Kacey Gibson won't be racing a ton this fall, meaning every race she does will be more than purposeful.
The defending PIAA Class AA champion from Neshannock High is once again one of just a few runners representing her school. So because Gibson's school can't field a full team, coach Dave Antagoli races is crew of three in inviationals.
Gibson, a senior, opened her season last September 1st by defending her title at the Big Red Invitational in West Middlesex. She ran 18:40 in the varsity girls White Division race, well ahead of runner-up Melissa Smith of Mercer (19:43).
"The first race of the season is always hard," Gibson said. "I thought it went pretty well."
Her ultimate goal, besides defending her state title, is to qualify for the Foot Locker National Championship in December in San Diego. To help prepare for the November 24th regional, she'll run in the Slippery Rock Invitational this weekend, followed by the Malone Invite in Ohio and the Manhattan Invite later this fall.
"Last year I didn't race that much either," Gibson said. "I want to still be energized and stronger at states and Foot Locker."
In another effort to get stronger, Gibson attended a summer training camp at Duke University, which is one of several schools she's considering for college. She said the camp helped her to build up her mileage again.
During her season she does most of her training with her coach. Although she knows Duke is one of the top schools she's considering, Gibson said that she'll probably wait until the spring to make her college decision. She added that she's looking to stay on the East Coast.