Trail Blazers

There’s never a hint of anxiety on the face of Fountain Valley sophomore Julie Allen. Never a whine or a whimper. No excuses and certainly no tears.

Her competitive demeanor is laid back. She plans and runs her cross-country races as if they’re just another jog on the beach.

“Being relaxed is being confident,” Allen said. “Making too big of a deal about racing is like saying nothing else in your life is important. Balance is something we strive for in my family.”

That approach obviously works for Allen, who is The Times’ Orange County girl cross-country runner of the year. Because of conflicts with her club soccer schedule, Allen skipped every regular-season invitational this season except the Orange County Championships in mid-October, when she posted the fastest time by nine seconds.

Allen kept herself in cross-country shape by participating in Sunset League dual meets during the week. It wasn’t the type of competition that piqued her interest, but it kept her on the team.

Allen got her second dose of top-flight competition at the Southern Section preliminaries Nov. 13 at Mt. San Antonio College, posting the second-fastest qualifying time in Division I behind Glendale Hoover junior Anita Siraki. Allen’s time of 17 minutes 46 seconds was also the fastest among county runners.

On the same course at the section finals a week later, Allen tried to build an early lead on Siraki, but the strategy backfired and Allen tired before finishing third in 17:41, which was still the county-leading time by 10 seconds.

Allen placed second at the Division I state championships Nov. 27 at Woodward Park in Fresno.

Siraki cut 42 seconds off her personal best on the course and beat Allen by seven seconds. Allen finished the 5,000-meter course in 17:42, the second-fastest time by a county runner in the history of the 13-year-old meet.

“I really don’t think about that too much,” Allen said. “I thought this season went good. I did the best I could with each race I ran.”

Allen’s time was also 41 seconds faster than that of the next county runner, Newport Harbor’s Amber Steen.

But milestones aren’t what push Allen. She runs to express her strength, discipline and courage, and because it’s a great way to enjoy a sunset at the beach.

“I like what running demands of you,” Allen said. “I think it’s the challenge, the drive, the focus and the discipline that keeps me going.”