All-Region Girls Cross Country: Savanna Craig

It’s not easy to feel comfortable while you’re pushing your body to its limit.

But that’s how Savanna Craig feels when she’s in “The Zone.”

“I felt zen when I was running,” said Craig, recalling her fourth-place finish at the Class 3A state cross country championships last month. “It went by really quick.”

Craig was the highest individual finisher of any Clark County girl at the state meet. The Mountain View senior also won a bi-district title, a district title and placed in the top two in eight of 11 races she ran this season.

For her accomplishments, Craig is The Columbian’s All-Region girls cross country runner of the year.

For all the cross country workouts that target the legs, working the mind might be more important.

“Cross country is ninety percent mental,” Craig said. “If you’re confident in your ability, that’s huge.”

From the moment the starting gun fires, Craig tries to get into what runners call “The Zone.” It’s a state of comfort and calm that pushes the pain of exertion into the background.

And the hardest part of the race? That’s where Craig feels the most comfortable.

Ever since she started running track and field in middle school, her favorite race has been the 1,600 meters. In Craig’s mind, the last mile of a 5,000 meter cross country race is just like a 1,600 on the track.

“I feel strong, like I can power through it,” she said. “It feels awesome.”

Often, Craig finds herself alone at the front of the pack. That was the case at the bi-district Westside Classic, which she won by 50 seconds.

She also ran mostly alone at the state meet, where the course in Pasco is largely away from spectators. She finished fourth after placing eighth the previous year, when Mountain View competed in the 4A ranks.

It can be easy to get distracted, to let thoughts of pain or self-imposed limits creep in.

This season, Craig didn’t let that happen.

“Senior year, you’ve got to go out hard,” she said. “I became more focused, more dedicated and have just been thinking about my future more.”

That future will see Craig run at the University of Portland. She plans to study biology and become a pediatric dentist.

But it’s fitting that Craig ended her high school cross country career with a strong finish.

“I like kicking at the end,” she said. “It’s intense, it’s fun and I’m good at it.”

Emily Phelps, Fort Vancouver, So. — Second at 3A districts. Fourth at bi-districts. Placed 34th at state, the highest ever by a Fort sophomore.

Ellie Postma, Camas, Jr. — Third at districts, fifth at bi-districts. Season-best time of 18:40 at Hole in Wall Invitational.