Following injury-plagued past year, Lane scheduled to compete in mile and 2-mile races at first track meet in nearly nine months 

By Erik Boal, DyeStat Editor

Malibu CA senior Claudia Lane, a two-time Foot Locker national cross country champion, is scheduled to compete in her first track race in nearly nine months when she runs Friday at The Virginia Showcase at Liberty University Indoor Track in Lynchburg.

Since running in the 3,200 meters April 20 at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays, injuries have resulted in Lane racing only once, a 3-mile cross country competition Sept. 11 in Oxnard, Calif.

Lane, a Dartmouth commit, is racing indoors for the first time in her career. She is scheduled to compete in the AAU mile Friday and the AAU 2-mile Saturday.

“It’s been a tough year, so just the fact that I’m able to race this week makes me excited,” Lane said. “I can’t wait to run at Dartmouth indoors next year, so I feel like this is good preparation for me.”

Since April, Lane has dealt with a stress reaction in her left foot, along with tendonitis and IT band pain in her right knee that prevented her from contending again for state and national titles during her final prep cross country season.

Lane has been able to train consistently for the past month, allowing her to compete in Virginia against Pine Crest FL junior Tsion Yared in both races, along with racing Beavercreek OH junior Taylor Ewert in the 2-mile and Greencastle Antrim PA junior Taryn Parks in the mile.

Ewert is coming off a third-place finish at Nike Cross Nationals and fourth-place effort at Foot Locker Nationals. Yared took 23rd at NXN and Parks placed 27th at Foot Locker Nationals.

“I had a few minor setbacks before which kept me from running, but I was able to train this month,” Lane said. “My longest run has only been six miles, as I’m trying to be cautious while returning to running, especially since I’m going to focus mainly on outdoor.”

With the California outdoor season starting Feb. 16, Lane hasn’t committed to competing in any additional indoor meets, but she and Malibu coach Mark Larsen are continuing to explore potential options in an effort to prepare to race April 6 in the 3,200 at the Arcadia Invitational.

“I am honestly doing this race because I have missed racing so much this past year,” Lane said. “Although I’m not in the best of shape at the moment, I am more than excited just to be able to have my first race in a very long time and challenge myself. I don’t have any set goals because I know that I’m not in my best shape right now as I’m just starting to consistently run again.”