Ashley Fitzgerald is somewhat of a perfectionist.
“I always say to myself, you can always do better,” said the American Heritage junior who recorded the fastest time this season out of Broward and Palm Beach County girls cross country runners.
Fitzgerald set the Patriots’ school record for the 5K race (17:53.70) when she finished second at the FSU (Pre-State) Invitational. In seven meets this season, Fitzgerald finished either first (three times) or second (three) six times.
Fitzgerald finished second with a 17:56 in the girls’ Class 3A state meet at Apalachee Regional Park in Tallahassee. She was just 2.30 seconds behind Tallahassee Leon senior Lillee Tang, who equaled Fitzgerald’s fastest time of the season in winning.
“You have to take the wins you do get and say you did great and look forward to track or whatever,” she added, “but you have to be happy with it. Getting as close as I did, will motivate me moving forward.
“The amount of work I put in for the summer for cross country was a lot,” Fitzgerald said. “I woke up every morning at 5 and went running. I rested and then I did weights…I look back at all of that stuff and I say that’s what I did all of that work for, to be here. I like running because I like the whole competition part, but I find it relaxing. If I have a big test the next day, I go for a run, and it doesn’t exist anymore.”
Fitzgerald, the team captain who has been on the varsity since the sixth grade, said she hoped for a top-3 finish at the state championships and that’s what she delivered. She also said her career highlight wasn’t an individual accolade, but what they accomplished as a team.
“This year, the girls’ team grew drastically and all of us became really close friends,” said Fitzgerald, who repeats as the Broward girls cross country runner of the year. “The overall team experience this year was amazing.”
American Heritage cross country coach Thomas Johnson said Fitzgerald was an important leader to the team.
“While she worked very hard to become a better runner on the course,” Johnson said, “she worked even harder to be a better person. I am proud of her growth as a leader and commitment to the team before her individual achievement on the course.”
