Every once in a while, a runner comes along that stirs your emotions and wins your heart and mind. Tim Harris is one such runner.
The Overtown Booker T. Washington senior's fluid and powerful stride is a thing of pure beauty. He also happens to be one of the fastest 800 meter runners in the nation. It's very possible that we could be witnessing one of Florida's all time track greats along the lines of recent speedsters such as Moise Joseph, Sam Vazquez or Paul Cross. His 1:50.36 at the recent Gatorade Invitational held on the University of Miami campus has a lot of people starting to take notice.
There is no substitute for raw speed or talent and Tim Harris has both of those gifted elements. Besides being a standout middle distance runner, Tim was also the heralded quarterback for his football team that finished 11-3 during the season. Tim threw for 1381 yards, threw 15 touchdowns and rushed for over 495 yards during the season. His play attracted several scholarship offers and in the fall, Tim signed a National Letter of Intent to play football for Division 2 Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tennessee, although he is entertaining the idea of concentrating solely on Track.
When your dad is the Head Football Coach of your high school team and you're the Star quarterback for the team, the fall season is reserved for drop-back routes, timing passes, and a whole lot of chalkboard talk. While most of the states top distance runners are out logging base mileage before and during the cross-country season, Tim spent this past fall leading his team to numerous victories on the grid-iron.
But once Football season ended, Tim quickly switched gears.
I first noticed Tim as the #2 seed in the 1600 at the Steak and Shake Meet in Tampa on March 13th. His time seemed impressive for someone who I didn't recognize as a cross-country runner. Tim went on to battle the other Tim in the State, Tim McLeod that day, but ended up succumbing to the fast pace and the surge Timbo threw down with 800 to go. He still ran a Personal Record in the mile that day but was even more impressive later in the day by dominating the 800 field and at the time posting the states fastest 800 time with a persuasive "start to finish" performance.
Tim was a late add to the stacked Mile Invitational field during the Florida Relays but he made the best of it. Without the likes of Biladeau, Miletich or Mcleod to push a fast pace from the onset, Tim sat on the leaders just off the pace until it started to harden with 600 to go. This was a really an ideal race for his talents and sometimes it's not your winning time that counts but how you win. Tim proved on that day that he is indeed a very quick study and had learnt a thing or two since the Steak and Shake matchup with Timbo. There really is no substitute for raw speed and talent but don't be fooled, Tim is also a hard worker with certain goals he wants to attain before the season is over.