By Chris Parker
Thomas Jefferson senior Macie Shifferd normally comes focused on running even splits through the middle laps of her 3200-meter races.
On Friday, she still ran her even splits with the middle six laps being between 1:28.09 and 1:33.44, but they were far from her biggest concern.
“I try to get really even splits and I am very conscious about what my times are per lap,” Shifferd said. “This race I wasn’t thinking about it as much, but that is usually what I am thinking about is trying to get even splits in the middle.”
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This race, Shifferd was thinking about defending state champion Mya Wray from South Nodaway. The Thomas Jefferson senior finished runner-up to Wray last season in the event.
Shiffered and Wray were in a virtual tie through the first 2400 meters. Entering the last 800, Shifferd surged to take a little under a two-second lead on Wray going into the final 400. In the final lap, Shifferd threw down an 80-second split to pull away for a five-second victory in a time of 11:41.62.
Even though Shifferd had a comfortable lead in the final stretch, she was still focused solely on the finish line.
“I thought Mya was going to get me at the end. I didn’t know where she was. I tried to look back and couldn’t really see,” Shifferd said. “I was trying to sprint. Everybody started cheering louder and I felt like someone was right behind me. I had no idea what my time was. I PR’ed by 12 or 13 seconds and I didn’t even know until I finished.”
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This season, Shifferd added more speed work to her program and it paid off in the closing laps.
“I worked a little bit more on speed because I am doing the 800 this year too,” Shifferd said. “I think that helped me a lot. I think being a senior and the mentality of that. This is my last year, and I am not running in college. That was my last two-mile ever. I think that pushed me to win. Once I started winning a little more I just wanted to win more and more.”
School of the Ozarks junior Ella Howard (fifth), Stoutland junior Mallory Shaw (sixth) and Chadwick sophomore Macy Landry (eighth) also earned all-state honors in the event.
