Giving chase to runners as good as Ellie Barada and Lexi Kollbaum doesn't leave much room for winning races or workouts but it has its benefits.

It's allowed Bloomington South sophomore Mary Asplund to remake herself as a runner over the past year, giving the Panthers another cross country runner with some serious foot speed. Her development has also allowed the 1,600 and 3,200 relays to find another level this year, breaking both school records and looking to medal at the IHSAA girls state track meet on Saturday.

"It started back in cross country," South coach Jill Rensink said. "The whole spring, training with Ellie has been a confidence boost for her. They complement each other in different ways. The more speed workouts Ellie does, the more she pulls her along. The more aerobic focuse

See Full Page