Carlie Gregg is stepping out as a rising cross country star

MOSES LAKE — When you see her in her everyday school clothes she tends to look small, kind of like a high school freshman. That smile, which is sweet, is going to be dynamite when the braces come off.

But when she laces up the running shoes, throws on a Moses Lake maroon and gold singlet, she has a big heart, with big dreams and she can definitely run with the big kids.

Moses Lake freshman Carlie Gregg is stepping out this year during her first season of varsity cross country. She has been in the top 10 in every race this season and is coming off a personal best at the Leavenworth Invitational (19 minutes, 5.5 seconds) at Sky Hill, where she ran the fastest time in school history for 3.1 miles.

She rolls into Tuesday’s Big 9 meet at Blue Heron Park with confidence and the credentials to back anything she’s too humble to say. Gregg doesn’t keep a mileage log book or study courses. Last summer was the first time she trained during the offseason in the three years she’s been running competitively. But she has something essential to going the distance — a runner’s spirit.

She’d rather get her head handed to her running 15:05 than she would winning in 22-minutes. Yep, bring it because I want to see how I stack up, she says.

“I’m not intimidated. I like a little bit of competition. It’s motivating to have a taste of what it’s like to stay with them,” said Gregg, who has been running since the sixth grade. “I like the push, seeing what I can do.”

Gregg ran a personal best 19:46 at the Wenatchee Invite at Walla Walla Point Park on Oct. 1, then turned right around and knocked off 40 seconds from that last week at the Leavenworth Invitational. She’s raced shoulder-to-shoulder with Washington state contenders from Deer Park, Selah, Lewis & Clark. She’s taken on the Eisenhower kids, who she will see again at the District 6 meet where she needs to finish in the top 14 to advance to the state race.

But maybe the most impressive showing in her rising young career was at the Nike Portland Invite at Portland Meadows Race Track, where she placed seventh in the 105-runner field (20:54), racing against some of the best high school running talent in the Pacific Northwest.

“There was so many people at Nike. Since I’d never seen them before, you can’t underestimate anyone,” she explained. “I started off with the lead pack. As I settled in, I passed a couple of girls around the two mile.

“To finish top 10 at Nike, I guess, shows my dedication to the practice time. If I didn’t (train), I wouldn’t be doing that good. It goes back to our coaches telling us that we have more than what you think. There’s times when I just have to gut it out.”

Some of the credit goes to training with the Zach’s — Zach Owens and Zak Bishop — the top two runners on the boys team. The Zachs go out hard during training, pushing both the boys and girls to extend their limits. Teammates push each other, that's how everybody gets better.

“I try and keep up with the guys in practice, so when I race it seems a bit easier,” Gregg said with a smile. “The Zachs are too fast, but there a couple of JV I can keep up with.

Coach always says you girls stay with them and it will make you better.”

Her momma never did teach her to let the boys win, but her mom Rebecca Gregg is her role model, she said.

“My mom was a really good runner and went to state when she was in high school,” Gregg said. “So my goal is to live up to that. It’s family tradition.”

She runs the hills, trains with the guys, she’s a leader in her own way, which is no small thing. But even more that being physically fit, she’s mentally tough and emotionally grounded in a game where guts are the ticket to the next level.

“I’m getting better every day,” she said. “It’s important to be mentally tough. Anyone can run. But if you’re not mentally tough, you can’t run well.”

Yep, it’s game-on when she steps to the line and the sky is the limit for the Chiefs freshman.