Grapevine runner ready to add to state title

Encores are tough to come by after winning the individual state cross country championship.

But Grapevine senior Skyler Simon has that goal in mind, in addition to registering faster times and more importantly, adding a team title to the equation.

Simon took the cross country title in her junior year and then went on to place fourth at the state track meet in both the 1- and 2-mile events.

As a team, Grapevine’s girls finished second behind Canyon Randall.

Although she was looking for a higher finish, Simon set personal bests in both events. She ran an 11-minute 2-mile and a 5.05 in the mile.

Still, with the opportunity to head into this year’s cross country season free of the nagging shin splints which haunted her last year, there’s plenty of optimism.

The ability to log mileage during the summer in addition to a solid crew of returning and improving running colleagues has Simon feeling this can be a strong year for the Lady Mustangs.

The summer is a time for accumulating mileage while the school year is a time to race.

The big difference, Simon said, goes back to coach Rick Miller’s key philosophy: “The bigger the base, the higher the peak.”

In other words, the greater amount of mileage, the better build-up of muscle for racing, Simon explained.

“The biggest change from last year to this season is upping my mileage,” Simon said. “I got a lot of miles under my belt. It really does help, too, to have people on the team I can meet up and run with,” she said of her teammates being by her side during the summer.

The girls runners will return six of the top seven from last year.

“And we have some really talented freshmen,” Simon added.

“This year there’s more focus on team goals. I want to lead the entire team to a first-place finish. We’ll come together and get the whole team [on the medal stand],” she said.

Personally, though, Simon said she hopes to trim as much as 25 seconds off her time and get down to the 17.50 mark. She’s confident that with her training, she can accomplish the goal.

To get things off to a good start, Grapevine was headed into a traditional relay dual with Colleyville Heritage over the weekend.

Teams of four would run 1.5 miles each and the competitive rivalry ends with plenty of camaraderie, Simon said.

“We’re really good friends with a lot of the girls [from Heritage] before and after the meet.”

The first meet of the season is Aug. 29, when Grapevine will run at the always-tough Marcus meet. The remainder of the season will flow into a regular routine.

The start of classes won’t impact the 6:30 a.m. workout times to avoid the recent heat, though.

Simon, who has intentions to compete at the collegiate level next season, said she may lean toward someplace out-of-state, for a related reason.

“I’m not a hot weather person,” she said. “I prefer to run in the cold.”

That may aid her mindset as the district, regional and state meets will roll around in late October and the first of November.

Regardless of the temperature, Simon and the Lady Mustangs will be well-prepared.

“I think we’re all going in with a positive mindset,” Simon said. “We’re motivating each other and team-building. The coaching staff is great and they support us so well. It helps build a strong team community.”

This story was originally published August 17, 2015 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Grapevine runner ready to add to state title."