Colorado State University Athletics
Brotherly Love
2/19/2004 12:00:00 AM | General
As runners, their similarities are apparent. Both have strides that make their running appear effortless. Each have natural gaits that eat up the ground in front of them. They are both extremely versatile and excel at a wide range of distances, and both have an innate drive that makes them fierce competitors.
Bill and Paul Michel are teammates on the CSU track and cross-country teams. They are also brothers, roommates and friends. While they have a lot in common they remain unique and contribute different dimensions to the team.
Bill describes himself as being ?more of a leader,? while he sees Paul as ?more social, friends with everyone and very funny.? In high school, Bill won four state championships in track and cross-country while attending Wheat Ridge. During Paul?s senior year he won the 3200 meter run and broke the Colorado state record in 2001. Both signed with the Ram?s and have proven themselves successful at the next level. The brothers agree that they have a stronger relationship now than they did during high school. They contribute this to maturity and growth. Maturity gained by age has brought them closer outside of running and as runners, they have both gained physical strength and have proved to be compatible training partners.
Bill has been on the cross-country team for the past four years, making three NCAA Championship appearances while Paul has run cross-country the past two years and ran in this past fall?s NCAA Championships. In track last season Bill qualified for the NCAA Regional meet in both the 1500 and the 5000, a feat not accomplished by many. Paul qualified in the 1500 meter run and advanced to the NCAA Championships where he finished 24th after being tripped in the first 200 meters of the preliminary race.
As runners, the Michel brothers have made a huge impact on the success attained by the CSU mid-distance and distance squads. As people, they have contributed different but vital characteristics that have greatly impacted the cohesiveness of the team.
Both Bill and Paul will compete during the indoor season before they run their last season together as CSU teammates during the outdoor season. Bill will graduate in May with a degree in Economics while Paul is scheduled to graduate in the spring of 2006 with a degree in Art.
by Katie Yemm
Media Relations Intern and
Current Colorado State Track Athlete
