Shannon Radermacher tears down the back stretch, zipping past her competitors. She picks up her pace, prepared to leave everything she's got out there on the track as she veers into the final turn of the two-lap, 800-meter run.

That turn reveals a new competitor. Right next to Shannon is the hidden threat that couldn't be seen from the stands: Megan Radermacher, her twin sister.

"We look like we're glued together when we're running next to each other," Megan said.

"Of course, we try not to do that," she added, laughing.

Identical twins Megan and Shannon Radermacher seem like a case study for the kinesiology department when it comes to their running. The Spartan middle-distance runners have the same workouts, the same weight-training and even the same tastes in food. The end result is two running threats, carbon copies of each other in both their strides and performance.

"They're very coachable," said coach Darroll Gatson, adding that he has no trouble telling his athletes apart. "They bring an energy to the team, and that's the most important thing."

The twins showed their stuff at the Central Michigan Invitational on Jan. 16. The meet was unscored and marked the team's season opener. Shannon took home third in the mile run (5:14.45) while Megan brought in eighth (5:39.44).

The Radermacher twins, originally from Denver, began running at age 8. Their family moved to Oklahoma, and by the time they settled in Houston, the pair were seasoned competitors.

Their mother, Colleen Radermacher, was a collegiate runner at Oklahoma State and competed in the 1976 U.S. Olympic Trials. But it was their father, Michael Radermacher, a recreational runner, who introduced them to the sport. The twins caught the running bug after competing in road races and were soon involved with a USA Track & Field youth team.

Colleen admits to having doubts about involving her daughters in running at such a young age.

"I had to remember how many years I lost not being involved in any social life," she said. "I wanted them to enjoy the sport, but I wanted them to enjoy it at their own pace."

The pair excelled at Klein High School in Houston, where they both broke records in the 400-meter run, the 800, the 4x400 and 4x800 relays.

When it was time to look for colleges, the sisters knew they wanted to stay together but never considered coming north.

"At first we wanted nothing to do with Michigan State," said Shannon, a communication sophomore. "It was cold. I never thought I'd run in snow a day in my life."

But after visiting, the twins said they fell in love with the campus, the coaching and, eventually, the weather.

"It just seemed like there wasn't a decision to be made anymore," said Megan, a nursing sophomore.

A look at their freshman record shows the sisters are highly competitive. Shannon and Megan took second and third, respectively, in the 500-meter run vs. Notre Dame and finished eighth and ninth in the 600-meter run at the Red Simmons Invite. At the 2003 Big Ten Indoor Championships, Shannon placed eighth while Megan took 13th, crossing the line just more than one second apart.

The tight finishes were based on healthy support, not competition, said the twins. They said they compete against other people, not each other.

"We have a responsibility to each other because we push each other," said Megan.

"If somebody's going to beat me, I'd rather it be her than anybody else," Shannon added.

The sisters, who have been roommates since they arrived at MSU, are very close both on and off the track. They share similar interests when it comes to music, movies and even their favorite ice cream flavor - cake batter. Colleen said her daughters have always been supportive of each other and attributes the bond to their family's strong Christian values.

It's this mutual support that was tested when Megan strained her hamstring last winter, causing her to miss the entire 2003 outdoor season. Her injury had an indirect effect on Shannon's performance.

"It was really obvious that she was struggling," said Megan. "She'd look for my support out there, and the other people she was training with didn't give her the same feedback or encouragement."

The pair's goal for the 2004 season is to break 2:10 in the 800, what they call their "specialty" race.

Gatson said he just hopes the sisters remain healthy.

"When you're healthy, you're free to train more and you don't lose confidence," he said.

Following graduation, the twins plan on pursuing separate careers, but remaining dedicated to their craft.

"I know running is something that I've done my whole life," Shannon said. "If the opportunity comes up when I graduate, then I'll continue doing it.

"If it doesn't, I'll move on."