At first, Kaylah Grant was steaming. With all of her coaches—high school, club and future college coaches—telling the Live Oak High senior she should drop the 1600-meter run in last Friday’s Central Coast Section Championships so she would have plenty of energy left for the 3200, Grant couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
After all, Grant came close to qualifying for state in both events last year, finishing fourth in the 1600 and third in the 3200. However, the coaches had a hunch Grant could break through in the 3200, and they proved prescient. Grant ran one of the best tactical races of her career and had fresh legs in taking second place in a season-best time of 10 minutes, 53.64 seconds to lock up a second consecutive state berth in the event.
“The first thing I said was thank you to my coaches for making me drop the 1600,” Grant said. “I probably wouldn’t have been able to run a 10:53 if I had run the 1600. That was the difference tonight. I wanted to win, but I’m happy I got second and a big season PR.”
Indeed, Grant shaved a whopping 16 seconds off her previous best this season. In fact, Grant hadn’t come close to going sub 11 minutes until Friday’s performance. Just like she’s done so many times in the past, Grant came through when it counted the most.
Live Oak High freshman sensation Karlie Lema was the only other local athlete who competed in the CCS Finals, taking third in the 100-meter dash in 12.26 seconds to qualify for state. Lema’s previous PR was 12.10, which she established the week prior in the CCS Trials.
“I was super nervous, but it worked out,” said Lema, who had a look of disappointment afterward. “The competition is really good. I had an OK start off the block, and I felt like I picked up rhythm toward the end.”
Once Lema got somewhat comfortable, she hit her stride about 60 meters in. When Lema is loose and excited, there are few runners in the section capable of staying with her in the 100 and 100 hurdles. If Lema can stay calm and ramp down the nerves at state, she’ll be a threat to advance to the second day of competition in the 100. That’s exactly what Grant plans to do.
“I’m really excited for next week,” Grant said, referring to Friday’s CIF State Championships, where Grant took 21st last year and came up short in advancing to the second day. “I think I can go 10:50 or below.”
Grant’s PR in the event is 10:50.03, which she set in last year’s CCS Finals. In this year’s Finals, Grant was at the front for the majority of the race. The runners took it out a bit slow by their standards, clocking a 1:22 first lap and 1:24 second lap. That’s when Grant charged to the front—“I heard my coach say, ‘Take over,’” Grant said—and that’s exactly what she did, running up to the front and holding it for the next three laps until eventual winner Anna Mokapati out of the King’s Academy took control and gained separation.
Here’s how strong Grant was: She went 1:18 on each of her final two laps, the fastest lap times of her race. Grant displayed a kick that was absent for the majority of the season, leaving her downright thrilled with her result.
“When I went 78 (1:18), I didn’t know if I should’ve done it,” she said. “But I made the decision because this was my last chance, and I had to leave it all out there.”
Fueled by not being able to run the 1600 initially, Grant used it as motivation to run the best race of her season.
“The whole time before the 3200 I was bummed thinking about the mile and what could’ve been,” she said. “But being mad fueled me and got me ready to go for the 3200.”
