If you've been watching the cross country meets recently, then you are very aware of the name Titus Winders. This Henry County Senior athlete just signed a National Letter of Intent during the early signing period with University of Southern Indiana (USI).
Titus is completing his senior cross country season in style. After finishing in 50th place at the State Cross Country championships his freshman year, Titus quickly rose to the top. A State Championship is a good finish for sure! The newly crowned State champion started out this senior season at the Voyles Classic with an impressive win that was ten seconds ahead of his brother, Silus and twenty ahead of the third place finisher. That theme pretty much stuck with him all the way up through to the State championships - a one-two brother finish all season long. It's not something we're likely to see for a while again either.
Outside of the State championship meet, one of the most impressive wins this season for the Senior was at the Brooks Twilight early on in September. Titus was the defending champion in the meet and was put to the test against some considerably talented athletes from Missouri, Kentucky and all around the area. He won that race by slowly pulling away after the mile mark and each step he took just stretched him further from the competition. And believe me, a win at the Brooks is one heck of an impressive mark to have on your resume!
That's how Titus started the cross country season, but that's not all that happened this fall for the athlete. After the State cross country meet, he took on the 3200 at the Hoka presented by KYA in Knoxville. He ran a 9:01.55 there that was about twenty seconds faster than he ran this race just a year ago. That's a heck of an improvement for an already fast performance!
Then he heads up to McAlpine Greenway Park in Charlotte North Carolina to tackle the Foot Locker South Regional. His 15:06.69 time at the race and sixth place finish secured him a spot in that little race at Balboa Park! With two guys under 15 at the meet, one at 15:05 and four at 15:06 (including Titus), that was one heck of a race. Oh, and by the way, that was neck and neck with Carter Coughlin and another former TN runner, Carter Cheeseman (who moved to TX). Quite the local flavor to this race!
The track is a place Titus excels as well. This past February, he ran a 9:22 for the indoor 2 mile at the Vanderbilt indoor. That was a few seconds behind a couple other TN athletes that gave him the bronze finish and a top ten national mark for the meet.
With PR's of 4:28.20 in the 1600
and 2:05.87 for the 800, Titus can show some leg speed. But I suppose anyone racing next to him at
the end of a race will know that for sure!
We will be watching this athlete this spring as we see how well he does
his last year as a high school athlete!
See you on the track!
