Camille Christensen finished her sophomore season with a medal at the 2006 Kansas state track and field championships.

She coupled that with an appearance at the state cross country meet earlier that season, missing out on a medal by one half of a second.

The now-Marion High School senior also qualified for state track her freshman year, and in 2006 the expectations started to mount.

That much success early in a career can put a lot of pressure on a student-athlete.

Last year, her junior season, everyone’s expectations were not met when Christensen didn’t qualify for state in either sport.

She battled through shin splints all year long, running at nothing more than average paces — if she was even healthy enough to run.

This season she tore her quadriceps and is just now getting healthy again.

Running in just her fourth meet of the season Saturday at the 3A Southeast of Saline cross country regional, Christensen came in seventh place, and advanced to the 1-4A state meet in her final chance.

Her 4k-time of 16 minutes, 59 seconds was her second-best effort the year.

“It was a big relief,” Christensen said of qualifying. “I knew I just had to step it up and run.”

That she did.

Anyone who has ever torn, or even strained, a quad knows how much that hurts every time you put pressure on the injured leg.

However, as Christensen said, “You just run through it.”

The fact she battled through that this year after missing half the season says a lot for her toughness.

It would have been easy for the senior to mail it in. She could have throw up her hands and surrendered to the injuries.

However, her coach Bethany Carlson knew that wasn’t going to happen.

“When it is crunch time Camille knows how to be a competitor, and get the job done,” Carlson said.

That job, however, is not completed because she still has one more chance at claiming another state medal.

The fact she made state is impressive enough, but Christensen isn’t stopping there.

Her time of 15:59 at the 2006 state meet is her personal record, and she didn’t sound too impressed with her performance Saturday.

“I’ve got a lot of time to shave off before next week,” she said with a laugh.

No one would blame her if she didn’t.