Running for hardware: After fall sports canceled, Navajo Prep runner takes aim at state

ZUNI, N.M.

The upcoming state track meet is Brandy Ray’s last chance at earning some hardware in her senior season.

Earlier this year the Navajo Prep distance runner wasn’t afforded the opportunity to represent her school during the truncated cross-country season as the Farmington-based school had to opt out of having a season.

Navajo Prep had to cancel all of its fall sports season since the school was not ready to open with hybrid learning, a perquisite to have sports by the New Mexico Activities Association and the New Mexico Public Education Department.

“I’m going to just give it my all just because I didn’t have a cross-country season,” Ray said. “I’ve been training since October, so I feel like I’m ready. I want to give it my all and place at state.”

Ray will be joined by 15 other Navajo Prep athletes in Saturday’s 3A state track meet at the University of New Mexico’s Track-Soccer Complex.

Ray, who signed to run on the Southwestern Oregon Community College cross-country and track team, earned qualifications in three individual events. She is seeded fifth in both the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs. She’s also met the qualification for the 800-meter run.

“I do all three running events but the longer distance is more of my strength,” she said. “I can keep that endurance for a longer time.”

In addition to those races, Ray will also run on the sprint medley team on Saturday as Navajo Prep is seeded fourth.

Navajo Prep coach Lenny Esson said Ray has put in the work to bring home a state medal as his pupil sought out workouts while he coached the cross-country team at Kirtland Central earlier this year.

“She reached out to me and I gave her some workouts to follow,” he said.

Besides Ray, sophomore Devin Lansing also sought Esson’s advice for offseason training. Lansing earned qualifications in two running events and two relay teams.

He is seeded fifth in the 3,200 and seventh in the 1,600.

“The two-mile is harder but it’s the one that I do best at,” Lansing said. “I also run cross-country so it’s easier for me to run that race.”

Lansing said he’s grateful that Esson helped him stay on top of his training as he’s hoping to hit some new PRs at state.

“I did the workouts to stay in shape because I want that gold,” he said, while adding that he’s trying to break the five-minute mark in the mile.

“I plateaued at 5:01 this season,” he said. “My PR is 4:59 and I just want to break five. If I can do that I’ll be happy.”

At last week’s District 1-3A meet, he ran a 5:08.54 for second-place behind event winner Kameron Eustace of Zuni.

Lansing and Eustace were neck-and-neck for the duration of the race before the Zuni runner used another gear to take first.

“He’s a good runner and he’s probably good at cross-country,” Lansing said. “I know their team is really good and they’re a team that I look up to.”

In the 3,200, Lansing won his race in 11:02.44, which was roughly three seconds off his PR he set earlier this season.

At the district meet, Ray also picked up some hardware as she was the district 3,200-meter champion, covering the eight-lap run in 13:12.34, which was 51 seconds off her PR.

In the 1,600, she took second (6:08.84) behind Tohatchi eighth grader WynterRose Sheka (6:05.94).

Ray said the 15-minute recovery from her medley leg to her last race was not enough as she grew tired.

Esson said that’s going to be a concern for a handful of his athletes as Ray, Lansing and Aaron Mike (3,200) will be running their individual races as well as a few of the relay races.

Nonetheless, he’s expecting his squad to do very well as the girls’ team has earned four relay state qualifications while the boys have three.

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