Paige Williams: Enjoying the Ride

Some runners go after the medals.

They bake all summer long trying to scrape precious milliseconds off their times with dreams of Olympic gold in their grasp.

They often don't can't compare the words "fun'' and "track'' without mentioning their burning need for a state title and nothing less.

Then there's East Bay senior Paige Williams. One of the best distance runners in the state, Williams is just wants to enjoy herself. Girls just want to have fun, and Williams is a prime example.

Despite being one of the top cross country runners in the state, and a leading candidate to take a medal in the 1,600 and 3,200 this spring, Williams is content to have a good time, come what may.

She placed fourth in the 1,600 last year at states with a 5:10, and seventh in the 3,200 with an 11:49, but said it could have been better if not for an inner ear infection that caused her to run even slower times than she ran as a sophomore. She said that she wants to do the best she can...