And that from a recent practice that opened some eyes after a second-place finish at the District 12-5A meet. Consider this: they ran faster during that track workout than they did in that race.
"It just shows you that you can run harder in a meet than what you think you can," Alejandra Marquez said.
Added Belton coach Denise Petter: "Some of them didn't have any earthly idea they could run in the 11s. Now they know they can."
They'll need to, with the top three teams and top 10 individuals qualifying for next week's University Interscholastic League State Meet in Round Rock.
Also shooting for a spot at state are individual qualifiers Romeo Guajardo of Temple and Zerrick Vriseno of Belton.
After qualifying for state last year with a third-place finish at the regional meet, the Lady Tigers likely will need their best team performance of the season to advance. They're among a group of four teams in the mix for one spot.
"Right now, we're fighting for a position to get in," Petter said. "That's our goal."
The Lady Tigers have traveled the region running 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) races at large meets instead of two-mile races in the area, hoping to qualify for a national meet. That experience running against big fields and in front of even bigger crowds should help at today's crowded meet.
"If you're not used to it, you can get overwhelmed by it," said Belton junior Regan Tindell, a two-time state medalist. "Getting in there toward the beginning of the year has helped out, especially with some of these girls at the beginning of the year."
rschneider@temple-telegram.com
