School: Dublin

Sport: Cross Country

Years Playing Sport: 4

Ultimate Goal: Run cross country in college

What's Next: Training for track season in spring, with goal of advancing to NCS Meet of Champions

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It takes a certain amount of determination and self-motivation to compete and succeed in cross country.  Not only because of the skill it takes to navigate through a course, and finish at the head of the pack, but the countless hours of training involved, when no one is watching.

For Dublin High cross country coach Chris Williams, the mark of a true champion is someone who puts in the hard work and watches it unfold naturally during the season.

A classic example of this formula was Dublin senior Shelby Nickles.

"It takes tremendous hard work and dedication to excel as much as Shelby has," Williams said. "It says a lot to show up every day and work as hard as she does. In the past year and a half, Shelby had only two weeks of completely no running, and this type of dedication really pays dividends and is evident in how successful she is."

Nickles realized early on that success on race days stems from all the miles logged, often on Iron Horse Trail or in the Oakland hills.

"(The off-season training) definitely helps," Nickles said. "When you put in 50 miles or so a week, it's great preparation for a 3-mile race – you know it's going to pay off in the end."

During her four years at Dublin, Nickles has become one of the most decorated cross-country runners in school history, becoming the first female to earn First Team All-DFAL honors three consecutive years, and qualifying twice for the state championship meet.

Nickles medaled in every race she entered in her season, which was highlighted by a victory at the Farmer Invitational in Hayward, a fourth-place finish at the Diablo Foothill Athletic League championship and a seventh place at the North Coast Section Division III final.

But Williams feels the turning point for her season came Oct. 9 at the Clovis Invitational in Fresno. Competing against some of the top runners in California, Nickles more than held her own, finishing  ninth with a time of 18:29. She improved upon her 2009 time by one minute, 38 seconds, confirming that she again would be one of the top female runners in the North Coast Section.

"She was the fastest runner in all of Northern California that day," Williams said.

Before her state meet finale, Nickles shined at NCS finals against some of the fastest runners at any division level.

Even though she wasn't in a perfect groove when the race got started on a muddy course at Hayward High, she found a way to dig deep and qualify for state.

"The race got out a little faster than we would have liked and something was off with her mechanics that day," Williams said. "Most of the time, especially with girls, when this happens, a runner who would normally finish in the top-10 would tank and take 30th  — but not Shelby. She kept finding a way to fight off numerous competitors in some terrible conditions."

While she is like most other athletes who live for race or game days, one aspect of cross country that sets itself apart for Nickles is the bond that is created, not only with teammates but with fellow competitors, too.

"Cross country has so many nice people (involved)," Nickles said. "I was in a race my sophomore year, and passed a girl in the last 200 meters, and I remember her saying 'good job.' You don't expect to hear that from someone you are racing against."

Now that cross-country season is over, Nickles is hard at work preparing for track season, which starts in the spring, and looking for a return trip to the North Coast Section Meet of Champions in her main event, the 3200 meters.

"This will be Shelby's second year running track and we are really excited about it," Williams said. "Her main event is the 3200 and she will be trying to set the school record in the event."

One thing's for sure. When Nickles steps to the starting line of her first race of the track season, she will have miles and miles (and miles) of practice under her feet.

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OTHER PATCH.COM ATHLETES OF THE FALL

Monday, Jan. 10, 2011

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Check back throughout the week as the rest of Patch.com's East Bay Athletes of the Fall are recognized.