WHS runner making record-breaking strides as sophomore

TRINITY — So, what does one do after breaking the Wheatmore High School record in cross country? If you’re sophomore Scarlett Hildreth, you break it again.

Hildreth, a sophomore runner who first took up the sport just two years ago, set the WHS girls record with a time of 20 minutes and 44.44 seconds on Aug. 16 at the Bob Schilly Invitational at East Davidson High School.

“I normally get really nervous before my race and I know nerves aren’t good, but I was also excited since I hadn’t run a 5K in almost a year,” Hildreth said after breaking the record for the first time. “I was excited to see what I could do.”

What she could do is lower that school record even more as on Aug. 26, she finished that same course at East Davidson High School in 20:17.32.

“My dad and my uncle were big runners in high school and that always interested me,” she said on how she started running. “When I was in the summer of my 8th grade year, I joined a club track team and cross country team and that made me really like running.”

Most cross country routes are between three and 3.1 miles.

“She works hard, she does half of her practices with the High Point Blaze, a club team, and with us and she runs on her own,” Wheatmore cross country coach Will Benner said. “What she has accomplished this season is really impressive.

“She is doing her part. Working indoor and outdoor seasons and she’s staying healthy. She looks like she will be contending for the No. 1 spot.”

Right now, Providence Grove’s Laurel Bernhardt has that distinction, but Hildreth is quickly closing the gap.

Last year as a freshman, Hildreth finished second in the Piedmont Athletic Conference race (20:55), 12th in the 2-A Midwest Regional at Fisher River Park in Dobson (21:55.34) and 60th in the NCHSAA state meet at the Ivey Redmon Sports Complex in Kernersville (22:20.72). 

Her times continue to dwindle as her sophomore year progresses.

“A big thing was the weather,” Hildreth said of the first time she broke the record. “It was cooler and I made sure I got a lot of sleep and stayed hydrated. Also my training. I have been training very hard.”

Her training regimen for weeks in which the Warriors are competing on a Tuesday includes a: 

■ 30-minute recovery run on Monday.

■ The meet on Tuesday.

■ Speed training and intervals on Wednesday.

■ 800- or 1,000-meter runs on Thursday.

■ a day off Friday.

■ A 5- to 6-mile run on Saturday.

■ Sundays often include a short run.

Hildreth, who also played basketball before fully committing to cross country, said she has successfully battled through the mental part of the sport.

“I just think I need to push through the pain and the results will be worth it,” she said about what she thinks about while running.

Benner said as impressive as Hildreth has been, she should be able to trim even more time off her runs.

“It’s pretty easy to drop a few minutes when you’re running a 25- or 30-minute time,” Benner said. “It’s a lot harder to drop minutes as you get lower and lower. Scarlett has dropped more than a minute and how much a runner can drop depends on the athlete. I expect her to get under 20, maybe even lower.”

She’s well on her way.