CROSS COUNTRY: HAPPY TO BE BACK ON TRACK.

Byline: Kirby Lee Special to the Daily News

Rachel Guerrero knows about growing pains.

As a 4-foot-10, 75-pound freshman two years ago, Guerrero had stellar cross country and track seasons at Highland High School, advancing to the Southern Section finals in both sports.

Problems, however, arose her sophomore year when Guerrero sprouted five inches and gained more than 20 pounds to 5-foot-3 and 98 pounds. She began experiencing back pain believed to have been caused by an automobile accident.

Guerrero also was slowed by a seven-month bout with anemia that forced her to stop running for several months between cross country and track. During track, she developed bronchitis as well as an Achilles' tendon injury.

``I am really glad I gained weight, but my body went through a lot of shock,'' Guerrero said. ``I felt like my body was falling apart.''

It also put a hold on a promising running career for Guerrero, who had been tabbed as heir apparent to teammate Andrea Neipp, the 1996 State Division II champion. As a freshman in 1996, Guerrero was the Golden League runner-up in cross country to Neipp, who went on to win the State Division II title. Guerrero also ran a respectable 18 minutes, 36 seconds on the rugged Mt. San Antonio College 3-mile course.

In track, Guerrero finished third in the 3,200 meters in the Section Division I finals, clocking 11 minutes, 12.63 seconds. She finished fourth in the 1,600 where she has run 5:11.96.

Guerrero, however, has never been the same since.

The summer before her sophomore season, it became a struggle to complete even simple workouts because of anemia. There were times when she would have to stop and sit down and rest.

Guerrero said the fatigue was so great, it was not uncommon for her to come home from school in the afternoon and sleep until it was time to wake up for school the next morning.

There were also complications from an automobile accident suffered in the fall of her freshman year. Guerrero was a passenger in a vehicle totaled when it was struck by a car making a left turn in front of her.

``Things weren't coming the same,'' Guerrero said. ``I had limited energy. I would work extra hard and struggle to run the same pace as before.''

Rachel dislocated her wrist and struck her head on the windshield. The force of the collision was so great her left hip is an inch higher than her right. To compensate for the imbalance, she has a tendency to lean forward and to the right.

Guerrero also has developed scoliosis that has resulted in extreme pain when she runs, especially on hard surfaces.

Despite the maladies, Guerrero managed a third-place finish in the Golden League cross country finals as a sophomore. In track, she finished third in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters in the league championships but did not approach the marks of her freshman year.

``The season was a roller coaster. I know I didn't run to my potential, but I am proud of what I did,'' Guerrero said.

This year, Guerrero has finished sixth in two Golden League meets but is grateful to be running. She still has periodic blood tests, but her red blood cell count has returned to normal and there is no sign of anemia.

``People wonder why she isn't running as fast but they don't know what she has been through,'' Highland coach John Johnston said. ``It's been a long time coming. It's been one thing after another. She has all the components. She just really needs to get going to rekindle everything.''

Guerrero still suffers from lingering back pain. She makes regular visits to a chiropractor to keep her spine in alignment and lifts weights daily to strengthen her back muscles.

Guerrero's parents Willie and Kim have been supportive and had no qualms about Rachel continuing to run as long as it was not a detriment to her health.

Guerrero credits Johnston for keeping her spirits up. This fall, Johnston has limited Guerrero to predominately low-impact mileage but believes she is ready to make the transition back to high intensity training in preparation for next month's Golden League finals.

``She has good days and bad days,'' Johnston said. ``Now, it's a matter of confidence. She hasn't really pushed herself to the wall. In my mind, she is capable of handling anything I throw at her. She is beginning to show more and more flashes of her normal standards.''

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1-2) Highland distance runner Rachel Guerrero took the Southern Section by storm in 1997 as a 4-foot-10, 75-pound freshman, left, before a growth spurt and health problems plagued her sophomore season, right. Guerrero, now a 5-foot-3, 98-pound junior, is regaining her form.

Kirby Lee/Special to the Daily News