How Collins-Maxwell freshman distance runner Jayden Peters finds inspiration on the track

Last fall, Collins-Maxwell freshman Jayden Peters needed some motivation during cross country.

She decided to grab a marker and write the name of one of her favorite Bible verses on her arm.

Isaiah 40:31.

"Trust in the Lord, and he'll give you strength," said Peters, paraphrasing part of the verse. "That's very inspiring for me, and I look at it to remind me of the Lord when I'm running."

Peters went on to help the Spartan girls cross country team qualify for state, where she came in 31st individually in Class 1A.

She has continued to write that verse on her arm during every Collins-Maxwell track meet this spring. The inspiration is obviously working.

Peters set three school records during the Spartans' first outdoor track meet March 28 at Colfax. She ran the 3,000-meter run in 11:44.71, the 1,500 in 5:23.46 and 800 in 2:39.13.

This week Collins-Maxwell hosted the Spartan Co-Ed Invitational April 9 at Maxwell, and they competed in the Dave Robinson Relays, hosted by Colo-NESCO, Friday at Cub Stadium in Nevada.

At Maxwell, Peters won the 800 in 2:32.92 and took second in both the 1,500 and 3,000 with respective times of 5:18.56 and 11:32.28. At the Dave Robinson Relays Peters won the 3,000 in 11:36.76, the 1,500 in 5:26.79 and the 3,000 in 11:36.76.

Peters also anchored the Collins-Maxwell girls to a win in the distance medley relay on Friday. The Spartans finished in 4:47.09.

"Jayden's mindset is like no other," said Collins-Maxwell coach Jerry Meinerts. "She knows she has put in the time and the miles to be good, so when the race comes, she believes she will win."

More: Top 15 Ames-area Iowa high school girls track and field athletes ahead of the 2024 season

Peters said she is caught a little off guard by how well she has done in track.

"I didn't know what to expect," Peters said. "Especially in the 3,000 ... I didn't run that in middle school."

She has made a big impression on her teammates.

“I remember watching her in middle school and all of her stuff being really good,” said sophomore distance runner Triona Scott. “Jayden coming in gave us that little extra push in cross country to get to state as a team, and I think she can really help our (track) team this year with her times.”

Scott ran the 3,000 with Peters at Nevada. She finished sixth.

"Trying to keep up with her is very hard," Scott said. "It's always been a goal of mine, even in middle school when we were running together my eighth-grade year. She is always encouraging me and helps me to push myself to do my best. I'm not sure I'll ever make it to state as an individual, but with Jayden on our team I think maybe I'll be able to go in a relay with her."

More: Why an early stumble did not shake Colo-NESCO hurdler Breckin Clatt

Peters won the 3,000 at Nevada by 44.34 seconds. She showed a great desire to succeed by striving for a strong time, even though she had no competition pushing her in the race.

"I listen to my coaches and tell myself it's me against me, in any race really," Peters said. "The mental block is always what you're against. I tell myself I can do it and just finish however many laps I have left."

Meinerts appreciates Peters' mental toughness and positive attitude.

"There isn't a workout that she will complain about having to run," Meinerts said. "If you tell her that we are going to run 12 miles on a hilly gravel road, she'll ask what pace she needs to hit. She is so coachable, and it makes our job easy."

The Spartan coach feels Peters has the potential to represent Collins-Maxwell in up to four events at the state meet next month.

"Honestly, I think Jayden has the potential to qualify for state in any middle distance, or (long) distance events," Meinerts said. "That could be as an individual event, or in one of the medleys. As we get closer to the state qualifying meet, we will have to sit down and see which event we think has the best chance of bringing home a state medal."

Right now, Peters is going to enjoy each race she competes in and lean on Isaiah 40:31 if the going gets tough.

"It's a good start to the season," Peters said. "I'm excited for what comes next."

Joe Randleman covers high school sports for the Ames Tribune. Contact him at jrandleman@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JoeRandleman

This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Spartan's Jayden Peters is off to a hot start in girls track and field