Wiregrass Ranch's Shah already surpassing early-season expectations

WESLEY CHAPEL — Track season started Tuesday night, and for those with hopes of winning any 2-mile races locally this year, things just got a little harder.

Gliding eight laps with the greatest of ease, Wiregrass Ranch junior Nikita Shah blew away her coach, then the field in winning in a remarkable season-opening time of 11 minutes, 6 seconds at Springstead.

“Crazy fast,’’ said Bulls coach Don Howard, who knows a little something about crazy fast, having put four runners into college and winning a few shelves’ worth of Sunshine Athletic Conference, district and regional trophies.

Shah, though, is his best by far.

She came into the season-opening race hoping to run an 11:20, setting the tone for what she plans on being a championship type of season.

But 11:06, before training has even gotten serious?

“We had her set up to run a 1:25 on the first lap, and she came in at 1:22, and I figured okay, usually kids come out and run that first one a little fast,’’ Howard said. “The next one, she was at 2:44, so she ran a 1:22 again. Then a 1:23.’’

And on and on it went, Shah never wavering from 1:21-1:23, and closing with a 1:19.

“She ran the ideal race,’’ Howard said, impressed by his runner’s poise throughout. “She never looked like she was close to struggling.’’

Wednesday after practice, before taking a dip in a lime-green kiddie pool filled with ice water, Shah said her track season was off the perfect start.

Last spring, track season was a struggle. Halfway through, it was determined she had anemia.

In the fall, she came back strong during cross country season, improving until she earned the top local finish at state and earned Runner of the Year honors from the Tampa Bay Times.

Howard said she was the only runner in the state to run under 18 minutes at district, regions and state.

“I think I’m carrying that over,’’ said Shah. “I don’t break too long between the seasons, and I feel like I’m improving. I’m confident I’ll peak again.’’

Shah was able to pass another Pasco County distance standout late in cross country season, Gulf’s Kari Grippo, by finishing with a better time at state after losing head-to-head all season (Grippo was nursing an injury, to be fair).

Now, Shah is setting a mark for Grippo to chase.

The Buc sophomore was ineligible last season, but ran unattached in a host of college meets last spring and fared well against stiffer competition. This will be her first year running high school track.

Grippo vs. Shah arguably makes the 3200 meters the marquee race in Pasco County track and field this season.

“The 3200 feels like the race all the distance runners and top 5K runners are all focusing on,’’ Shah said. “The 3200 is the race. It’s fun to have a lot of competition. And I want to race the best and run against good competition.’’

Shah likes competing, on the track and off it. In the classroom, she is tied with two other juniors for 2013 valedictorian honors.

“One little slip-up and I’ll be out of there,’’ she says, laughing.

On the track, as she showed Tuesday, it will take more than a slip-up to beat her this season.

It will take the perfect race.

“I go to win,’’ she said. “You can never depend on time because there’s different conditions and bad weather, but you can always try to beat your competition. I’m just going to go out and try my hardest to run fast, and as long as I do that I’m good with it.’’