Freshman Arabian runner Brooke Runyan will run in Round Rock at Old Settlers Park on Saturday, November 4 at 2:40pm. Brooke qualified for the final race of the season with a time of 12:29.8 at Regional in Corpus Christi on October 23rd. Her final time slotted her an 11th place finish out of 178 runners.
Head Coach Khera Vay, “I’m very excited to be taking Brooke Runyan to the state meet on November 4th. She has worked very hard and has progressed throughout the season from simply a runner to a runner with confidence.
“I often find, especially with my freshman runners, that they are trying to find a place on the team and figure out where they fit. I recall a statement made by Brooke early in the season, referencing the mileage run by a veteran runner. She said, ‘Wow, maybe one day I can run that far in the given time.’ Sure enough, as the season went on she found her place, and that was at the top with another young runner.
“I found a quote in Runner’s World that sums up Brooke’s mentality and personality about running, it states that sometimes running is as much about the decision to go after something you want, about the drive and desire to prove to yourself and the world what you’re capable of, as it is about training and physical effort.”
As most will recall, Brooke won the District 29-4A meet in Lytle but was incorrectly and unfathomably awarded a 2nd place finish. “After the district meet, you could see a complete shift in mentality,” stated Vay. “Brooke knew what she wanted and what she was capable of; she has set out to get it done.” Brooke beat all district competition once again at Regional.
The state course is a little different than others that Brooke has run on this season. The course will provide Brooke many challenges she has yet to encounter during a race. Because the field is large and the times are so similar from the first runner to the 152nd runner, the runners will remain so close in proximity that the race will be more about strategy, when to make moves and when to use other runners to carry her through to the end of the race.
“I’m very excited she will get this opportunity so young in her running career,” continued Vay. “As Nathan DeWall states, ‘When you know you’ve done hard things in the past, future challenges are no longer threats, and you gain this trust that you can confront them.’ I’m looking forward to seeing how she performs and the confidence and trust she gains throughout this experience.”
Brooke’s outlook
“This Saturday, I am looking for a sub-twelve time. All of my practice times in the afternoon workouts are based on running a 12-flat race pace. There are going to be so many girls that run my current pace during State that I not only will have to be able to sprint past a group of girls multiple times but also maintain a pace. Even though I am currently ranked 42nd, my goal is to place in the top 25.”
Fan club
Parents Paul and Kelly Runyan along with brother Gehrig and twin sister Megan will not be the only support that Brooke will have in Round Rock. Grandma Brenda Hellums, grandparents Ron and Mary Alice Runyan and Bill and Edith Hellums, along with Uncle Will Hellums, Aunt Miranda Hildebrand and cousin Aiden Hildebrand, Uncle James and cousin Loraine Hellums, and Uncle Michael, Aunt Rhonda and cousin Cameron Hellums will be there to cheer Brooke on.
Directions
The address is 3300 E. Palm Valley Blvd., Round Rock—78665.
Take I35 North to Exit 253. Take the ramp for I35 toward Hutto/Sam Pass Rd./Taylor. Turn right onto U.S.79N/W. Palm Valley Blvd. Turn back on U.S.-79W/E. Palm Blvd.
By Jerel Beaty
Staff Writer
