Palmetto’s top runner outkicks illness, places 2nd

BRADENTON — Jessica McKinnis moved from the shadows thrown by the trees at G.T. Bray park and into the sunshine, her arms pumping, legs churning. Her ponytail bouncing in the air as she ran.

The ponytail told the story.

“It’s good to see her long hair behind her like that,” Palmetto cross country coach Liz Casteel said. “I saw her come through the trees and said, ‘OK, she’s back.’ ”

McKinnis finished second in the girls race at the Bradenton Runners Club Cross County Invitational, completing the 3.1-mile course in 19 minutes, 39.52 seconds, which matched her career-best time set last fall.

“I was happy seeing that time,” McKinnis said. “I was tired of seeing 20 (minutes) and 21s.”

Danielle Scaffidi of North Port was first in 19:29.08. Saint Stephen’s freshman Hannah Howell was third in 19:44.24.

The Manatee girls team, led by Diana Nelson, who finished 13th and lowered her personal-best time by 49 seconds to 20:59.49, placed third in the team standings.

The Manatee boys team, helped by freshman Chris Pate, who finished 11th and lowered his PR by 20 seconds to 17:33.11, placed second with 51 points, three behind Sarasota and one ahead of Englewood Lemon Bay — two teams the Hurricanes will compete against in the upcoming district and regional meets.

Very few runners left Bray on Saturday as satisfied as McKinnis, who struggled during the first six weeks of the season.

The senior, who was 33rd in last year’s Class 3A meet in 19:43, was puzzled by her slow times this fall.

“I didn’t know what was wrong,” she said. “Each week got worse, each race got worse.”

Tests ruled out mononucleosis and revealed McKinnis is anemic. She now takes medication and iron supplements to combat the condition.

“I can tell the difference when I’m running,” McKinnis said. “I’m not tired. My legs don’t feel like 100 pounds.”

McKinnis was third for much of the race, content to let Howell set the pace. And when Scaffidi made her move during the last 100 meters, McKinnis when with her, finishing with a kick that she didn’t have since last November.

It even appeared as if McKinnis was smiling as she flew across the finish line.

“I had nothing left,” she said.

McKinnis said she has drawn interest from Lipscomb University, a Division I-A school in Nashville, Tenn. She has been invited by the cross country coaches to visit the school in early November, but was hesitant to accept.

“I wanted to lower my times,” she said. “If I was still running in the 20s and 21s, why bother?”

Encouraged by Saturday’s race, McKinnis is now looking forward to the trip north.

“I’m just excited to be back in the in the 19s,” she said.

McKinnis is also looking forward to the district and regional meets and the chance to end her high school cross country career on the challenging course in Dade City, a hilly course she actually enjoyed running last November.