A recent trip to Washington, D.C., may have helped prepare Caitlin Cavanaugh for the only thing she hates about competing in the 3,200-meter run in the state championship meet.

Her father, Gene, won tickets in a drawing at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Danville to Pope Benedict XVI's visit to the nation's capital, and took Caitlin with him.

"It was cool, but very crowded and congested," the Danville senior track and cross country star said.

Cavanaugh could have been describing the PIAA Class AA 3,200 in which she'll compete Saturday at Shippensburg University for the third consecutive year.

"My least favorite thing about the 3,200 (at states) is the start. After that, you're good," said Cavanaugh, who is seeded sixth for this year's meet after placing seventh as a sophomore and sixth as a junior. "The one thing I do like about the 3,200 is it doesn't matter that much how you start. It's not like an 800 or a 400."

The only thing Cavanaugh enjoys less than fighting with 28 other runners at the start of the 3,200 is running the 800, which Danville coach Jeff Brandt had her run this season to help improve her kick for the 3,200.

Cavanaugh understands why he did it, but she said, "I don't particularly enjoy the 800. I do it anyway just to work on my speed. When I finish the 800, breathing-wise I am fine, but my legs can't go faster. The 3,200 is my favorite."

Cavanaugh also ran a leg of the 3,200 relay.

"I definitely like the relay more than the open 800. Running is so individual, and then being on a relay makes it pretty cool and it's a different aspect of running. You want to push harder for your teammates, and it's fun to do that."

Cavanaugh, daughter of Gene and Cindy Cavanaugh, of Danville, is about to bring down the curtain on a brilliant career, having collected a sixth-place state medal in cross country and two state medals in the 3,200, to go with her district gold in the 3,200 as a junior.

Brandt, who has coached numerous outstanding cross country and track runners over the years, said, "I can't say she is the best distance runner I've ever had, but I can't say that she's not."

He added, "She works as hard as anybody I've ever coached and is as coachable. The main thing that makes her as successful as she is is her discipline and her work ethic, including in the classroom."

It was Brandt who talked the former soccer player into following in the footsteps of her older sister Alyson, and older brother Patrick, as cross country and track runners.

"I (taught) her in eighth grade algebra class and I used to say you're going to come out for track, aren't you?' and she said, Oh, yeah.' I knew I'd get her for track, but I knew she was in soccer and I didn't think I'd get her for cross country," Brandt said.

Neither did Cavanaugh, at least not when she was playing soccer from age 4 until eighth grade.