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Weatherford placed 7th at state
BLOOMINGTON -- Greencastle sophomore Colleen Weatherford not only battled her competitors in the 800-meter run, but the heat at the IHSAA State Finals Saturday at Indiana University. Weatherford walked away from the race with a seventh place finish on a day where the heat claimed more than its fair share of runners.
The heat was stifling on the track, with meet volunteers rushing wet towels and ice to competitors as they crossed the finish line. To demonstrate how hot it was, as ice fell from the towels it was almost instantly gone by the time the next race began.
Weatherford and her head coach Garry Anderson acknowledged that heat a major factor in how the race was run.
"Yeah, he (Anderson) said earlier it was about 110 degrees on the track and only about 92 away from the track. I've been sitting in the shade since six-o'clock and then I got out here and was like 'O-K'," Weatherford said smiling.
Boy, the heat really got her," Anderson said. "She was surprised. We had tried our best to keep her away from the heat and I knew after watching the weather report all week, the heat was going to be a factor and it was for several of the girls."
Anderson said the heat is one of the few things you can't truly prepare for when training for a race.
Weatherford said she had a strategy early in the race, but that it didn't pan out as the race wore on.
"I should have been up with the lead pack a little more, but I thought they went out too fast, so I tried to stay back. Then I just didn't have a kick. That's where it got me," she said.
Asked if the heat was a fact, she didn't hesitate.
"Yeah, it definitely was," Weatherford said.
Last season Weatherford placed 19th overall with a time of 2:20.59. This year she shaved more than four seconds from that time, posting a 2:25.80 to place seventh. Following the meet, Anderson noted it was a big improvement in a year's time.
"It is, it's quite a leap," he said. "I think we can look for better things next year and perhaps even better the following year. She works real hard and trains hard. I'm tickled to death. I think she did a fine job."
"It's really great," Weatherford said of her finish. "It's not the spot I was hoping for, but it's still a lot. It's nothing to be ashamed of. It's a lot more than a lot of people can say. It's very good."
Anderson was pleased with his runner's performance and said she gave all she had.
"That was quite a race -- some good times. I'm really proud of her. She did a fine job. I couldn't ask for better right now. She did her best for this meet and that's all you can ask," Anderson said.
Weatherford said she had hoped to finish higher and asked how she would use Saturday's result work for her for next season, she said it was all about getting to work.
"I'm going to train really hard for cross country this summer and that will help me with my endurance. Then next year, I'll hit it even harder during track and we'll she what does," she said.
As she strode from the track, she was greeted with hugs from brother Andy and sister Laura, as well as teammates Emily Gill and Olivia Humphreys.
At Indiana University
IHSSA Girls State Track Meet
800-meter Run Results
(Top 10)
1. Abby Farley (Park Tudor) 2:08.91
2. Bethany Neeley (Eastern) 2:11.58
3. Taylor Wiley (Evansville Central) 2:12.93
4. Helen Willman (Noblesville) 2:14.47
5. Tyreca Jackson (Harding) 2:14.84
6. Blaney Keough (Valparaiso) 2:15.42
7. Colleen Weatherford (Greencastle) 2:15.80
8. Meredith Jackson (Franklin Central) 2:16.33
9. Alethia Marrero (Ben Davis) 2:16.42
10. Victoria Schoettmer (Center Grove) 2:17.52
New state record
Photo Gallery -- http://www.bannergraphic.com/gallery/colleen-weatherford-at-state