Camas junior Kate Westfall is on the move, having fun

During the final stage of a cross country race, when runners were at the height of discomfort, Kate Westfall was having fun.

Instead of focusing on her aching legs or burning lungs, the junior from Camas got a thrill each time she passed another runner.

It’s a big reason Westfall had a breakthrough season that saw her win a district title and clock the fastest time at the state meet by any girl from Southwest Washington.

“It became fun to compete,” Westfall said. “I started finishing races and would say ‘that was really fun.’ I would do that again instead of finishing and saying ‘oh that hurt a lot.’ ”

Westfall, the Columbian’s All-Region girls cross country runner of the year, had her first cross country breakthrough Sept. 20 at the Fort Steilacoom Invitational. She finished the 5,000-meter race in 19 minutes, 6 seconds, a personal-best by nearly 35 seconds.

But it was the following week at Nike Portland XC that Westfall learned this season could be special. She ran 18:25.6 to win the Women’s Division I Varsity race, which was second only to the Danner Championships race at the event that draws runners from across the West.

“I was so shocked,” Westfall said. “I did not go into that thinking that was possible. I finished and my family came up to me and said ‘you’re elite.’ ”

In less than one year, a runner who placed 97th in state as a sophomore had clocked a time comparable to former teammate Eliisa Marshall. Now running at Boise State, Marshall also won the Division I Varsity race last year at Nike Portland XC in 18:29.

“It was cool because all these girls I’ve looked up to and respected so much, I have the same potential as they do,” Westfall said.

The seeds for Westfall’s successful season were planted before the track season last spring. Over the winter, she increased the consistency and intensity of her running.

“I wasn’t very happy with the season, knowing I can do better,” Westfall said. “My dad played a big part in saying you have so much more potential you haven’t tapped into.”

That offseason work bore fruit by the end of the track season. Westfall finished second in the 1,600 meters at the district meet, running 5:08 for a personal-best by 12 seconds.

“In running, your work builds up,” she said. “I put in work over the summer too, but I feel that winter and track season was crucial to allowing me to make that big jump. It built my confidence.”

From rarely breaking 20 minutes as a sophomore, Westfall had five races this season where she finished under 19 minutes. The fastest was at the Hole in the Wall XC Invitational in Arlington, where she ran 18:04.2 to finish 19th in the Women’s Elite race.

Westfall followed that 11 days later by winning the district title. She used a strong finish to pull away, winning by 18 seconds in 18:45.

After a difficult race in poor weather at the bi-district Westside Classic, Westfall rebounded at the state meet Nov. 8 in Pasco. Her time of 18:54.1 earned her 16th place in the 4A race and was nearly a minute faster than the previous week near Tacoma.

“I was proud of myself for getting 16th and placing on the podium,” Westfall said. “But I definitely wish I could have placed higher.”