Queen Creek Senior Runs the Distance


By: Stacy Johnson


Ashley Workman, of the Morningside Ward, Queen Creek South Stake, swept the distance events at the state high school track meet this year, amassing 30 points to lead Queen Creek High School to the title. Photo by Stacy Johnson.




While running 40 to 50 miles each week is not the norm for most teenage girls, it is typical for Ashley Workman. A laurel in the Morningside Ward, Queen Creek South Stake, Ashley recently graduated from Queen Creek High School in the top 10 percent of her class. Along with her academic excellence, her performance at the state track and field finals at the end of May also sets her apart.

Ashley had been ranked among the best in the state the previous two years in both cross country and track; yet, a state title remained just out of her grasp until this year. As a distance runner, she runs the 3200, 1600, 800, and occasionally the 400-meter individual and relay events, sometimes all of them at the same track meet.

She joined the cross country and track teams because, she says, "My grandpa told me I ought to," and she likes to run for "the competition, the fact that it's demanding and I like to push myself, and I like all the time I get to think while I'm running."

At the 4A state meet in May, Ashley took first place in the 3200, 1600, and 800-meter races, scoring a total of 30 individual points to help her team clinch the state championship. Queen Creek was two points behind Canyon Del Oro High School going into the last event of the evening, the 400-meter relay, in which Ashley would run the last leg. In order to take the team title, they would have to beat Canyon Del Oro with a first or second place win. Described by her coach and teammates as someone who doesn't complain or try to get out of working, Ashley is quick to mention the total team effort. "Shannon Olsen was an awesome first leg. When she came around to hand off we were in third place. When Kayla Forbis handed off to Anna Sanders, we were in fourth. Then Anna ran a beastly leg and caught us up to the team in first. At this point, Canyon Del Oro was in third. There was a small gap behind the first place girl and myself. My team kept us in contention, but I couldn't pass her. We placed second and Canyon Del Oro placed third."

Ashley attributes her sweep of the distance events to her confidence level this year. "I believed that I could do it and that I had worked harder than my competition because I wanted it more."

Coach Ellie Hardt adds, "I think her drive to win a state championship was driven by the fact that she knew her team needed it done in order for them to win the team championship."

With a full ride scholarship to Paradise Valley Community College (PVCC), Ashley is looking forward to studying elementary education. She hopes to win a national championship for PVCC in the next two years, then later become an elementary physical education teacher so she can mentor young children and eventually coach at the high school level.

Ashley has another goal for the future.

"I want to get married in the temple and have an eternal family," she says.

Coach Hardt adds, "She is a great example to others on the team and her leadership and example will be greatly missed next year as she heads off to college."