For nearly three years, Caleb Vogt stood so close to that elusive state title, whether it meant running the hills of cross country, or the steady ovals of the two-mile run.
It was close, close enough that Vogt, now a senior at Winter Park High School, could taste it until something came up, a knee injury, an ankle injury, either of them devastating to a runner who has dreams that extend far beyond Central Florida.
The demons were finally dashed in the spring of 2005. After missing out on individual glory, he was still a key part of the Winter Park cross country team that won state titles in his first three seasons, but he finally broke the tape alone when he won the state two-mile championship. He enjoyed it so much he thinks he has a chance to come away with a few more state titles before he graduates in the spring of 2006.
Vogt was disappointed when he couldn't perform up to standard in the 2005 cross country meet, so he was determined, with his body holding up well, to make the best of it during the spring meet.
"Every time I came back from an injury I would just get injured again,'' Vogt said. "I never got close to quitting, but it got very frustrating. When I finally won the two-mile it was the greatest feeling of my life.''
Vogt says that now, but the state title in his junior year may be just an appetizer for his senior season. He finished second in the state cross country behind Coleman Hoover, now a freshman at the University of Georgia. Vogt, who has trained all summer, is hoping to cut at least 20 seconds off his time and thinks this can be his year. He's been working on his tempo all summer and, with Hoover graduated, he'll enter the fall as the favorite to win it all.
"I'm working hard right now,'' Vogt said. "I'm just looking forward to my senior year, then running at the elite level in college.''
College is always close to Vogt's mind. He has a 4.56 grade point average and is being recruited by several top-20 Division I schools for cross country. He also hopes to spend some time running outdoors as well. He started running at a young age with his father, Steve Vogt who is a recreational runner. By the age of 6, Caleb was running competitively and entering Winter Park only made things easier. Winter Park is one of the top track schools in the state and, even though Vogt is the only returning runner on the cross country team this season, Winter Park is still the team to beat.
"We are always good at Winter Park,'' Vogt said. "All I've ever known is winning. The young guys are working hard, so we'll be competitive even if we don\'t dominate like we have.''
Vogt just hopes the legs hold up. He still has some hardware to pick up at the victory stand, prizes that are long overdue.
For nearly three years, Caleb Vogt stood so close to that elusive state title, whether it meant running the hills of cross country, or the steady ovals of the two-mile run.
It was close, close enough that Vogt, now a senior at Winter Park High School, could taste it until something came up, a knee injury, an ankle injury, either of them devastating to a runner who has dreams that extend far beyond Central Florida.
The demons were finally dashed in the spring of 2005. After missing out on individual glory, he was still a key part of the Winter Park cross country team that won state titles in his first three seasons, but he finally broke the tape alone when he won the state two-mile championship. He enjoyed it so much he thinks he has a chance to come away with a few more state titles before he graduates in the spring of 2006.