On March 8 at the Max Marr Invite, the first varsity outdoor track meet of the season, Fossil Ridge athlete Addyson Smith broke the school record in the 100m dash with a time of 12.19 seconds. The previous record was held by Jessica Rockwell from 2022, at a time of 12.25 seconds.
Last year, Colorado’s 5A State 100m girls winner was Ellie Londo of Valor Christian High School, with a time of 11.73 seconds. Smith did not compete individually at the state level last season, but after this race she is now ranked 3rd for the girls 100m in 5A rankings as of March 26, 2025 according to Colorado MileSplit.
“My hopes for state, although very hard based on the talent at state, would be to place in the 100 meter,” Smith said.
This is Smith’s first school record, but her experience in racing had her well prepared to succeed in this race. Smith always makes sure to eat and hydrate well before all of her races, and mentally prepares by envisioning her steps in each race.
“I feel great about my school record, although it has come with a lot of pressure as well,” Smith said. “I have been preparing by attempting to be consistent with practices and weightlifting as much as possible.”
Smith has been running track since seventh grade, and has been an important varsity athlete on Fossil’s team since her freshman year. Her long standing experience with track and field has taught her to push herself by setting goals and working hard to achieve them.
“Track practices are not easy, but as time goes on I feel like it is beginning to pay off more, making me enjoy the sport even more than before,” Smith said.
All year round, Smith puts in the work. She spends her summers and winters training with Bennett Athletic Development in order to perfect her sprinting form, and spends her free time lifting in the gym. She also spends her fall playing soccer with Real Colorado Soccer.
“I think this off season Addy really bought into running and training for this upcoming season and it always shows on the track,” Fossil Ridge sprint coach Coach Brown said. “I believe if she keeps working and fine tuning a few things she will be able to run sub 12.00 in the 100 meter and sub 25.00 in the 200 meter and put herself in a great position to compete at the state meet.”
Not only excelling in the 100m, Smith has been one of Fossil’s prominent 200m and 4x100m runners. Last season she was ranked 78th in 5A for the 200m, but after running a personal record a few hours after her school record, she is now ranked 7th with a time of 25.64 seconds.
“The 200 meter is a completely different race than the 100 meter,” Smith said. “I need to put in more work at the moment, due to the longer distance and curve, and running multiple races at a meet is hard, but I am lucky for the opportunity.”
One of Smith’s most successful events is the 4x100m, in which she placed 8th at Colorado State last year. Smith and her team broke the school record at the Jack Christensen meet on March 28, with a time of 48.32. Smith runs the second leg in this relay and has emphasized the importance of working hard with the rest of her teammates. Their team hopes to place in the top three at state this year.
“She always brings an energy to practice that inspires us all,” Addy’s teammate and relay member Katie Feldman said. “She has made the team better by being who she is.”
There is still a lot of time in this year’s track season, with the Colorado State Track and Field Championship happening on May 15-17 in Lakewood. With the rest of her season, Smith hopes to continue to improve her times and continue chasing school records.
“My last hope for the season is to continue the great team atmosphere, and with the help from my friends, push each other to be the best we can,” Smith said. “Having a great performance at state would be a dream, and I’d love to leave the season with no regrets.”
