Zhianna Flores looks to smash New Mexico state track records

Piedra Vista (Farmington) junior track standout Zhianna Flores has a unique way of motivating herself.

The day before a meet, she checks the state leaders in all of her events — the 100, 200 and 400 meters and the 300-meter hurdles — before writing down the times on her hand.

"I'll look at my hand before each of those races and know who and what time I'll have to beat," Flores said.

The problem is, in two of those events, Flores is racing to beat herself.

Flores has New Mexico state-leading times in the 200 (24.96 seconds) and 300 hurdles (43.14), and the second- and fifth-best times, respectively, in the 100 (11.96) and 400 (58.76).

"At a lot of meets, there's simply no one that can run with her," Piedra Vista track and field coach Mark Turner said. "It's tough sometimes, but I don't have to worry about Zhianna. She's got this focus now you don't see from other athletes today."

Indeed, in an era where the majority of high school athletes are juggling multiple sports and school activities, Flores decided to do the opposite this year, dropping basketball and volleyball to focus solely on track. The results have been downright remarkable, as she broke her own state record mark in the 300 hurdles at the Marilyn Sepulveda Meet of Champions on April 15.

The defending 4A state champion in the 300 hurdles, Flores possesses a unique combination of power, strength and mental toughness. However, her burgeoning track career wouldn't have taken flight had it not been for a disappointing showing at the Great Southwest Classic last June at the University of New Mexico. Competing against athletes from 12 different states, Flores finished eighth in the 300 hurdles and 16th in the 200.

"That meet was really important to me, and I knew I could've done way better," Flores said. "It really opened my eyes because it showed me I really needed to improve to get to that (elite) level. After that meet, I immediately started to look to go to a camp and work with a bunch of trainers."

Flores eventually came upon LaReylle Cunningham, who co-founded Student Athlete Headquarters (SAHQ), an Albuquerque facility that offers sport-specific training. Ever since Flores started training with Cunningham, she's noticed dramatic results.

"My times have been dropping like crazy," she said. "I'm just doing workouts I've never done before, and I've improved my strength so much that I'm able to finish all the way through the line in the 200, which I lost by a (body) length last year in the state final. I've never pushed myself to the limit until now, and by doing that I'm more confident than ever."

Flores said her training regimen — she works out twice a day, three times a week — can be downright brutal at times. The toughest workout Cunningham put her through occurred last summer, when she had to push a weighted, 50-pound sled across a football field. Flores was expected to complete five trips across the field in five minutes, but she came up one short.

"I didn't make it, so I had to finish four (additional half laps) three times," Flores said. "It was the most extreme thing I've ever done, and I was pushed to the point of dying. But it was exactly what I needed."

Turner has witnessed Flores' fiery determination on more than one occasion. At a meet earlier in the season, Flores ran the anchor leg in the 4x200 relay, an event that is contested in just a handful of states today. When Flores received the baton, she had to make up a 30-meter deficit to the anchor leg runner from Aztec.

"And you know what? Zhianna ran that girl down," Turner said. "She does not like getting beat, and that right there showed she came to run and make a statement this season."

With the 4A state track and field meet starting a week from Friday, Flores feels confident she can take home multiple titles, including breaking a record or two along the way.

Although Flores takes tremendous pride in her athletic accomplishments, she's been equally proud of her performance in the classroom. After barely maintaining a 2.0 GPA in her freshman year, Flores has earned a 3.0 or better in each of the semesters that followed.

"I didn't think I'd go anywhere as a freshman," Flores said. "I had that slacker type mentality, and it took me a while to get over that."

Growing up, Flores played every sport that came her way. She started gymnastics at age 3, and over the next several years excelled in basketball, baseball, volleyball, soccer and swimming. However, Flores' varied interests gave way to a singular focus, and her track career hasn't been the same since.

"Not many kids have the concentration, focus and dedication to focus on one thing," Turner said. "It was also a matter of physical and mental maturity. Everything has come together for Zhianna, and now you're seeing an athlete who can do a lot of amazing things. I'm not even going to place a ceiling on Zhianna because she's just getting started."