Saling Is Done Waiting After Four Years Of Running Cross Country, Central Valley Pace Setter Is Finally Getting Her Chance At State Meet

None the 27 Valley runners competing in today’s state cross country races in Pasco has waited for this moment longer than Central Valley’s Jenni Saling.

For four years Saling has been CV’s No. 1 runner and one of the Greater Spokane League’s best, but this is her first state appearance.

Twice she just missed making the qualifying cut. The year she could have gone, as a sophomore on a Bear team that was contending for the state championship, she was suspended prior to the state meet.

This year, however, nothing stood in the way. Saling’s fifth-place regional time of 18:58 was her fastest since that ill-fated sophomore season when she finished second in the GSL district meet in 18:54.

Saling was reluctant to dredge up the incident that resulted in her suspension the following week.

“That’s in the past,” she said. “Everything bad happens for a reason. I realized how much I loved (running). It makes you work harder the next year.”

Saling’s resiliency was particularly gratifying for coach Dennis McGuire.

“Our families have been close for 20 years, we’ve baby-sat each other’s kids,” he said. “That she turned her life around means more to me than her qualifying for state.”

She always was deserving of a state berth, said McGuire. Last year’s sixth place district finish when only five runners advanced to state, he added, was his greatest disappointment.

“She was ready to place,” he said.

Saling prefers running cross country to track and has had more success with it.

“I like the great outdoors,” she said, “hiking, biking and hanging out in the wilderness.”

She was the GSL’s 14th best runner as a freshman and during the past three years was second, sixth and third best from the league.

Her times have been consistent, a variation of only 25 seconds during four 3-mile races at Hangman Valley Golf Course, her favorite.

“It’s one lap, I like hills and it’s so pretty,” she said. “I’m not a track runner. There’s no scenery and it’s really boring. Eight laps is a lot. I get lost.”

The difference between cross country and track success, said McGuire, is largely one of mind over matter, of Saling focusing on her opponents, not the number of laps.

“She doesn’t feel she has enough speed for track but has the strength for longer distances,” he said. “I think she could do both.”

If Saling has one regret, she said it is that she has never pushed herself hard enough to finish near exhaustion.

“I have a weird running style. The first mile I have to run slow because it takes me forever to warm up,” said Saling. “I want one race that ended to where I can’t even walk.”

Today is her chance. She said she’ll go out faster in the first mile and tag along with two Eisenhower runners who beat her during regionals.

“She hasn’t scratched her talent yet,” said McGuire. “We’re going down to try and win it. If it happens, it happens.”

Whatever the outcome of the race, watching Saling persevere and mature has made her coach happy.

“She’s doing well not just in cross country but in life,” McGuire said.

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