High School Super Star Elizabeth Leachman’s Amazing 2024

Meet Elizabeth Leachman

Not too many high school runners have their own page in Wikipedia. But Elizabeth Leachman is not your average high school runner. Leachman, now a junior at Samuel V. Champion High School in Boerne, is rewriting the records book with amazing performances both in track and cross country.

Most recently, Leachman topped the best high school cross-country runners in the country, making history at the Foot Locker Nationals at Balboa Park in San Diego on December 14, by winning back-to-back titles. Leachman clocked 17:31, holding off runners Victoria Garces and Zariel Macchia.

Elizabeth's Record Breaking Year

But you really have to look at her overall high school running accomplishments to appreciate just how talented this champion athlete is. In February of 2024, Leachman set a high school record of 9:43 for the 3,200 at the Boerne Greyhound Relays. A month later, at the Nike Indoor Nationals meet in New York, she broke the indoor track record for 5,000 meters, posting a sparkling 15:28. That’s 4:59 per mile, folks. Two weeks later, back home in Texas, she clocked 15:25 for the 5,000 at the Texas Relays, setting a high school record in the process.

Then in April 2024, Leachman posted the second fastest ever 1,600 at the UIL 5A Region 4 championships, running a speedy 4:37 to claim victory.

Remarkably, like her running idol Olympian Parker Valby, Leachman’s mileage totals only around 30 a week, but notably, she does a ton of cross training to strengthen weak links and avoid injury.

Central Texans may have been lucky enough to catch a glimpse of this super-star at the UIL State Cross-Country championships at Old Settler’s Park in Round Rock in November, where she became the 5A state champ for the second year in a row.

After her win there, the typically modest Leachman said, “I didn’t know if I’d win or finish one-hundred and fiftieth. I just wanted to go out there and put my best foot forward for my team because they’ve always been so supportive of me.”

Upcoming Races: 

Saturday, December 28 at 8:00 a.m., the Luau 5K, 10K, & Half Marathon at Bohls Park in Pflugerville. Sunday, January 5 at 7:30 a.m., the Resolution Race 5K & Half Marathon at Lake Pflugerville Park, Pflugerville. Saturday, January 11, at 8:00 a.m., the Go for Good 5K at Jack C Hays High School in Buda.

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