By Rich Winter

605 Sports

SIOUX FALLS — Few outside the Sioux Falls Christian camp knew exactly how hurt Sioux Falls Christian sophomore Ellie Maddox was during the cross-country season. 

.The 2021 Class A state champion started her cross-country season with a bang. 

“I set a personal best (18:07) at the Charger Invitational,” Ellie Maddox said. “That was a personal best for me at 5,000 meters and I felt like it was a perfect race for me.”

During the cool down from that race she felt some discomfort in her iliotibial band, which gets irritated or swollen from rubbing against your hip or knee bones. She continued running but the pain wouldn’t go away and was only getting worse. For most of the fall, Maddox did light running and spent time training on a bicycle. The day before the state cross-country meet she found out she had a torn labrum. 

“The doctor told me I would not further hurt the injury by racing,” Maddox said. “I was in so much pain the night before the race so I was just hoping for the best.” 

The next day Maddox said her hip felt pretty good but she struggled during the race finishing in 36th place (20:07). 

The Sioux Falls Christian girls went on to win the Class A team title but coach Luke VanderLeest couldn’t help but feel for an athlete he’s been working with for the last four years. 

“Ellie is one of the hardest working athletes I’ve known and she does all the little things with the bands and stretching and the abdominal workouts,” he said. “I felt like we had at least four girls that could win the state title so it was a little disappointing to not have Ellie not at her best.”

Maddox had reservations about surgery but her parents helped out with some solid advice. 

“Originally I was pretty distraught but my parents told me this is something I had to do,” she said. “They told me to take this time to grow and strengthen myself in other areas.”

Following November surgery, Maddox went to work in physical therapy. Doctors suggested she would not be running competitively until May. Maddox started a planner and began working on an accountability list. 

Ahead of schedule on her rehab from the very beginning Maddox proved doctors wrong by opening the season on April 4 with a carry on the Chargers winning 3,200-meter relay team. 

“The time off from running was really good for me,” she said. “I became grateful for a healthy body and I am thankful that I was able to run so early in the season.” 

 VanderLeest has seen a renewed enthusiasm for running from Maddox this spring. Maddox herself found running to be fun again and the time off helped her deal with the high expectations she’s always had for herself. 

“Early success can be a curse for runners,” VanderLeest said. “When you’ve been on top, anything less than that can be a disappointment. You don’t grow if all you do is win and I’ve seen a renewed joy from Ellie for being able to run and be part of a team.”

On April 13, Maddox won the 1,600-meter run at the Corn Palace Relays (5:11.24). At last week’s First Dakota Relays in Yankton, Maddox set another season's best, winning the 1,600-meter run (5:06.30), the best time in Class A this season.

Entering the Howard Wood Dakota Relays, Maddox has the second fastest time in the 800-meter run (2:18.19). Selected as an alternate for Friday’s special 800-meter run, Maddox will be running in the 3,200-meter relay and anchoring the Chargers sprint medley team. 

On Saturday, Maddox will toe the line for what is expected to be a very fast girls 1,600-meter run. 

“I think we’ll see quite a few girls break the five-minute barrier,” he said. “I think we will have multiple Sioux Falls Christian girls run under that barrier.”