Few people get the chance to travel to a foreign nation. Fewer get the opportunity to learn at a university there, and ever fewer succeed in intercollegiate athletics during their stays.

These are only a few of the things that junior cross-country runner Stelios Marneros has done in his young life.

Marneros, a native of Cyprus, has also traveled to Turkey to run, won the Missouri Valley Conference individual championship, and has been named MVC cross-country Athlete of the Week three times. He has been named to the MVC All-Academic team and was named to the cross-country coaches’ association All-American team, as well.

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Marneros is currently preparing to lead the Saluki men’s cross-country squad into the Missouri Valley Conference Championship on Sunday in Tulsa, Okla.- a race that he won last year.

Being the MVC conference champion last season, Cornell said Marneros will be the center of attention at the meet this year, but that should not hurt him in the race.

Obviously, other people will be keying in on him since he was conference champ last year, he said. I think Stelios handles pressure pretty well. He has enough races behind him to know what to do. It becomes routine.

Once you’ve figured out what you have to do to win, you stick by it. Whether it’s walking on one side of the street, or wearing the same clothes, it’s almost like superstition.

Marneros said he knows other runners will be watching him, but he said the drive to Tulsa will be the toughest part for him.

I know it’s in here (pointing to his heart), and I have more experience this year, he said. Last year the meet was here, so that was easier, but this year we have to drive to Tulsa.

Marneros has run consistent times throughout the season, some have even been personal bests.

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Consistency is the reason why SIUC cross-country coach Bill Cornell refers to him as the key man for the team to follow.

He’s pretty steady every week, he said. He knows how to set the pace and not burn himself out. He’s a good yardstick for the other runners to measure themselves by.

The one area Cornell is trying to improve Marneros in is his frame of mind while running in races.

In the past, he’s run by stopwatch. He needs to forget about the time, and run against the competition, he Cornell said. It’s the stopwatch that makes him a steady runner, but he needs to forget about it and run the race.

One reason for Marneros’ success is his dedication, according to Cornell.

He is serious about his running and education, Cornell said. He’s over here to learn. He’s very dedicated, not in just his training, but also in his lifestyle. He’s not a partier, doesn’t abuse his body, and is real careful about what he eats and drinks.

He’s one of those guys that if he knows he is running in the morning, he’ll get up in the middle of the night to drink a glass of water to make sure his fluid levels are up.

Cornell said this dedication is what separates the good athletes from the great ones.

To be willing to make sacrifices to do well, that’s the difference in top class athletes, he said. He does everything right.

Although Marneros is an athlete, he said his academics are equally important to him, and being at SIUC is a great accomplishment.

I try to combine them both (running and academics), he said. I am an athlete, but I’m a student also. My greatest achievements are winning the MVC and being here at school. I’m very grateful to coach (Cornell) because he gave me the opportunity to be here, and not many people have the chance for a scholarship.

Marneros said winning the MVC this year would only get him a third of the way to his goal for this season.

I want to go to Nationals, he said. I’ve worked very hard this year. Last year I didn’t have the experience, but this year I do.

Cornell is doing everything he can to help Marneros with that goal. He has already made hotel arangements in Ames, Iowa for the NCAA Championships, Nov. 20.

I wanted to convince Stelios that he can qualify, he said. He missed it by one spot last year.