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East Lake High's Jennifer Lima sets a determined pace

 
East Lake High’s Jennifer Lima wins the 1,600 meters in 5:20.78 at the Pinellas County Athletic Conference meet in April. She is among the favorites to win a state individual title.
East Lake High’s Jennifer Lima wins the 1,600 meters in 5:20.78 at the Pinellas County Athletic Conference meet in April. She is among the favorites to win a state individual title.
Published Oct. 27, 2016

Jennifer Lima makes a habit of turning cross country races into sprints rather than tests of endurance.

That is evident from the starter's pistol when the East Lake High senior pushes the pace mercilessly. It doesn't take long before she starts pulling away from a staggering field. Her long hair that she braids into a ponytail serves as a guidepost for other runners, the only marker they have to determine how far she is ahead of them.

Those insurmountable leads can also be a hindrance. Without anyone to push her, Lima races alone, against the clock.

"It's difficult at times," Lima said. "I wear a watch to try and check my pace at each mile to make sure I'm still running the time I'm shooting for. Running is very mental, especially in situations like that. I just try to keep motivating myself and think about how I can use it to help me in larger races in the future."

Everything is unfolding perfectly for Lima. Earlier this season, she set a personal record with a time of 18 minutes, 34 seconds at the Flrunners.com meet, a 24-second improvement from her previous best. Lima is among the favorites to win a state individual title.

"I've always just been decent at cross country," Lima said. "But this year I have been able to get my name out there a little bit more. I'm looking to continue to improve. I haven't accomplished all my goals yet, since the beginning of the season my ultimate goal has been to break 18 minutes and win a state championship."

Lima's interest in running goes back to elementary school. Her father, Tim, did a lot of training for marathons. Lima went on many of those runs and kept running on her own.

The last three years, Lima kept pushing to stay in the lead pack at cross country races. She won her share of races last season and was hopeful of a strong finish at the state meet.

But her season ended early after she broke her ankle playing soccer. The injury happened less than a week before the state meet.

That setback served as a powerful motivator this offseason.

"After I broke my ankle last year I've noticed I work a lot harder and am more determined with whatever it is I'm doing whether it's racing or just training," Lima said. "On average I run about 40 miles each week."

Take last week. Lima ran 8 miles on what was supposed to be her off day.

With a drive bordering on the extreme, Lima has won nearly every major meet, including conference and district titles.

"Jennifer is tough as nails and a big-time competitor," East Lake coach Britt Taylor said. "She's also a better athlete than many people realize. She could be one of my top sprinters in track. She has that kind of speed."

By transforming into a top-notch runner, Lima now has opportunities to get a college scholarship. She already has an offer from USF and a spot as a preferred walk-on at Florida. To turn that walk-on spot with the Gators into a scholarship, Lima will have to produce stellar times during track season.

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"One of my main goals is to break five minutes in the mile in track," Lima said. "That has always been a dream of mine and it would mean a lot to me to accomplish. Another goal is to win a state championship in at least one of my events; my highest place this past year was third."

That elusive state title could come in another week in cross country.

Contact Bob Putnam at bputnam@tampabay.com. Follow @BobbyHomeTeam.