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All Butler County Cross Country

Lakota West soph top area runner

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By Jay Morrison, Staff Writer 1:36 AM Friday, November 20, 2009

WEST CHESTER — Lakota West High School sophomore Amanda Shelby qualified for the Division I state meet for the second year in a row, and her 40th-place finish in 19 minutes and 39 seconds was the best showing by any area runner.

She also placed third at the Greater Miami Conference meet, fourth at the district and seventh at the regional despite trying to overcome a painful blister.

All of those accomplishments plus a tremendous regular season have helped earn Shelby the JournalNews Cross Country Runner of the Year award.

Q: How did you feel about the race you ran at the state tournament this year?

A: I know I peaked at regionals because I had a blister that was several layers of skin deep, which made me not be able to run for a week. But it was very exciting to go back a second year in a row.

Q: What would you consider the highlight of your season?

A: The best race was at Alliance when I broke my (personal record) and got a 19:08. That and making it to state for the second time.

Q: What is your favorite course?

A: It would have to be the Plasman Invitational (at Harbin Park in Fairfield) because I love hills.

Q: Which is your least favorite course?

A: That would have to be the (Voice of America). It’s flat, and I don’t like just going in two giant circles. Plus it’s usually very, very windy. And that’s our home course, too, and I kind of get a little sick of it practicing there every day.

Q: What do consider to be your strength as a runner?

A: My knowledge. I know a lot about strength training and diet. So training wise, that’s helped me so much.

Q: How much running have you done since the season ended?

A: I’m on my two-week break right now. I started a little jog (Wednesday) to work my muscles. I won’t start majorly until Saturday.

Q: What’s the longest you’ve ever run at one time?

A: Eight miles. It was just a practice day when we went on a long run.

Q: Do you listen to music when you run in practice or in the offseason?

A: I rarely listen to music. Before races I like to listen to Eye of the Tiger. But no, I tend to not run with anything. I like to listen to the sounds around me.

Q: If you were allowed to listen to music during the state meet, what song you pick for your final kick?

A: Definitely “Eye of the Tiger.” Before I started my first freshman cross country season, my grandpa gave me all these tapes on how to get you inspired to do something great, and he played the “Rocky” theme song. Later on I was like dad, what’s “Rocky”? And he said we needed to watch it. It was so inspiring. I love all training scenes, and just thinking about it makes you push yourself harder.

Q: What kind of goals do you have for your final two years of high school?

A: My goal is definitely to get on podium at state, to be top 15. And I want to finally break into the 18’s.

Q: What are you goals after high school?

A: To run in college. I want to run cross country and maybe track somewhere in college.

Q: If you could go for a run with anyone in the world, who you pick?

A: I’d like to run with (2006 Mason grad and two-time state champion) Angela Bizarri. With what she’s accomplished, to know what she did and do all that stuff would be a great learning experience. Just to see her form and listen to what she did to improve would be great.

Contact this reporter at (

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All-Butler County Cross Country Team

Girls

Alaina Norman, Lakota East

The freshman earned first team All-Greater Miami Conference honors with a sixth-place showing at the league meet and then went on to the Division I postseason, where she placed 27th at district, 11th at regional and 78th at state.

Amanda Roden, Cincinnati Christian

The junior earned first team All-Miami Valley Conference honors before placing second in the Division III district race and 22nd at the regional meet.

Boys

Aaron Gehring, Lakota West

The senior capped a strong career with a fifth-place finish at the Greater Miami Conference meet, earning first team All-GMC honors. Gehring also placed fourth in the Division district meet and eighth at the regional race to qualify to state for the third year in a row, where he finished 62nd.

Evan North, Badin

The junior posted a fifth-place finish at the Greater Catholic League Central Division meet to earn first team all-league honors. He followed that with runner-up showing at the Division III district race and later placed 10th at the regional and 76th at state.

Brent Fritz, Badin

The senior earned first team All-Greater Catholic League Central Division honors with a fourth-place showing at the league meet. In the Division III postseason, he placed fifth at the district meet, 15th at the regional and 77th at state.

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