Ashlee Thomas
(Bakersfield soph) 2:12.70
at Central Section 800m
May, 2006
Bakersfield 800 star gives Jordan Hasay
good race at Section Finals!
With Jordan Hasay, the impressive Mission College Prep (San Luis Obispo)
frosh, having
chosen the 800 in addition to the 3200 from her Central Section area,
one
expected the super
frosh to easily race away with the two lap field in the
Section finals meet. Last
year's titlest, Ashlee
Thomas (Bakersfield HS) was not going to give
up her area championship easily, as she kept
Jordan honest through to the end of the 2:11.50-2:12.70 contest, with
Ashlee dropping her
personal best from a 2:17.45 at Arcadia to the #15 clocking in the
state with her 2:12.70 runner-up
run. We were impressed with Thomas's determined running style,
with the second year Driller
runner showing some real potential for future years in the two lap
event.
Ashlee took some time to talk about her running and the Central Section
contest prior to the State
Meet, where she is hoping for continued improvement and some great
experience in the Finals.
1) Nice improvement in the Central Section finals from
your seasonal best
of
2:17.45 at the Arcadia Invite in early April to 2:12.70 in Visalia.
How
fast
did you think you could run in the Section finals meet?
I definitely
thought I would PR, but I didn't expect to run a 2:12. I
thought more of a 2:14.
2) We were there and it was a very determined effort against Jordan
Hasay
at the Section Finals. How did you want to approach the race as far as
tactics
were concerned, and how did it go according to your plan?
I wanted to
run my first lap at about 65 seconds and really work on my 3rd
200 meters and come in strong for the last 200 meters. It went exactly
as
I had planned.
3) What is your favorite workout for the 800 meter race?
I don't really have a favorite workout, but I like to do repeat 200's
and
300's.
4) What advice would you have for a runner who is just starting out
in the
sport and maybe competed in the 800 meters their first season this
past
spring?
My advice would be to never give up, especially in a race, because
it's not
over until you cross the finish line. You never know what you are capable
of until you mentally and physically push yourself. Stay focused.
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