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<strong>Colorado's Class of 2014 makes their decisions...</strong></p>
Kelsi Lasota has led the Estes Park girls through seven very successful seasons, and that earned her the respect of the Boise State program. Photo by Paul Jaeger.
Kelsi Lasota's best marks:
800 meters - 2:22.75
1600 meters - 5:10.36 (at altitude)
3200 meters - 11:35.43 (at altitude)
5K cross country - 18:36.91 (at altitude)
With Corey Ihmels taking over the coaching at Boise State last summer, it would appear that Boise State cross country is on the rise. What reasons did you have for picking Boise State above and beyond the quality of the program there?
One of the main reasons I picked Boise State was for the coaches. They were so open, I felt like they really wanted me, and they were so welcoming and genuine when I visited the college. I fell in love with the campus and the town of Boise. It wasn't my first college visit, but when I stepped onto the campus I just knew it was the one. I really liked all the girls on the team, and I could really imagine going there.
What do you plan to major in at Boise State, or is it just too soon to tell.
I would like to major in either Mechanical or Biomedical Engineering. I've always thought it would be cool to make prosthetics, and be able to help people through the use of math and science.
Is there a clear idea of what distance you'll be focusing on in track at Boise State yet? Or should I ask if there's a distance you hope to be running?
Well I haven't really talked to the coaches about the distances I will be running yet. Though I do hope that I will be able to run the mile. It's always been my favorite event and I would really enjoy seeing the progression I could make at the collegiate level.
Tell us a little about how disruptive the flooding this fall was to your team and to your own training in Estes Park.
The flood really caused a damper in our season. Due to both highways 34 and 36 being closed, we were unable to make it to many meets without going 3 hours out of the way to get there. We also had a few kids who had to transfer schools, losing some essential parts of our team. We were able to practice after school got back in session, and some of us would meet when we could before then. We had major damage to many of the roads in Estes, and it was hard to get around. We had lost the ability to run our regular routes. It affected our team quite a bit, but after school started again, the practices were just as tough and we had even more determination.
Can you pick a favorite moment of your high school career to date?
I have so many great memories that it's really hard to narrow it down. If I had to pick one, I would probably choose this season. We were the underdogs all season, and after the flood happened we didn't think we'd get to race anymore. But our team pushed through all of the setbacks. The lack of racing, and racing well, for that matter, kept us focused and determined. All the doubts we had from earlier in the season were put out of our minds when we found out that we had finished second as a team at State. It was such a great day, and I couldn't stop smiling. We had been rewarded for all the hard work we had put in.
You have a lot of opportunities before you in your final season of track and field. When it's all said and done, what would make for a successful last season for you?
To really make it a successful last season for me, I want to be able to bounce back from last season and have a solid 4x800 meter relay team, and for us to be able to compete with the rest of the high caliber teams for the top spot at the state meet. I am also working towards breaking 5 minutes in the mile, and hopefully PR-ing in all my other events as well.
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Estes Park almost always comes down onto the Front Range for their meets, so there will be plenty of opportunities this spring for Kelsi Lasota to race against many of the state's best as she pursues the 5-minute mark and as Estes Park fashions yet another very competitive 4x800 team. After that, she's off for Boise, Idaho, with perhaps an occasional trip back into the state for a Mountain West Conference meet.
