By DIXIE KNUTSONThe Daily Inter Lake

Carly Brown's favorite moment as a cross country runner was watching the greatest achievement in someone else's career.

It came during the 2003 Class AA state cross country meet.

Brown had just run a terrific individual race herself.

As she was savoring her third place finish and enjoying the knowledge her summer training regimen had paid off, she turned and saw Bravette freshman Shannon Ross take fourth place.

"It was exciting. I was really excited for (Ross)," she said.

"At that point, I knew the Flathead Bravettes would be taking home the state championship once again," she said.

"I ran my hardest and I finished and I congratulated all the girls and was excited to know I had come in third place.

"I went out there knowing whatever happened was meant to be as long as I gave it 100 percent. As long as I give it my all, then I'm okay (with the outcome)," she said.

The Flathead girls finished 1, 3, 4, 12 and 14 that day - a dominating performance - to claim their third straight championship.

Brown is willing to work as hard as she needs to - at the moment she's the second fastest female cross country runner in Montana behind teammate Zoe Nelson.

Her times so far this year have been in the low 19-minute range. She and Nelson have finished 1-2 at every meet - and the Bravettes are currently ranked 18th in the nation.

"Running just seems to fit me really well.

"Running is addicting. The more you run … it's a release. It can be really, really intense and it can also be almost meditating," she said.

"People don't understand running," she added. "Once you get to a certain level, it's like going on a long walk.

"I run because there's a lot of satisfaction once you know you've run as hard as you can - and that all of your hard work has paid off.

One of her favorite things is to take long, slow morning jogs near her Creston home.

""It's all so gorgeous."It's like me and God out there. You're able to take in all of God's beauty that he shares. "

"When it's easy, it goes by fast. I don't wear a watch and I don't keep track how far I go."

Brown is quick to point out her life isn't all about running.

"God has blessed me with so many other talents that enable me to experience everything high school has to offer."

"Running isn't everything I do. It's just a part. It's a large part of my life, but there are many activities and clubs I'm involved in."

At 17 years old, the Flathead senior has a resume many adults might envy.

A small example: Brown is a four-year member of student council, senior class president, a four-year cross country and track athlete and has been named cross country captain for this year. She's a member of National Honor Society, founded a girls Christian athletic club, was awarded the title Kalispell's Junior Miss (second runner-up for Montana Junior Miss).

Oh, she sings and enjoys water, snow and cross country skiing.

"If I were to focus all on running, I wouldn't be able to be involved in choir and music, and with my fellow students and my girls group," she said.

"Multi-faceted," is the term that best fits Brown, according to Flathead cross country coach Paul Jorgensen.

"She's tough. She's determined and tough," Jorgensen said.

"Determination. 'No quit' attitude. High goals. She has some talent, too. Put all that together and you have a pretty good runner."

"Our team wouldn't be what it is without Carly Brown," he added.

"We've got seven pretty good girls on our varsity team. Carly in an intrical part of that."

But her schedule sometimes makes the coach shake his head.

"Very involved in a lot of different things, probably sometimes almost too much. But, she seems to handle it fairly well," he added.

"(This past summer) she was taking two college classes, babysitting all day, trying to find time to run … I don't know how she did it. To me, summer should be a time of relaxation and fun.

"But, she's very determined and focused."

One has to ask.

How is it to run behind Zoe Nelson?

"I don't ever think of running without Zoe," Brown said.

"She's definitely pushed me. She's just really been an example of where you can go with your running. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be where I'm at.

"We've really gotten to know one another. We get along really well.

But Brown admits it is sometimes difficult.

"She's always been very much ahead of me.

"There are definitely moments when I've had to stop comparing myself to her talent.

"She's really focused in on what she has and I've really opened things up.

"I'm learned to just run for myself and to make sure I'm satisfied with what I'm doing.

"I'm never going to be Zoe Nelson. I'm going to be Carly Brown."