George Probst became a familiar face throughout the 1998 road racing season. He had a prolific and productive year. It did not come easy. Still, he is not content with his current performances. He has set realistic new goals.

In George's first race, a 5K in Germany at the age of nine, a friend sprinted past him at the end and his competitive side emerged. One year later at the same US Army 5K he won the twelve and under division and received a medal from the General that he wore for days. That medal made quite an impression on him.

After moving back to Burke, VA in 1988 at age fourteen, he ran occasional road races with his dad and a summer series of cross- country races for Lake Braddock Secondary School, winning more age group awards. Entering Lake Braddock High School he ranked 22nd in the time trials. By his senior year he hit times of 4:39 for the mile and 9:49 for two miles. Through hard work he lowered his 5K cross-country time down to 17:40.

Respectable times, but college recruiters were not knocking on his door. He lettered in indoor and outdoor track and cross- country. He went on to Virginia Tech to study Mechanical Engineering with hopes of running for the school. He announced his intent to Coach Steve Taylor who was not encouraging at first. His determination and work ethic soon outweighed the coach's pessimism. Steve told him up front it was going to be a long haul.

Advised to gain weight, increase his strength, and increase his mileage base, George wasted no time. His dedication earned him the hardest-working freshman award. Later, at a conference meet held in Mississippi, the top seven runners from the school were to compete. George was ranked ninth. Four of the runners were suffering from food poisoning, so that gave George an opportunity to compete. At one point Steve recalls him surging to the front passing the number one ranked runner, knowing he was not at that level yet. Placing fifth overall and second for his team, George's mental focus and steady training would earn him recognition in track and cross-country.

Receiving scholarships his junior and senior years, he was also the Tech Track Athlete of the Year in 1996. Currently working toward his master's in Industrial Engineering, he has used the DC area road racing circuit to test his fitness while visiting his family. His father, Frank, is an ultra marathoner and has been important in giving support along the way. His focus has shifted toward the marathon.

While in the area over the holidays, he was out the door and on the road at 8:00 a.m. His plan was doing timed runs of 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes at a six minute pace at Lake Accotink and Burke Lake. With plenty of sleep, attention to his diet, weight training, and assuming everything goes well, his goal is the Pittsburgh Marathon and the magic time of 2:20:00. He would also like to run sub-30:00 for the 10K and sub-50:00 for ten miles along with finishing his master's degree this summer.

In 1998 he ran 30:12 at the Charlotte Observer 10K and 50:25 at the Army 10 Miler. He also won the Nasdaq Veterans Day 10K in 30:26, and raced 46:17 at the GW Parkway Classic 15K for the runner-up spot. At the Colt-USO Defender's 10 Mile Run, his time of 52:40 resulted from pushing the pace early, leading a group of Kenyans through the first two miles. The race was also unseasonably warm.

Based on his track record of setting goals, the ability to stay mentally focused, and to make the sacrifices necessary, he is definitely showing signs of stepping up. As a borderline elite runner, he possesses many qualities the elites have. Most important, he understands himself and is very demanding of himself.

If you see him at a race and he seems totally engrossed in his craft, according to his coach, he is" in the zone!"