CROSS COUNTRY: Kaatz 45th for SMCC

For some people, running is a workout. For others, it's a competition.

For Lindsay Kaatz, it’s just plain fun.

The sophomore from St. Mary Central Catholic competed in the state cross country meet Saturday at Scioto Downs in Columbus, finishing with a time of 20:44.42. She placed 45th out of 149 runners in Division III. Tammy Berger of Versailles finished first with a time of 18:47, eight seconds ahead of Seneca East’s Brittany Stockmaster.

When asked why she thinks she’s a successful runner, Kaatz hedged a bit and said, “tough question.” Then the truth came out:

“I like to have fun out there. I like to run through puddles and stuff,” she said, laughing. “I just like to have a good time while I’m running.”

It’s an attitude that also applies to her pre-race routine. Some girls prepare by sitting alone in a room and focusing on the task to come. Kaatz got ready for the biggest meet of her life in much different way. 

“Me and my friend were just jamming out to some tunes in our room,” she said. “We were dancing around and getting excited.”

But behind the happy-go-lucky exterior, there is a serious side. If she won’t admit it, her coach will.

“She’s a very hard worker,” SMCC coach Ron Leech said. “She does all the workouts, and — I’m not quite sure how to say this — she doesn’t cheat anything. She’s definitely a hard worker.”

She ran a personal-best of 19:56 at the Tiffin Carnival this year, and if she hadn’t gotten the flu in October, she might have been able to post an even better time this season. After Tiffin, she set her goal at 19:30. Even though she never hit that mark, she’s quite happy with the way things worked out.

Aside from the fact she ran well to close out the season, she just seemed happy to take part in such a big race.  

“I had a really great time,” she said minutes after crossing the finish line. “Just to hear the roar of the crowd, it was awesome. Out there it felt a little windy, hectic, crazy — but I was excited through all of it.

“(The course) was a challenge, with all the wind and hills and everything. But I thought it was a really good race overall.”

One of the reasons she might seem a little carefree about this year’s state meet is because she plans to be back. She has two years remaining at SMCC, which means two more trips to Columbus are definite possibilities.

“This time I just wanted to soak it all in,” she said.

She won’t know for another year if she’s coming back , but at least one person has a pretty good idea how it will all play out. 

“Oh yeah, she’ll be here the next couple of years,” Leech said. “She ran well today, and she was able to finish in the top third of the field. No question in my mind she’ll be back here.”