals/World Team

Trials, earning a place on the U.S. team, which placed

eighth at the World Cross Country Championships in

Belfast, Northern Ireland. Returning to the track for the

first time since college, Garcia established personal

bests in the 3,000 and 5,000. Additionally, she ran a new

10K road personal best of 32:39. She placed fourth at the

USATF Indoor 3K Nationals.

Garcia also

appeared on the cover of the November `99 issue of the

Running Journal for her third consecutive win at both the

5K and 10K at the 21st annual Midnight Flight races in

Anderson, S.C.

She also

has been selected by Atlanta Sports and Fitness Magazine

as the athlete of the year. Most recently, Garcia

represented the U.S. in the Ekiden Relay Marathon in

Chiba, Japan in November, finishing fifth. She has

qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 5,000 and will

attempt to make the 10,000 standard as well.

Garcia will

be the guest speaker at the next meeting of the Peachtree

City Running Club Feb. 7 at 7:30 p.m. at the Wyndham

Peachtree Executive Conference Center.