Carroll College sophomore cross country runner Taylor Gregory believes that big events are venues to achieve exceptional performances.

The races don't get any bigger than this weekend, where Gregory will be competing in the NAIA National Championships in Kenosha, Wis., and the Saints runner figures it's as good a place as any for a personal record.

"The competition there will be awesome," said Gregory. "There are 300 of the best runners in the country there. Sometimes you can get caught up in the excitement in a big meet like that and exceed your expectations."

Gregory speaks from experience, since that's exactly what he did two weeks ago at the Frontier Conference Regional Championships in Lewiston, Idaho.

The Regional meet format consisted of just the winning team making the trip to Kenosha. After that, only the top three individual finishers from the Frontier Conference qualified.

Individually, Gregory had his work cut out for him. Two weeks prior to regionals, he placed 36th at the Lewiston Invitational. Gregory and Saints coach Bill Ballinger developed a plan to improve Taylor's time of 27 minutes, 37 seconds on the 8K Lewiston course.

"The goal was to stay with Great Falls' No. 2 runner, Jared Reyes, for the first two miles, and then pull ahead of him," said Gregory. "I was able to do that, and then their (the Argos) No. 1 guy, Shane Donaldson, was in front of me. So I focused on him, and made him my target."

Next, Taylor passed Donaldosn -- whom he'd never beaten before -- and went on to place sixth overall. Lewis-Clark captured the title easily, while Gregory was the top finisher not on the winning team. His time of 26:27 was 70 seconds faster than he had run just two weeks earlier.

"Taylor did all the right stuff at regionals, he put himself in a position to qualify. He ran with a lot of audacity," coach Ballinger said. "He put it all together at the right time and pulled it off."

Gregory's accomplishment did not come without a lot of hard work. "We do a lot of training in the South Hills with assistant coach Brian Wieck," Gregory explained. "He's a hell of a trail runner. My favorite run is on a secret trail Brian calls the 'phlegm run.' It's way back in behind some old mines. I'm really able to focus on my training back in there."

Gregory, a Spokane, Wash., native, ran cross country and track for Gonazaga Prep School. He was the team captain his last two years. He said he chose Carroll because he's an outdoorsman and he likes Montana.

"I love to fish, and I think it's cool that Helena's a small town, compared to Spokane anyway," he said.

Gregory won't be the only harrier with Helena connections at Nationals. Alyssa Bossler, a junior at Jamestown College, will be attending her third NAIA championships. She is a former Helena High standout.

Coach Ballinger and Gregory flew to Kenosha Thursday. There's a meeting today, and then the big race takes place Saturday at the Wayne Dahl Memorial Course.

"It might seem unrealistic, but I'd like to get into the 25s (minutes) at nationals -- 25:59 is my goal," Gregory said.

Reporter Curt Synness: 449-2150 or curt52s@bresnan.net