Bob Dylan once sang, The answers my friend are blowing in the wind. Saluki freshman cross-country runner Sharlene Downing my be that answer.

She’s like a feather blowing in the wind, SIUC coach Don DeNoon said. She’s got good form and leg speed, she barley touches the ground and she’s light on her feet.

While she may be the answer in future years, she still has to adjust to running in the Midwest. Trees, rolling hills, a national forest, and humidity are things Downing has never experienced growing up in North Las Vegas, Nev.

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Here it’s totally different, she said. I’m not used to running on grass. Back home it’s sand, sand, and more sand. It’s hot there too, like right now it’s 110 degrees.

Making the change from sand to grass, and hot temperatures to cool fall conditions have been positive moves, according to Downing.

It was weird coming here, because it’s totally different in Nevada, she said. I like it better though. I don’t regret coming here.

SIUC was only one of the schools Downing had to choose from, but she said her decision was made when she visited the campus.

I had to choose between UCLA, the University of Reno, Michigan State, and UNLV, she said. I came here because everything was green. Where I come from, all I see is buildings, and I had never seen woods before. My major (radio and television) was ranked the top out of my choices, and coach DeNoon.

He knew what he was talking about, and seemed like the kind of coach that would understand me. Plus, he’s nice.

The transition from high school to college has involved more than a change in scenery for Downing. This is the first time she has run in the middle of the pack during races since her freshman year of high school. She said it has been tough adjusting to the level of competition in college.

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I started running my freshman year in high school, she said. I didn’t even know what cross-country was until I signed up and they asked me to run two miles the first practice. I’ve been No. 1 since my freshman year, city champion since my sophomore year, and I won state my senior year.

I can’t wait (for the Auburn Invitational, Sept. 30 at Auburn), she said. The last two meets I haven’t run like I wanted to, but I’ve been having good practices. In high school, I automatically lead, so it’s tough to be in the middle of the pack.

DeNoon said she has great natural ability being one of the top recruits in the country, but there are things she needs to improve on to become a dominant runner.

She’s as good as anyone we have right now, as far as talent, but it’s up to her to gain the strength and maturity to compete, he said. Some freshmen come in and are immediately competitors, and some take longer. I’m patient.

Downing said team co-captains Kelly French and Kim Koerner have helped her with the changes involved with running in college and living so far from home.

I was very discouraged when I first came here, and they helped me out a lot, she said. They pushed me to do better, too.

Koerner said her own freshman experiences have helped her to help Downing.

When I came on, I was the only freshman on varsity, and I didn’t fit in real well, she said. I wanted to make sure this year’s freshmen make an easy transition.

Koerner also said it is extra tough for Downing because of her distance from home.

Sharlene is from a long way away, so it’s tough to be that far from home. She needs to feel comfortable, make new friends, and have the same confidence she had in high school, she said. For me it was the level of competition and training. It was tough being on a team of people I had never known.

Tough competition and traveling is nothing new to Downing. She experienced both, having to trek to California to find competition.

I ran against the No. 1 runner in the country in California, she said. I got seventh place and she got first. I had to travel there to find competition. There wasn’t any in Nevada until I got to the state meet.

The transition may be tough for Downing, but she remains optimistic and has her goals in perspective.

This year I just want to get through, she said. Then I want to go past the district meet, and hold a B’ or A’ average.