Elite 50 Recap: Alli Cash

Elite 50 Recap: Alli Cash

Sep 24, 2012 by Mitch Kastoff
Elite 50 Recap: Alli Cash

The media is obsessed with discovering the next big talent. Primetime talent shows and singing competitions grab our attention not only because some of the acts are impressive or lack thereof, but because people love to watch rising stars. It’s not always the most astounding acts that make people tune in every week, but the stories of some small town individual who’s finally able to perform on the big stage.

These stories of success may go unnoticed everyday. While there are cases of success, there may be a myriad of individuals who have potential, but are never able to take center stage.

How many athletes play another sport, but would instead excel at cross country or track? If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? Could the world record in the marathon have already been broken by some unknown individual on his or her own?

I once saw a shirt at a cross country meet that said, “Friends don’t let friends play soccer.” In the case of Shawnee Mission West senior Allison Cash, I’m thankful that’s the case.

In the fall of 2009, Cash and some of her friends joined cross country to stay in shape for soccer in the spring. When the spring came, Cash was running around the soccer field rather than playing on it.

This past weekend, Cash broke the 4000m course record at Rim Rock Farm XC Classic  in Lawrence, KS. She dipped under the 14-minute barrier for the second time this season with a time of 13:59.22.

Here are her races and times for the last two cross country seasons:


2011 cross country

Race Time Place Date

Greg Wilson Classic

15:08.30 2 9/3/2011

Baldwin Invitational

14:15.64 1 9/17/2011

Rim Rock Farm XC Classic 

14:54.10 3 9/24/2011

KC Metro Championship

17:57.70 2 10/1/2011

NXN Heartland Regional

18:25.47 5 11/13/2011

 NXN Girls Championship

18:37.00 40 12/3/2011

 

2012 cross country

Race Time Place Date

Greg Wilson Classic

13:46.70 1 9/3/2012

Rim Rock Farm XC Classic

13:59.22 1 9/22/2012

 

However, it is her 2012 outdoor season that asserts the claim that Cash will be near the front of the pack at NXN.


2012 outdoor season

Race Distance Time Place Date

adidas Grand Prix

1-Mile 4:39.98 3 6/9/12

US Junior Nationals

1500m 4:21.95 4 6/17/12

 

Similar to any talented athlete that is relatively new to the sport, her rate of improvement is incredible. Considering that she ran nearly a minute faster at the Rim Rock Farm XC Classic compared to last year, Cash should improve on her NXN placing.

Cash told Milesplit.com, “[The record] means a lot,” but it also provides a historical base for Cash as the season moves forward. The same expectations that have been applied to Kaylee Flanangan after her course record run at Detweiller Park can be used with Cash.

Last year at Rim Rock Park, current Oklahoma State University freshman Samantha Nightingale ran 14:15.33. Later that season, Nightingale took eighth at Nike Cross Nationals.

If Cash continues to improve a minute for every race that she ran last season, she’ll surely be competing for an All-American spot at NXN.

There are a number of female milers that are going to be very successful this cross country season. Milers, such as Cash, have been able to build up the necessary strength for cross country that will transfer over to their indoor and outdoor seasons.

Cash will run her first 5000m since NXN at the Roy Griak Invitational in Minnesota on Saturday. Shawnee Mission West cross country coach Jeff Onnen told Runningtimes.com, “I believe she’s capable of getting down to 13:00 for the 4k and 16:00 for the 5k this fall.”

If Cash had chosen not to “stay in shape” for soccer during the fall of her freshman year, then those goals may not have ever existed.