Elliott a cross-country natural

It all began about six years ago. Early in the morning.

While most students were madly finishing the last question on that take-home quiz and popping that pesky zit before running off to school, Carlton's Brittany Elliott was just doing the latter.

As a Grade 6 student, Elliot donned her running shoes at 8 a.m. every day and went for a 1.5-kilometre run.

And she loved it.

While most students were concerned about looking like neither a dork nor a try-hard in gym class, Elliott was winning cross-country races.

In the last race of Grade 6, she finished third and won a bronze medal.

In Grade 7 and 8, she didn't lose a race.

Now, six years later, while most students are wondering where the next party is going to be, Elliott is focused on being a champion at the five-kilometre distance over hill and dale.

"She's exceptional," said Carlton cross-country coach Dan Toogood. "She has star power. She's awesome.

"She's got a really clean stride and lots of confidence, and that takes you a long way when you're running in cross-country. She has lots of strength and lots of power.

"She's basically the most coachable athlete we have here. I try to use her as an example of what we're doing. For drills, I try to make sure she's leading the group."

Elliott and her teammates kick off the cross-country season with a "fun" meet this afternoon at Muskoday, where she will get her first competitive look this season at Rivier Academy's Breanna Jansen.

This is important, because when asked to describe what keeps her going late in races, Elliott points to her crosstown rival.

"I just try to catch Breanna Jansen," Elliott said Monday before practice.

"In cross-country and track, we're neck and neck all the time, so it's really personal with her - but in a good way."

While today's race will be a quality tune-up for districts (Oct. 7) and provincials (Oct 17), the bubbly Grade 12 student has her eyes set beyond this afternoon's meet.

Last year, Elliott finished second in districts and 10th in provincials.

This year, she modestly says she "wants a top-10 finish." But let's be honest, she knows if it's her day, great things are possible as long as her mind is clear.

"I know how to run on hills and on the sand. (Cross-country) is more strategy. You always have to be thinking and aware of your surroundings.

"It's not just go as fast as you can. It's a lot more thinking."

And if she does uses that strategy in the classroom, the next step will be post-secondary.

While she's heard offers from other schools, Elliot says she wants to be a University of Saskatchewan Huskie.

And Toogood says there's no reason why she won't be.

After all, she's not most students.

mjanzen@paherald.sk.ca