Eighth place may not seem like a big deal. But when junior Alexis Skarda crossed the finishline 21 minutes and 33 seconds after she started, she made Mesa State history with the best finish for any runner in the program’s history.
“It was an awesome experience for me,” Skarda said. “It was just really cool to run with all those great girls.”
After a second place finish in Regionals that sealed a trip to Louisville for Nationals, Skarda changed her training to prepare for her chance at the title.
“I focused more on my speed workouts and less on the miles.” Skarda said.
Despite not being crowned the national champion, Skarda wasn’t upset with her finish as an All-American.
“It’s what I expected to place,” Skarda said. “As a runner, you always think you can do better, no matter where you place. But I’m not disappointed.”
With the race happening 1,000 miles away from Grand Junction, support was hard to find. But Skarda had the right people by her side to give her all the support she needed.
“I had my coach, teammate (Kelsey Follett) and dad with me,” Skarda said. “It meant so much to me because they really are the best support group I could have asked for.”
With the fall season over, Skarda will work to get even faster this winter in indoor track.
“I’m just looking to improve my speed to get better times,” Skarda said.
After a season full of wins, success and records, Skarda will look back to this season with smiles and a sense of accomplishment.
“It was a great experience,” Skarda said. “I admire all those girls who ran at Nationals. Even within conference, I have always looked up to those at Western State and Adams. I loved all the moments.”
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ahimes@mesastate.edu