Lopez runner aims to make most of her chance at regional meet

Vanessa Garcia has been one of the area's top long-distance runners all four years she has competed for the Lopez Lady Lobos.

Now that her high school track career is winding down, the standout senior would like to finish up with a flourish.

She'll get that opportunity at the Region IV-5A meet later this month because she won the 3,200-meter race at the District 32-5A meet in Weslaco last week. She qualified for the regional meet last year in the 3,200, but an injury prevented her from competing.

"I just have to run with a lot of heart, keep practicing hard and want it more," said the 5-foot-3 Garcia, who also was one of the district's top runners in cross country. "I just want to try to do better and show what I can do in the meets."

Garcia won the 3,200 at district last Thursday in 12 minutes, 11.72 seconds. Pace's Andrea Avila was second (12:13.30) and Los Fresnos' Elia Santamaria was third (12:42.52).

"It wasn't a good time because the wind was bad that day," Lopez girls track coach Sylvia Longoria Rodriguez said.

"But Vanessa finished strong and she was very happy (to qualify for regionals)," Rodriguez added. "I think she wants to do well and make an impression (on college recruiters)."

Garcia said her personal-best times in the 3,200 and 1,600 came in last month's Brownsville City Meet, when she won both events in 11:55.17 and 5:34.82, respectively.

Garcia didn't have a particularly good race in the 1,600 on Saturday at the 32-5A meet as she finished fourth in 5:34.91 behind Los Fresnos' Samantha Fish (5:26.53), Pace's Avila (5:30.78) and Hanna's Kathy Perez (5:33.69).

However, the plus side is Garcia can now focus exclusively on doing well in the 3,200 at regionals.

"Vanessa really wants to do well for herself," Rodriguez said. "She's a person who sets her goals and goes after them. She knows this (long-distance running) is her thing."

Rodriguez said it's been a pleasure to coach Garcia during her four years at Lopez.

"It's been a joy," the Lopez coach said. "She always works hard and doesn't ever complain. She didn't even complain last year as a junior when she had a back problem."

Garcia said she began running long-distance races at Lucio Middle School.

"I never thought I would be a long-distance runner because I thought it was boring," she said. "But I started liking it. I had a lot of stress, so I just started running, and it helped the stress go away. Running helps me relax."

When asked about the influences that have helped her succeed in running, Garcia credited God and her parents.

She is the daughter of Hilario and Juana Garcia. She has eight brothers and sisters, and four of them are younger.

"They run, too," she said of her younger siblings.

"It feels good because I think that I've accomplished a lot," she added. "I thank God because He's always there to help me. I thank my parents for helping me, too."