After Winning State 1600 Meter In 8th Grade, What's Next For Farmington's Anna Fenske?

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- She won the state championship in the 1600 meters last year, as an 8th grader.

That made us wonder: what could Farmington's Anna Fenske have in store for an encore?

Training to run for Farmingon High School involves running past actual farms. It's on the roadway that Anna Fenske puts in the work that makes her the best in the state at what she does.

"She is a tireless worker," Farmington girls' track coach Tom Hart said. "People think distance runners need to put in miles, and they do, but she continually goes above and beyond. I mean, she puts in that little extra, that a lot of other kids don't put in."

Fenske won her first high school state championship last season before she was even in high school. The 1600 meter crown she took home as an 8th grader has led to the kind of questions that always come when someone has that kind of success that young -- just how good can she become? She's certainly got the right mindset for it.

"I don't know, I don't want to say I wasn't expecting it, but I wasn't, really. Like, especially that young. So, I don't know. I guess it just, kind of changed my perspective on running a little bit," she said "I guess just like knowing I could do more. And being able to race, and just having that mentality that I can do more."

Her coach says that kind of response is typical.

"She has never had a big head, and she has never been someone who has relished in, 'look at my success.' She continually is very grounded, and strives to do one better for herself," Hart said. "She has the right training, she has the right influence, she has the right person who knows what they're doing to help her become better, and it's just a kind of a perfect storm for her for success."

What the next four years of high school have in store is yet to be seen. And while others might, she says she hasn't thought much about her future beyond that. After all, on this road -- it's just one step at a time.

"She's a great example of hard work, and I think, doing it the right way," Hart said.