Athlete of the Week: Fuller continues to overcome adversity for Rancho Bernardo High
By Michael Bower
The barriers put in front of Bryanna Fuller over the last three years are daunting: exercise-induced asthma, a knee injury, mononucleosis and — her latest — a dog bite that required 11 stitches to her leg.
Still, through it all, the Rancho Bernardo High senior has kept running.
“She is just really driven and she has improved dramatically,” Broncos cross country coach Terry Dockery said. “She trains harder than anyone else and is very focused on what she wants to accomplish, and now it’s showing.”
New medicine she got this past summer has helped quiet the asthma, physical therapy righted her knee, time got her through mono and some crafty stitch work by a doctor helped with the dog bite.
Finally, the moment where her times start to match her hard work is here.
Fuller started collecting on her perseverance with a gutsy performance at the Mt. Carmel Invite Saturday at Balboa Park’s Morley Field.
With her right thigh wrapped to protect her stitches, Fuller crossed the tape in 15-minutes, 38-seconds to capture the title in the 2.75-mile Division I seniors race.
Her time was the second fastest in school history for that particular distance and easily bested her 17:05 finish last year, which she ran while dealing with health issues.
“I knew last cross country season was important because it was my junior year and that is important for colleges; and then I got injured and had to deal with (mono),” said Fuller, who was bitten by her dog while out on a training run a few weeks ago. The leash got tangled in her legs when another dog came from the opposite direction so her pet reflexively bit her.
“I know this is my last chance. I have to give it my all to get into the schools I want to get into. This summer I was constantly pushing myself to work hard and do the best I could in practices. ”
Only Molly Grabill, a high school state champion in 2009, has attended Rancho Bernardo and run 2.75 miles faster (15:25 in 2009). Fuller did not run on the same team as Grabill, but has had a chance to meet the now University of Oregon standout.
“I always looked up to her as a runner,” Fuller said. “It is incredible to be close to her name on that list. When I saw my time, I had the biggest smile on my face. It was incredible.”
The result immediately puts Fuller in the discussion of top runner in the San Diego Section. It also might be enough to get her in the prestigious individual sweepstakes race at the Mt. Sac Invite Oct. 25.
“The guy that runs the (Mt. Sac Invite) was announcing the Mt. Carmel Invite so he saw the race,” Dockery said.
Fuller can cement her spot in the sweepstakes with a strong showing at the Stanford Invite this weekend. The event draws some of the top runners in California.
“I would like to be in the top 10 at Stanford,” she said. “I have never been in that range as far as time so it will be a little different running with those runners in the front of the field.”
Dockery thinks Fuller is more than ready for it.
“She has always been an upper-mid pack runner,” Dockery said. “So it is a big change, but the great thing with her is she sees herself in that role. Some get overwhelmed, but this is a goal for her and she is focused so I don’t think she will get overwhelmed.”
Anyone that knows what Fuller has had to overcome the last three years — and the last few weeks — would have to agree.