Carlson runs her way to success in first season

By FAITH MOLDAN / Bigfork Eagle

Kayla Carlson had what it took in her first season of cross country at Bigfork High School. She just didn't know it at first.

A sophomore, Carlson chose to run cross country after running in middle-distance events during last spring's track and field season and with a little encouragement from coach Sue Loeffler. Carlson never ran cross country or track in middle school, but that didn't keep her from trying. She said it's important for people, other students in Bigfork to know that you don't have to know how to run to join the cross country team, but that you can learn how to run properly and be successful.

"Mrs. L. said it would be fun," Carlson said. She added that Loeffler told her it would be a challenge, something Carlson already knew and was up for.

The running gene seems to be a part of Carlson's family, as her dad, Scott, ran in the Boston Marathon. She said she has thought about running half marathons in the future to help her with her off-season training. Carlson said she gets "the runner's high" when she's out hitting the pavement.

Loeffler said many times she, and the other coaches, had to hold Carlson back during workouts and meets.

"She goes really hard," Loeffler said. "She gives 110 percent all the time and competes during practice. We had to ease her down."

Carlson ran the 400 and 800-meter races in track and also competed in pole vault. She said she liked cross country because the race is longer and she's better able to catch up to and pass another runner before the race is over. That's something Carlson did many times throughout the season.

She began her cross country career with a first-place finish in Libby. Carlson finished in a time of 20:49 in the junior varsity race.

"She won by about 300 yards," Loeffler said. She added that Carlson's inexperience made her run her in JV races first. "She went into it not knowing what to expect," Loeffler said.

Carlson noted that her first-place finish was "kind of interesting."

"I slowly caught up with the girl in front me. I didn't know what to expect. It was a nice way to help push myself," she said.

Her success continued the following week in another JV race in Kalispell. She crossed the wire in 20:13, a full minute faster than her nearest competitor. Her time would have placed her in the top 10 in the varsity race. It was also 36 seconds faster than the Libby meet.

"She ran the 800 in track last year, and I knew she had the talent. I just had to convince her to come out," Loeffler said.

Halfway through the first lap in Kalispell, Carlson found herself alone between a couple of runners ahead of her. The rest of the pack of runners behind her. When the second lap rolled around, she was alone, but in the lead this time.

Carlson may not have placed first in her first varsity meet, but third place suited her well. She clocked a time of 19:28 in Ronan. After the Ronan meet, she placed in the top 10 at the Mountain West Classic in Missoula with her 18:40.49 finish. She finished in ninth place and took about 30 seconds off of her time.

"That probably hasn't happened since we had the crew that won state three years in a row," Loeffler said of Carlson's top 10 finish.

Carlson finished first in Hamilton with her time of 19:18, as she and Loeffler worked on getting her to go out a little faster as the close of the season and conference meet drew near. Carlson said her personal goal was to finish races stronger.

"You have to motivate yourself and push yourself mentally," Carlson said of making adjustments to her running throughout the season. Her ability to listen to the coaches and follow through with their instructions also added to her success. She added that she received a lot of support and encouragement from coaches Loeffler, Laura White and Jessica Johnson, as well as her teammates.

"She's really easy to coach," Loeffler said. "She listened and did exactly what we asked her to do. That's why she was so successful."

She placed first two more times, including the conference meet. She was first in Polson with 18:42 and took top honors at the conference meet in Ronan. She clocked a time of 19:08 there.

"I knew she'd be up there," Loeffler said. "She won fairly easily. She was running pretty well ahead of people."

After getting a little off the course at the state meet in Helena, Carlson found herself back on track and in 13th place at the end of the race. She finished in 20:03.

"There was a tricky part on the course, she went off and had to come back. I'm proud of her. It's pretty devastating to realize that you went off the course," Loeffler said.

Carlson wasn't the only runner who went off the course. A small pack of runners found themselves a little lost, as the person who was supposed to direct them through the correct set of cones had taken a bathroom break, according to Carlson.

"I couldn't see the cones," she said. "I'll definitely be wearing my contacts next time. My time wasn't what I wanted. It was like a bad hair day. I had a bad running day."

The "stressful" season flew by quickly, according to Carlson, but she said she thinks her experience in both track and field and cross country will help her be successful in her future endeavors. She plans on running in the two and one-mile events during track and field season as well as the ones she participated in last year.

Carlson, who said she hopes to go into the medical field after high school, not only expanded her athletic pursuits this year. She's also joined Interact and the speech, debate and drama team. She competes in the memorize public address category.

"I'm doing a lot of new things."