Kaylie Shultz may not have been born to be a runner, but it sure seems that way now.

Truth is her cross country and track career initially came about through a process of elimination.

“I’m actually the only runner in my family,” said Shultz, now a Salina Central junior and one of the top high school distance runners in the state. “I tried about every sport out there and nothing really made me want to continue it, so then I just wanted to try out track and see what that was all about and ended up loving it ever since I started.”

That in itself was not that unusual, just that Shultz’s epiphany came when she was only in the third grade. From that point on there was no looking back.

“I actually started as a sprinter, and then after a few years I decided to move to distance, and ever since them I’ve just been a distance runner.”

And what a runner she has been.

As a freshman, she was Class 5A state cross runner-up to teammate Katelyn Rupe while also placing in the top five in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 meters at state track. Then last fall, running on an injured knee, she took third in cross country behind Rupe and Topeka Seaman’s Ryin Miller to go with track medals in the 1,600 and 3,200.

“We heard all about here through middle school,” said veteran Central cross country coach Brad Dix. “We knew who was coming and how talented she was and how hard working she was.”

Despite the hard work and dedication, Shultz spent her first two years running in the shadow of Rupe, a three-time cross country state champion and multi-gold medalist in track. But now that Rupe has moved on to a college career at the University of North Carolina it has been her turn to shine.

Not only is she undefeated in four races, but she has the state’s fastest time in all classes, winning the Olathe Twilight meet on Sept. 13 in 17 minutes, 18.3 seconds. Next up is the Salina Invitational, scheduled for 9 a.m. Saturday at Southeast of Saline High School.

“I feel like I’m just really excited with how the season is going,” said Shultz, who has broken 18 minutes over the 5-kilometer (3.1 miles) cross country distance all four times while leaving her competition in the dust. “I’m glad that I’m healthy, I feel very fit, and I know that my training during the summer, before the season, really boosted my confidence.”

With Rupe graduated and Seaman’s Miller sidelined by injury, Shultz has yet to be challenged so far. Her narrowest victory margin so far was 31 seconds at the prestigious Rim Rock Classic in Lawrence, which also is host to the Class 3A, 5A and 6A state meets.

“It’s definitely been different, just being up by the Gator (pace vehicle) and not really having anyone up there,” Shultz said. “So, it’s definitely been an adjustment.

“It’s definitely been a mental change, just having to push yourself the whole race instead of having someone up front with you. But I know that whenever I do get into the race, I think I do a pretty good job of racing. So just that competitive side of me really pushes myself with competition.”

Shultz typically runs with the Central boys team in practice, but as a junior she also has become a leader on a young Mustang girls varsity group that features three freshmen and a pair of sophomores.

“I love helping people get to be their best,” Shultz said. “So, it’s been pretty awesome to be able to have the opportunity to be in that leadership role for these girls.”

While she never lacked motivation, Shultz said serving as a team leader helps hold her to a higher standard.

“I think it’s just realty wanting to be better every single day,” she said. “And now this year we actually have a pretty good group of girls, and so I think they’re a big factor.

“If I’m not having the best day, I want them to be able to look up to me and see that I push through those hard days.”

That ability to push through was on full display last year at state cross country when Shultz competed despite the knee injury that cropped up just before regionals.

“That’s the hard part about the cross country season,” Dix said. “It’s long, and not only do you have to work on getting fast, but we have to try and keep kids healthy, and that failure is probably on me.

“You just never know. She got a little dinged up that week, but that’s a testament to how much of a competitor she is, because she went out there and competed for a third-place finish in a race a lot of kids wouldn’t have finished.”

On Nov. 1 at Rim Rock, Shultz will get another shot at a state championship, the only prize still missing from her resume.

“I think that would be really awesome,” she said. “I’ve just got to stay healthy, recover, eat, sleep and do all the things that I can.

“But yeah, that would be a really awesome thing if that did happen.”