A NOTE FROM NATIONALS This is the 2nd in a series by Jenny Folgers, one of three SMU athletes taking part in this weekend's NCAA Division III Outdoor National championships in Decatur, Ill.

Wednesday, May 26, Decatur, Ill. — It was free stuff day!

Who would've thought that one of the most exciting events of our trip to the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships would be when we received free NCAA stuff?

The three of us — myself (100-meter hurdles), Ellen Koranda (1,500) and Todd Yankowski (decathlon) — were hoping to receive something large and exciting, like a free backpack, sweatshirt or folding chair.

But it was better — much better.

After our coaches, Kirk Nauman and John Skemp, officially checked the three of us into the meet, they were handed armfuls of gifts for us.

All together, we were given an iClick digital camera, an NCAA pillow, a small Nalgene bottle and a Kraft "It's Pasta Anytime" snack, not to mention the NCAA tote bags Kirk and John received as a coach's gift.

To us, just taking home these free gifts and showing our friends and family, not to mention our competition, proof that we were at the national level will in itself be honorable.

Today was also the day we saw the Millikin University track for the first time.

Todd and I have competed on this track before, when I was a freshman during a Spring Break trip, but to me, the track seemed completely different.

And why wouldn't it — instead of a few schools competing in a small-scale track meet, some of the greatest Division III track and field athletes in the nation were gathered at the dressed-up facility for a pre-meet workout.

And I have to admit, it was a little nerve wracking to see them.

But then I realized that I was one of them.

It eased my nerves to finally see where I would be competing and to put faces on the names I have been looking at all season long on the NCAA qualifiers list.

We also saw these talented individuals in the evening at a coach's/athlete's dinner banquet hosted by the NCAA at the Decatur Civic Center.

It was fun to get dressed up and sit with a few other MIAC qualifiers as friends and not the normal competition that we usually classify them as.

We mainly socialized with Becky Peterson (heptathlon) and Jennifer Levenhagen (discus) of St. Olaf College, along with their coach, Greg Binstock, eating the spaghetti dinner along with hundreds of NCAA qualifiers and coaches.

But, of course, in the back of my mind, I kept thinking about the upcoming race and was wondering if any of the women eating near me would be lining up next to me in a few days.

Although I know that the race is just a small part of the national experience, I'm still nervous for the biggest 100 hurdle race of my athletic career.

I'll keep you updated.