The Mitchell senior is back on the team after a one-week absence due to personal reasons.
By BOB PUTNAM, Times Staff Writer
Published April 12, 2005
Jeff Masterson's hiatus from the track team is over.
The Mitchell senior, the defending Class 3A champion at 3,200 meters, decided to come back after taking a week off for personal reasons, according to assistant coach Keith Paulk.
"He was back for practice (on Monday)," Paulk said.
Aiming for his second straight title, Masterson hoped to join a select group. Only four boys in the Tampa Bay area have won two or more state titles at 3,200 meters.
That quest, however, was put on hold when Masterson decided to take time off after the Suncoast Relays at Gulf on April 1. He did not compete at last week's Sunshine Athletic Conference meet, preventing him from winning his fourth straight 3,200 title. It was uncertain whether he going to return at all.
But Paulk said Masterson worked things out with coach Jacki Wachtel.
"Jeff's going through some tough times right now," Paulk said.
For Masterson, running races had been inextricably tied to pain and loss the past year.
He has struggled to hold back the flood of memories from Oct.1, 2003. That was the day his father, George, died after a long bout with cancer.
Masterson did not have much time to grieve. His father died during cross country season and he gave little thought to suspending his season.
In fact, Masterson ran with his teammates the day after his father's funeral. Masterson decided to go on not just for rah-rah reasons, but also because running defines him.
Still, it was not enough to escape the loss.
Masterson had blocked out the painful memories enough to find himself leading at the 21/4-mile mark of last year's state meet. A junior at the time, Masterson was floating along with the pack jostling behind him.
A state title was within reach. All he had to do was let the momentum carry him for approximately another mile. But with the finish line in sight, Masterson began to look less comfortable as he cast fretful glances down at the course.
Suddenly, the emotions hit him.
With the pack gathering menacingly behind him, Masterson faded and finished 10th with a time of 15 minutes, 52 seconds - 28 seconds off the winning time, 25 off his best.
Masterson gained his composure enough to win the 3,200 last spring.
But as cross country started, there were more questions. Would the time that elapsed allow him to be mended? Or would running be an excruciating, heartbreaking effort?
After all, there were one-year anniversaries Masterson had to endure. There were tough times, such as the flrunners.com and the district meet.
Through it all, Masterson persevered. He won the Zak Lucas Invitational for the second year in a row and reclaimed the Sunshine Athletic Conference title he won as a sophomore. This season also marked his third straight top-10 finish at state.
South Florida coach Greg Theil was so impressed with the way Masterson overcame adversity to maintain his elite status among distance runners that he offered him a scholarship. Masterson signed in November.
