Norwalk senior Breelie Mauro was hoping to end her high school cross country career with a bang, and at last Saturday’s State Cross Country Championships in Fort Dodge she did exactly that.

Competing in her fourth state meet, Mauro used a strong final surge to place 25th out of 125 Class 4A runners in the field at Kennedy Park. Her placing, as well as her 5K time of 19:36.2, were both career bests at state.

Mauro says she was really happy with the outcome as her goal entering the day was a top-30 finish. She didn’t quite reach her time goal, but was pleased with that as well. Mauro says the key to her success was being able to step beyond her comfort zone.

“We talked a lot throughout the season about not running comfortably,” she said, “so when I was running I was thinking that the whole time, like, ‘I can go faster. Why am I running at this pace? Get uncomfortable.’”

One portion of the race where Mauro did try to stay a bit comfortable was the start. She focused on not going out too hard in the first half-mile and using up key energy that she would need later. Mauro built on a decent start by gradually moving up through the pack. She was able to crack the top 25 by either passing or holding off five runners that finished less than three seconds behind her.

“I think I passed two people in the last 400 (meters),” she said. “I was just trying to give it everything I (had) for that last stretch.”

Mauro says that the Norwalk girls team bonded very well throughout the season and she will miss competing with her teammates for coach Michelle Wiedmann.

Mauro will run track in the spring and she plans to run cross country collegiately at a school to be determined.