Colony runner eyes top spot

Every high school coach dreams of someday having an athlete who will stand out in their program and take their place among the best in the state, an athlete whose outstanding achievements will bring recognition and honor to the school.

For Colony cross-country coach Mark Doner, that athlete has blossomed.

Her name is Dominique Colberg, a 16-year-old junior at Colony High School.

Her quiet, even bashful, demeanor off the trail is living proof that the competitive nature of an individual can never be judged at face value.

Dominique's timid personality off the trail quickly changes once the race starts. Her relentless pace is methodical, and seems to sweep all of the other runners off to the side and behind her.

Dominique is not only the most dominant girls' runner in the Valley, but also in the region. Last Saturday, she won the girls' Class 4A Region 3 cross-country championship race at Seward. She won the race by a resounding 37 seconds over the second-place finisher.

Dominique started running in track and field events when she was in first grade, but didn't start competitive cross-country running until her freshman year at Colony.

She began cross-country running as a change from traditional track and field running. Doner admits to having some influence in bringing her to cross country.

"I saw her running in middle school and knew she was a great talent," Doner said. "I talked to her then about running cross country for us in high school."

In Dominique's freshman year, she announced her arrival to the cross-country community with a seventh-place finish in the Class 4A state championship race.

As a sophomore, she improved her mark with a sixth-place finish in the state championships.

Coming into this year's state championship race, which takes place Saturday at Palmer High School, Dominique seems focused and poised for a top spot.

Her biggest competition will come from West runner Kris Smith. Smith passed Dominique down the finishing stretch to win the Palmer Invitational earlier this year.

"Kris has an incredible kick," Dominique said. "Sometimes she will stay back in the race then kick at the end to pass everyone."

Dominique said she tries to have a plan before the race starts, but doesn't always follow it due to trail conditions or the pace of the race.

"I try to get off to a good start and stay close to the leaders," she said. "I try to use my strength and the trail to my advantage."

Dominique prepares for events with a 45-minute run on trails and roads for two to three days during the middle of the week, then slows down for a couple of days before the event.

It is a regimen that keeps her in good shape without wearing her down before an event.

"She has really worked hard and it's paying off for her this year," Doner said.

In the off-season, Dominique takes a break from serious running by playing basketball for Colony, along with engaging in painting, drawing, hiking, and water-skiing.

She regularly provides painting and drawing entries at the state fair.

Dominique hopes her running will earn her a scholarship to attend college in Washington, Idaho, or Wyoming.

She wants a chance to see other places without living in a big city.

As her junior year of cross country comes to a close, her steady improvement over the last three years will make for an exciting senior year of running.

"I enjoy running cross-country," said Dominique. "The trails and hills make you work hard."