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November 10, 2009

Born to run

Hornet senior with basketball in blood earns spot in state cross country meet

By Tom Waddill

Years ago, young Jeremy LaDay found out that he could run long distances, and do it better than most boys his age. As a third-grader at Huntsville’s Stewart Elementary, LaDay dominated the running events during the school’s fun field day.

“I got a bunch of first places,” LaDay said Tuesday. “That’s when I found out I was a runner.”

LaDay is still a runner, although he’s known more now for his basketball skills. A returning starter on the Hornets’ varsity basketball team, LaDay spends most of his free time shooting hoops. But this fall, the talented senior has run cross country for the first time in his high school career.

LaDay tapped into the talent that he first noticed nine years ago and earned a spot in the UIL State Cross Country Championships. Last Saturday, LaDay ran a personal-best time of 16:33 at the Class 4A Region III cross country meet and finished seventh in the boys race. That earned Huntsville’s lone regional runner a spot in the Class 4A state meet, which will be held Saturday at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock.

“I feel pretty good. This has boosted up my confidence as an athlete,” LaDay said during a break in basketball practice. “There were some pretty good runners at those (district and regional) meets, and if you can make it to state it shows that you can do something pretty good.”

Pretty good? How about pretty amazing?

LaDay says he hasn’t really given cross country much attention, especially in the last few weeks since basketball practice started.

“I didn’t train like I should have,” LaDay admits. “I come out here on the track a couple of days a week. I’m in basketball most of the time. I’m just running off of talent, mainly. I don’t put too much work into it. I’ve got a gift from God, that’s what this really is.”

He’s using that gift to add a little something to his college résumé.

“... He hopes colleges will see what an all-around athlete he is,” Huntsville cross country coach Kathy Lehman said last weekend after LaDay qualified for the state meet. “He’s a very talented runner. That’s why he made it to state.”

LaDay says he enjoys running, especially on race days.

“I love cross country,” he said. “If I didn’t play basketball, cross country would be my main sport. I would try to go to college in that.”

On Monday, Lehman put her state qualifier through a taxing workout. The rest of this week, LaDay will run mostly during basketball practice.

“We’re going to Round Rock on Friday. Jeremy will get to see the course, and run the course,” Lehman said. “Then he can relax and get a good night’s rest. We’ll get to the course Saturday morning at about 10:30 and he’ll run at noon.”

LaDay has a couple of goals for his last cross country race.

“My goal is to come in the top 10 and do the best I can,” he said.

“I’m going to go down there and put in 110 percent. I’d like to run a 16:15. That’s my goal as far as a time is concerned.”

Lehman believes LaDay can accomplish his goals, if he runs like he did last weekend at regionals.

“He’ll have to run his best race ever, but he can do it,” the coach said. “He has the stamina to do it. It’s just a matter of how much he wants it.”

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