Conquering long distances hasn’t been a problem for Alysha Valencia during four years as a high school athlete.

Free State High's Alsha Valencia laughs after signing a letter of intent to compete in cross country and track at the University of Michigan. Her brother, Christopher, and parents Larry and Tammy joined her for the signing ceremony Monday at the Free State library.

Her first challenge as a collegian will come before she even laces up a pair of running shoes.

Free State High’s fleet senior signed a letter of intent Monday to continue her career at the University of Michigan, spurning her hometown university and a number of other suitors to join one of the premier cross country/track and field programs in the country.

“The reality hasn’t really taken its toll yet,” Valencia said following a signing ceremony at the Free State library. “I saw some of my friends crying, (but) it hasn’t hit me that I’m going away.”

The defending Class 6A state champion in the 3,200 meters, Valencia’s college courtship included a who’s who of top running programs. In addition to Michigan, she used her allotted five official recruiting trips to visit Arkansas, Louisville, Notre Dame and Kansas University, and also paid her own way for a trip to Colorado.

She decided on the Wolverines almost a month ago, then withstood a barrage of last-minute phone calls aimed at changing her mind while waiting for the signing period to arrive last week.

Her decision centered on two key factors – the opportunity to work under Michigan coach Mike McGuire, a former KU assistant who coached Valencia’s current mentor, Free State boss Steve Heffernan, during his college career; and the daunting task of trying to crack the lineup at a perennial top-10 program.

“I want to challenge myself,” Valencia said. “I’m confident that I’m going to get better. I don’t know how much, but I want to get better every day, and their girls are so fast.”

Valencia owns marks among the state’s elite in distances ranging from the 800 to the 3,200. However, those distances are chump change compared to what lies ahead in Ann Arbor.

“My guess is her best fit is going to be a race she doesn’t get to do in high school, and that’s the 5,000,” Heffernan said. “With the coach she’ll have up in Michigan, she’ll have a perfect setting.”

However, it might take time. Initial discussions have included Valencia running the 10,000, and both distances invariably will lead to a period of adjustment from a training and confidence standpoint.

She’s hoping to make an immediate impact on the cross country program this fall.

“He (McGuire) talked about me being on the varsity team for cross country and then seeing what happens for track,” Valencia said. “The track is going to take a little longer. Learning how to run the 5,000 and 10,000, I know some of the girls … it took a full year because it’s such a different race.”