By Robert Naddra
Staff Writer
Article dated Jan. 2, 1991

Anita Howard can't help but laugh at the irony. Being a psychology major, she never imagined that she would be her own first client.

The most acclaimed women's sprinter the University of Florida has ever seen, Howard has found the road back from a muscle pull in her leg in March much longer and treacherous than she had prepared for.

Howard, an eight-time All-American with two more seasons in front of her, has recuperated physically. It's the mental side effects of the injury that still haunt her.

``I need to work on my own mind now,'' said Howard, who is at home visiting her parents for the holidays. Howard attended Butler High in Augusta.

``I tell myself how can I help motivate someone else when I can't motivate myself,'' she said.

Running the 100 meters in a race in Jamaica, Howard pulled her quad muscle in her left leg. Never having been injured before, instead of coming to a stop, Howard jumped straight up in the air, went limp and crashed in a heap on the track.

In addition to her muscle pull, she suffered a concussion, a sprained left ankle and scuffed her shoulder bad enough that there is a permanent scar as a reminder of the incident. She was unconscious for about 10 minutes and awoke in a state of hysteria.

``I always tend to overreact to things,'' Howard said. ``I had to be pushed off my crutches. Consciously, I wanted to run, but subconsciously every time I start to turn over (my stride), I shut down. And for no reason, I was limping on it for awhile.

``When I first started back running, I was so afraid I was going to hurt the leg again, I wouldn't even let my (left) leg touch the ground.''

But Howard isn't running away from her problems anymore. She has undergone therapy for her mind and body and said she is more dedicated to her sport than she has ever been.

``I can look back at everything I've done and that gives me confidence that I can do it again,'' Howard said. ``The injury made me take running more seriously. It changed me. Track has become a big part of my personality.''

And Howard, in really a season and a half, has become a big part of the Florida record book. She holds the Lady Gators' indoor record in the 55 meters (6.71 seconds) and 200 meters (23.44). Howard also holds Florida outdoor records in the 100 meters (11.14) and 200 meters (22.85) and is part of three record relay teams - two indoors and one outdoors.

Even after the injury, Howard helped the Lady Gators' 1600-meter relay team win SEC and NCAA titles.

Howard earned all-America honors as a freshman for her indoor times in the 55 and 200 meters and outdoor times in the 100 and 200. As a sophomore, her times indoors in the 55, 200 and 1600 relay earned all-America honors, as did her part in the 1600 outdoor relay.

The injury has created a sort of paradox for Howard. Throughout her career, she has became one of the most accomplished sprinters in the nation on sheer natural talent.

She admits - in the past - to catching catnaps in the weight room when her coach wasn't around and faking through her stretching exercises in practice and before meets. And her technique, arms flailing in a churning motion from side to side, seemed to work against her.

Yet Howard won. As a freshman at Butler, Howard was the Junior Olympics champion in the 100 and 200 meters and won the Junior Olympics 100 meters as a sophomore. In her junior year, she was named All-American in the 100 and 200 meters by Track and Field News.

She was good enough in her senior year at Butler to beat Evelyn Ashford twice in the 100 meters and compete against Florence Griffith-Joyner in the 100 at the Olympic Trials.

Now, however, Howard is much more dedicated, but the results have been slow in coming. In an all-comers indoor meet in Florida earlier this month, Howard won the 55 meters and finished second in the 200, but was unhappy with her times.

``I'm trying harder and lifting weights more than ever now,'' Howard said. ``When you work for something, you want to see some positive reinforcement. I did all this work, but I'm not running as well as before.''

Howard, though, is not without a support system. Lady Gators Coach Beverly Kearney has kept a close watch on Howard's recovery. Kearney has been there when Howard has needed a good push as well as a good listener.

``From talking to other people, I know other (college) coaches would not have taken this much time with a runner,'' Howard said. ``She builds my confidence up every time I get down. Beverly's like a best friend to me.''

These days, Howard doesn't head for home in the middle of the two-mile practice run Kearney puts her sprinters through. And if Kearney calls for six quarter-mile sprints at practice, Howard is there for all of them instead of just plodding through two or three and calling it a day.

``I'm in great shape, I'm more muscular and and well-defined than before,'' Howard said. ``I try not to expect too much too soon. I know it's going to come, I just have to work a little harder.''

In addition to being in the best shape of her life, Howard is now a much more mechanically sound runner. Howard now runs more upright and keeps her arms close in to her sides.

``Mechanically, I'm back,'' Howard said. ``I'm doing so much more. Everyone said it would just click so I'm not worrying about getting back the way I was for the indoor season. Each time I go out, I just try to improve.''

Florida's indoor season begins next month with the outdoor season coming in the spring. For the immediate future, Howard has her sights set on a bang-up spring season.

As for a long-range goal, Howard would love to be in Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics. In 1988, she made it to the second heat before she let Flo-Jo and the crowd get to her.

Howard looks to Barcelona without overlooking her current situation, though.

``I'm definitely going to be in the 1992 Olympics,'' Howard said. ``If I overcome this like I know I can, I'm definitely going to be prepared.''

And that is something that Howard knows more about now than ever before.