Defending Champ Fades In 800, Vows To Be Back

Kristen Parrish will return, not to defend her 800-meter title but to take it back.

The Ferris junior was badly beaten in defense of the title she won here last year, but after the disappointment-turned-relief tumbled away, she vowed to be back.

“I think there’s a point (of burnout),” she said after her fourth-place, 2-minute, 41-second run in the hot midafternoon run at Lincoln Bowl. “But there’s also a point you come back. I’m strong enough physically and mentally. I’ll show them next year.

“I did the best I could for today. I know I’m a lot better. I’m disappointed.”

The 800 final at Star Track XIII, won by Maia Wright of North Kitsap in 2:12.70, was especially frustrating after Parrish’s 2:14.48 in the preliminaries Friday made her the fastest qualifier.

“I’m upset,” she said first. “I didn’t feel strong. I ran so good yesterday. I didn’t go out fast enough. I wish I had more positive things to say. It hasn’t been a very positive season.

“The junior year is so hard, but I got my grades up, that’s a positive thing. I had a 3.5 (gpa) last semester and it’s 3.7 right now. It’s hard to balance it all. It’s been a hard year, but I trained my butt off.”

Parrish wants to position herself academically to run in a challenging collegiate program.

“I gave it my all,” she said. “I improved (this year), my time went down and I only ran a second slower than last year.”