In 2002, Tracey Brauksieck lead the Penn State women's cross country team throughout the season. She was the number one finisher in every single race. Brauksieck grabbed 10th place honors at the Big Ten Championships. And she helped earn Penn State team its' first trip to the NCAA Championships since 1996.

This year Brauksieck was listed as one of the top runners to look for on the team. She was confident about making an impact for the team at races.

But as she entered this season, something seemed to be missing for the sophomore. At her last race, Brauksieck did not earn the top spot. She ended up taking 44th and placing 8th on her own team. Her frustration was immense. Nothing added up.

Initially, Brauksieck and Penn State women's cross country coach Beth Alford-Sullivan thought she had merely over trained this summer. They kept cutting back her running during practices but even the cutback in miles did not prevent her fatigue. Nothing made her feel better.

Finally after a lot of stress and no explanation, Brauksieck sought medical assistance. The Friday before the Penn State National, she was diagnosed with iron-deficiency anemia. The disease causes the production of red-blood cells to significantly decrease. Though both Brauksieck's parents had struggled with anemia it never crossed her mind until late in the season.

The anemia took its toll on Brauksieck, exhausting her at regular practices.

"I felt like a fish out of water when I ran," she said. "I couldn't make it through the day without taking a nap."

The results are that now she has to take iron supplements and eat high protein, iron-packed foods. Her workouts have remained almost the same. She still runs 35 to 40 miles per week but now has been relaxing with her cross training: swimming and biking.

"I wasn't really happy when I found out," Brauksieck said. "At least I can do something about it."

"There was a lot of pressure lifted off both of our shoulders," Alford-Sullivan said. "It made it easier to know that it was not anything that either one of us was doing wrong."

Brauksieck is still optimistic about breaking back into the top five and trying to help out her team at this weekend's Big Ten competition in Lansing, Mich. The hope is that she will have 85% of her former power back for the competition and be 100% better by the NCAA regional event on September 15th.

She feels much more at ease knowing that she can return to her standout position with the Penn State squad. It will just take a little longer.