Track Regionals 2026 // One Last Run

 Melayna ran in the 300 hurdles at the IHSAA Track Regionals on Tuesday, May 27th.

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The kids and I traveled up to Goshen High School on Tuesday night and we arrived around 6:30 p.m. in time to watch the 4x800 relay team run and finish in 4th place.  (Top three advance to the state meet, but they would later get a call back so they will all advance).  Then Melayna's teammate would compete in the 100 hurdle preliminary race.  Despite running her second fastest time ever, she wouldn't advance to the finals unfortunately, but she did finish 11th overall, improving two places from her 13th place seed.

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When we got there and found a seat, we realized that we were sitting just a few rows behind the Grace track coach who had driven up to watch the three girls that are attending Grace next year.  We also were able to talk to Annie's parents.  Annie ran for our team last year and now runs in college, but her family came back to cheer Melayna on and Annie made sure to stop by and pray with Melayna before her race.  'So sweet to know that loved ones were coming out to support Laynie's last regional run.

The athletes weren't allowed on to the field until their event had been called so we didn't see Melayna until the relay event that was right before her 300 hurdles.  There would be two heats of the 300 hurdles.  She was coming into the night seeded 9th.  Since the track that hosted sectionals had 9 lanes, we had hoped that she would run in the fast heat in that 9th lane, but this track only had 8 lanes, so she would be the fastest seed in the "slow" heat and would have to win the event in the hopes of setting a new PR and possibly beating a couple of the "slower" girls in the fast heat.  

Here is a video from her race.  She is in the 4th lane (5th runner from the top) and wearing the orange shirt.  Again, apologies for the loud yelling and cheering.  Her fan club really wanted her  to win.  LOL

This track also didn't have a live timer running so although we knew that she had won her heat, we didn't know what her time was.  

She stayed out on the track longer than anyone else and just acted a lot more tired than after most of her runs.  I remember saying that maybe that was a good sign that she may have run a new PR time, but we would have to wait for the official time to be posted.

Marissa had also been watching the race results live on milesplit, IN so she was able to see that Melayna finished with a brand new PR of 47.52!!  We quickly texted Noel to let him know and then he went over to congratulate her on her time.  After the fast heat was finished, we received more good news when we saw that Melayna's time was actually faster than two of the runners in that heat and she wouldn't advance to state, but she would finish with a career best 7th place!!

Way to go Melayna.  Such a great season!!

Coach Howett was really happy.  Melayna was just really tired.  LOL

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Since Melayna was listed as an alternate for the 4x400 relay, she continued to stay loose and ready just in case but she ended up not being needed and would be finished for the year.  Later, after she got home for the night, Noel asked if I would get a couple of pictures of them together since they weren't able to get together at the track.  They wanted one picture together and then one picture pretending to hold the regional trophy.

It's been such a sweet four years with these two together.  And now the roles will change and Coach Howett will get to sit back these next four years and just be a Dad who gets to continue watching his daughter run at the next level.  We are so excited for that!