Spectacular. Special. Super. Those are the kinds of words that have described Tori Tyler's efforts on the cross country trails throughout her career. Saturday, simply solid did the trick. Tyler, who has been limiting her training due to nagging injuries all fall, ran in uniform for just the third time this season at the NCAA West Regional Championships Saturday in San Francisco and led the Wildcats with a sixth-place finish.
Tyler, who earned her second All-West Region award in a row, will next lead the Wildcats in the NCAA Championships in Evansville, Ind., on Nov. 21.
Tyler, a senior pre-nursing major from Los Altos (Gunn HS) covered the six-kilometer course in 21:23, helping the Wildcats finish second as a team. Tyler, who finished second at last year's regional, crossed the line just ahead of Seattle Pacific's Jane Larson, who finished 15th at last season's NCAA Championships, and Vivian Wadeck, this year's California Collegiate Athletic Association champ.
Ironically, Tyler finished just behind Larson in 16th at last season's National Championships following a mid-race fall in which she broke her foot and her rib. The pair will do battle one more time in Indiana, a race which will be the last one of Tyler's collegiate cross country career.
