Halfway through the girls Liberty District cross country meet, Langley’s Lauren Shaw decided that it wouldn’t be her day.
“She wasn’t really sure if it was in the cards for her,” said head coach Astrid Howell.
That changed a few strides later as Shaw reached the top of the final hill at the Burke Lake course. With only half a mile to go, Shaw turned and made her final push down the hill.
“We have been really working on running downhill and not hitting the breaks. She said that she made a move there and she could feel that nobody was coming with her,” said Howell. “I think that she realized that that was her chance.”
Shaw finished with a time of 18 minutes 22 seconds, winning her first Liberty District title.
“She is a very confident girl and she really just decided to do it,” said Howell.
With the graduation of Woodson’s Sarah Hadiji last year, Shaw knew that this year would be her chance to make a name for herself in the Liberty District.
“There has sort of been a lack of a dominant girl in our district. I think that she knew, based on times from other girls in our district, that she had the fastest times,” said Howell.
As for the Northern Region meet this week, Shaw will focus on placing high enough to move on to the state meet.
“She knows that she will really have to run with the pack and hang on,” said Howell. “I think that she could very well do it. She is realistic and she knows that it would be a major accomplishment for her.”