Nicole Maloney Sandpoint Year: Junior Sport: Cross Country

Nicole Maloney put away her mountain bike two weeks ago and strapped on her running shoes.

Her summer mountain bike riding season overlapped the cross country season by a week.

But talk about smooth transitions. She took first in her first race, the Libby (Mont.) Invitational, and that same weekend completed the biking season at Lookout Pass by finishing first in two races and first overall in both divisions for the seven-race season.

Maloney followed it up last week with a grueling first week of cross country practice capped by her second victory, at the Kellogg Invitational on Friday. She didn’t have time to taper her practice schedule before the Kellogg race. Sandpoint coach Cheryl Klein thought the meet was on Saturday when it was actually scheduled for Friday. The coach didn’t find out about the discrepancy until the day before the race.

So Maloney was doubly exhausted when she took the starting gun at Kellogg. She found the flat 3.1-mile layout at the Kellogg Country Club in Pinehurst to her liking, though, as she posted a time of 19 minutes, 17 seconds - 6 seconds shy of the school record.

No wonder Inland Empire League coaches consider Maloney in a class by herself. In her first year in the sport last season, she came on strong late to capture the A-1 Region I championship. She finished a disappointing 22nd at state, the highest placing among North Idaho A-1 runners.

“I expect to do a lot better this year,” Maloney said.

She’d like to become Sandpoint’s first state champ. She also would like to break the school record held by Angie Ross.

“If I work hard it’s (a state title) definitely a realistic goal for next year,” Maloney said.

Said Klein: “I think she’s going to do phenomenally well this year. I don’t think anyone could come into the season as physically prepared as she did. I believe she can contend for state. She’s so gutsy and proficient in areas where other girls aren’t generally as comfortable.

“She’s really just beginning to change gears - no pun intended,” Klein added. “She’s having to transfer over her working with biking wheels to her running wheels.”

So far so good.

What has pleased Maloney most is she’s grown since last fall. She’s up to 5-foot-5, about an inch-and-a-half over last year.

“And I’ve gained some weight even though I may not look like it,” she said, smiling. “And I’m proud of it. I just went over 100 pounds recently.”

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