BENTON'S CLAIRE ALLEN COMPETES IN THE FEAST PATRIOT INVITATIONAL IN SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS
There was no shortage of outstanding performances turned in by freshmen during the first week of the high school cross country season. Benton's Claire Allen, running in her first varsity race at the FEAST Patriot Invitational in San Antonio, Texas, posted a 5K time of 19:40.40, earning a spot as a finalist for MileSplit LA's Girls Performer of the Week. For all of these reasons, she is this week's MileSplit LA's Future Star.
Only one runner in Louisiana posted a faster 5K time in Week No. 1 and that was Ruston's 2021 Gatorade Athlete of the Year, Lily Garrett, who ran an 18:50 to win The Opener in Clinton, Mississippi.
"It felt really good," Allen said of the first race of her high school career. "It was a great opener, and I really enjoyed the experience."
In gearing up for his first year of high school cross country, Allen kept busy with training and competing in some road races.
Allen finished sixth in the Sportspectrum Firecracker 5K Race for Research, running a time of 19:40.40.
"It was actually my first time to run in the Firecracker," Allen said. "It was so fun. I was just trying to soak it all in."
In June, Allen competed in a half marathon in Ft. Worth.
"I increased my mileage at the beginning of the summer," Allen said. "And then worked on a little speed work toward the end of summer. I think it was a good balance."
Allen's coach, Bryson Matthews, is excited to watch Allen progress.
"The most impressive thing that I have seen in Claire is that she is a very humble young lady," Matthews said. "She puts her team first. She has an amazing work ethic and a drive to succeed at whatever challenge is put in front of her. It's going to be fun to watch her grow."
Allen has benefited from the coaching of Matthews, and she has also benefitted from the veterans in the Benton Lady Tiger cross country program, like senior Isabelle Russell, who is a three-time District 1-5A champion and finished second in the LHSAA State Outdoor meet in the 1600m as a sophomore with a personal record of 5:17.43.
"She has helped me so much," Allen said. "She is a great runner and a great teammate. I look up to her."
The challenge which will be put in front of Allen this week will be Parkway's Border Dash, which is historically the largest cross country meet in North Louisiana. There she will take on Parkway's Cheyenne Olson, who set a 4K course record at The Opener in Clinton, Mississippi last Saturday, and Cedar Creek's Caroline James, yet another freshman who impressed this weekend by finishing as the runner-up in the Choudrant Aggie Invitational.