CROSS COUNTRY | CARISSA JENKINS | FITCH

111“I didn’t expect to win,” she admitted, “but I felt being up there with the lead girls, that I belonged up there. The last 1,200 [meters], I just pushed it all to the very end.”

The top honors have been years in the making for Jenkins. At Austintown Middle School, she holds nine cross country records as well as the track record for the 800 meters. At Fitch, she is the school record-holder at the Suburban League Championship meet. The overall Fitch record is held by current cross country coach Amy Diefenderfer at 19:06. Jenkins is just 22 seconds off that pace as she set her personal record at none other than this year’s Ohio state championship. She placed 11th with a time of 18:28.

SDLqI was very nervous,” Jenkins said of the state meet. “I just kept my pace and I came out with even a faster time.”

In the off season, she aims to run 25 miles each week. Running is her stress reliever and she can’t think of a better way to let off steam than to jog for five or six miles. It helps when one of her favorite companions comes along — her German Shepherd, Rigger.

“At the very end, he still wants to play,” she said. “He can keep up with me and I’m so glad he can. It’s speed work and endurance all in one.”