Prep profile: Weller in a rush to challenge for state sprint titles

Mark Weller loves to run.

That’s why Weller, a home-schooled junior, sought out a spot on the Coeur d’Alene Charter Academy track squad.

Since his arrival, Weller has flourished.

Weller took second in the 200 meters and fourth in the 400 at the State 1A meet a year ago and is set to challenge for both titles this year.

“I’m pretty excited to get back to state, and I like to set high goals, so hopefully I can win the 200 and 400,” Weller said. “I was pretty close last year, so hopefully I can pull it off.

“There was a senior who beat me last year in both of them, and he graduated, so that should help, and I was right in there with another guy who was a junior, so it should be close.”

Weller says he feels physically stronger than he has and the only thing that may be slowing him down, if at all, is the lingering effect of a skateboarding mishap a week before track season began.

“I’ve been struggling with that ankle injury for most of the season,” Weller said. “It’s still bugging me, but I’ve managed to have a pretty good season despite that.”

“It hasn’t really slowed me down, though – it hurts more when I’m easy jogging than it does when I’m running full speed.”

Weller also anchors the 1,600 relay and runs a leg in the medley – both in which he takes a lot of pride.

“We haven’t placed that well so far in the 4x400,” Weller said. “I think we could probably go to state with it, but we’re going to have to get it together more, especially our handoffs.

“But no matter what happens with the relays, I love running them – the interaction and working with the other guys and encouraging each other is a lot of fun.”

Weller said his home schooling is going well and, like most other kids his age, is still in the process of mapping his future.

“I’m still trying to figure out what I want to do,” he said. “I’ve got one more year, but I have been giving it some thought.”

The first in his family to catch the running bug, Weller has at least one part of the puzzle figured out.

“I’ll keep running, for sure, even if it’s not competitive any more,” Weller said. “But I’d love to see myself racing somewhere, competitively, after high school.”