Foot injury forces Hinsdale Central’s Hardies out

Updated: May 24, 2011 6:37PM

Jill Hardies’ left foot has been hurting for the past three weeks, but the pain did not go away Saturday in the Class 3A state meet.

Hinsdale Central’s top distance runner ran in the 3200-meter race anyway. She lasted 4 1/2 laps in an eight-lap race before stopping.

“It’s been the left side of my ankle that has hurt the last three weeks,” Hardies said. “I have not run at all the last three weeks. I thought I could tough my way through it. On Saturday, it kept getting worse. I was hoping it would not be in pain, but it hurt so bad.”

The projected showdown between Hardies and Oswego East junior Ariel Michalek never materialized. Michalek defeated Hardies to win the Class 3A state cross country championship last fall. Without a healthy Hardies, Michalek completed the state’s distance sweep by winning the Class 3A state 3200 in 10:47.32. She beat New Trier’s Jessica Ackerman (10:47.58) and Rolling Meadows’ Christina Gastfield (10:47.84) in a furious finish.

Actually, Hardies’ only races in the past three weeks came in the West Suburban Silver meet and at the Bolingbrook Sectional. Hardies won both races, winning the Silver in 10:57.22 and the sectional in 11:04.05.

Hardies said she didn’t know what has caused the injury, but has suffered a stress fracture to the same foot before.

She is planning on having an MRI performed on the foot this week.

In a fax after the state meet, Hinsdale Central assistant coach Mark McCabe wrote: “It didn’t respond to treatment as quickly as we’d hoped and even Jill (as tough and determined as they come!) was not able to overcome it, but wanted to give it her best try.”

Before the state meet, Hardies worked out on an elliptical machine and exercised the foot in the swimming pool.

The injury is expected to keep Hardies out of two major meets during the summer. Hardies was planning on running in the Distance Gala at Benedictine University June 11 and in the New Balance Nationals in late June.

Hardies’ freshman teammate, Becca Marcotte, placed 18th (11:26.36) in the 3200.

Hinsdale Central’s 800 relay of Laura Culler, Kayla Schwarz, Marisa Bronowicki and Lauren Paul (1:41.82) finished fifth. The only senior on the relay was Schwarz.

“Next year will be pretty exciting. We’ll see if it comes together,” Paul said. “We’ve run together the whole season. When everyone got together, we’ve had a pretty good time. That gives me confidence. It’s my favorite race.”

After winning its first state title last year, Hinsdale Central scored only 5.33 points to finish 48th Saturday.

Seniors Kelsey Truedson and Leah Tarabour reached Saturday’s finals in the pole vault. Truedson (11 feet) tied for ninth and Tarabour (10-6) was 19th.

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