Injury has sent Kelly XC runner off (the cross country) course for her training

If you think that it is difficult for Kelly High School junior Morgan Merrick to climb out of bed at 4:45 a.m. each day, you can’t imagine how tough it is for her to stand and watch other cross-country runners be able to compete while she cannot.

“I definitely know what I am capable of,” Merrick said. “I know that I can really go fast.”

She can when she is healthy.

Merrick developed shin splints during her sophomore cross-country season but labored through the ailment and competed at the MSHSAA Class 2 State Finals, where she finished 113th.

She even was able to train and compete through the spring for the Hawks’ track season.

“In track season,” Merrick said, “it got worse.”

So, this summer, she began to get physical therapy to try and resolve the issue, and that has led her to a new form of training, swimming.

“It’s been difficult,” Merrick said of her injury. “But I just try my best. I’m not allowed to have an impact (on my legs). I just have to swim all of the time and it keeps me in shape and also keeps my endurance up.”

Each morning, Merrick gets in her car and makes the (very) early trip to the YMCA of Southeast Missouri in Sikeston, where she climbs in lane 2 (it’s a habit) and swims laps for 30 minutes.

That is followed by a day of classes, and then cross country practice, where she is serving as a manager this fall, due to her injury.

She said that “concrete is not my friend,” when discussing running surfaces. However, she feels that competing on grass is something that she may be able to do at some point in the near future.

“My legs are a little weak,” Merrick said. “That is why I am swimming. I have to just think about being healthy because I want to run in college, but I’ve got to deal with this now.”

Despite the frustrations, Merrick has taken a surprisingly mature approach to the adverse situation.

“I know in the future,” Merrick said, “this is just a bump in my road. After this, nothing is going to be able to stop me.”