Some start running because they want to, following one foot after the other is a way to show others what they’ve got. Others start because they simply have to.

The two preceding sentences both apply to Tomball senior Caitlyn Tait.

The Tomball cross country runner picked up her pace in life when she was told by her doctor in kindergarten to wear those hip-to-leg metal braces the majority of people only see in movies.

“I had to wear the braces because my hips have missing parts,” Tait said.

The doctor’s orders helped mold Tait into the high-edurance runner she is today.

“I started running because I had to,” she said. “I had to keep very active or else I would be having to get a hip replacement by 40 which would be sooner than expected and it turned out to be something I was good at.”

Tait first started playing and loving the demanding sport of soccer as a young gun.

“I love soccer but stopped playing mid-way through high school because my schedule got too busy with travel soccer and school,” she said.

It wasn’t until junior high when she participated in competitive long distance running for the first time.

“Running in junior high was fun, not as serious as it is now at all,” she said. “See, in junior high when I was able to pick what we did in class that day I picked games that required little effort, but now that running could possibly pay for my college it’s different.”

The Lady Cougar has gotten offers to run on the collegiate level from University of Memphis and semi-close to home Abilene Christian University, and whichever one the almost-certified EMT chooses, she’d like to study pre-med and bio-chemistry.

As a member of Tomball High School’s “v-squad” or “CCC” (both different names for the school’s toy-sized cross country team) the senior approximately runs an average of 60 to 70 miles a week, meaning she could essentially run from her house along the hectic Houston streets of SH-249, Beltway 8, and I-45 to downtown.

“If I wanted, I mean, yeah, I could but I’m 100 percent sure I would never. I’m not really into adrenaline from danger,” laughed Tait.

The athlete’s rigorous training has led to a handful of accomplishments that sit at the top of her running career.

“If I had to pick the things I am most proud of I would have to say finishing 3rd in area and running my two-mile in 11:19, which was 15 seconds away from someone who is now going to run in the Olympics,” she said. “Now that person is ridiculously better, but I still find it to be pretty awesome.”

The program that the college-bound runner leads is a small one but shouldn’t be underestimated.

“Our team is tiny, I think we have around 20 runners in total,” Tait said. “Most schools we compete against have more on just their girls team, that puts us at a disadvantage because the chances of us putting up more high numbers than the other big teams are slim.

“So we may have some low numbers but just so the school knows, people do try.”