BUTLER TWP — Paige Allen likes to run — just not very far.

The shorter the better, as far as the Butler senior is concerned. Even 100 meters seems excessive in her eyes.

“Short stuff,” Allen said. “I do indoor and it’s only 60 meters. That’s perfect. The 100 is pushing it. The 200 — I can’t believe I’m even running it.”

That’s because Allen is always moving. Whether it is sprinting from event to event, or sprinting on the track, she would need a double dose of Valium just to get dialed down to frantic.

She has no time for longer runs.

Allen has the second best 100 among Butler County schools with a blistering time of 12.61 seconds.

She has her eyes set on the Butler school record in the event, which just so happens to belong to her coach, Annessa (Schnur) Steele at 12.14.

So far this season, the only thing that has slowed Allen down is the cold and the wind.

“It’s awful,” Allen said. “We’ve had to practice at the intermediate high school, running around in a square on a cement floor. Wind is the biggest problem. Without the wind, your time definitely increases by 0.3, which is a lot in the sprints.”

Allen is relishing a chance to run on a warm, calm day. That 0.3 seconds could be the difference between an OK time and a shot at the school record.

“Hands down. Hands down,” she said. “I pray for good weather.”

Steele said she believes Allen has the potential to eclipse the mark in the 100 and advance to the state meet.

Allen broke a pair of school records during the indoor season in the 60 and the 200.

“It’s been really hard to run fast times this year,” Steele said. “She’s been running with headwinds in every meet. I think, absolutely, on fresh legs and good weather, it’s there for her.”

With the loss by the Butler girls track and field team to North Allegheny Thursday, the Golden Tornado were eliminated from the WPIAL team playoffs.

That may be a blessing for Allen, who participated in four events during the season.

Allen will focus solely on the 100 in the individual season.

Allen, though, didn’t mind contributing in multiple events, even in some of her least favorite races like the 200.

She took the same mentality into every race and into every long jump.

“I feel like I have to get first in everything I do,” Allen said. “There’s a lot of pressure there.”

There’s also a lot of drive — something that isn’t lost on her teammates.

Allen is one of five team captains and she leads by example.

“I think if I go all-out every day, they see that and they’ll do the same,” Allen said.

Steele said Allen is one of the most ferocious competitors she has ever coached.

“I can’t say enough about what kind of competitor she is,” Steele said. “In this day and age, you don’t have many kids on your team who have that kind of drive, who are just going to go to the line and take care of it.”

Allen hopes her drive in the 100 will take her all the way to Shippensburg for the PIAA Track and Field Championships at the end of May.

“It all comes down to the day,” Allen said. “They only take four girls. If you’re having a good day, they’ll take you. If you’re not, tough luck.”

Steele hopes Allen makes it to the state meet because she plans on relishing the last month she has with Allen, who has been one of the mainstays of the program for three-plus years.

“I’m really going to miss her next year,” Steele said, fighting back tears. “I’m going to miss her drive and her determination. She’s just a great kid.”