Wausau East hurdler Enne' Burton eyeing another run in La Crosse this spring

WAUSAU - Enne' Burton's final indoor meet of her prep track career resulted in a first-place finish in the girls 60- and 200-meter hurdles during the Wisconsin Valley Conference meet last week in Stevens Point. 

Now the Wausau East senior is waiting through the weather-related delay of the outdoor season and what could be a promising season overall. Burton competed in the Division 1 girls 100 and 300 hurdles in the WIAA state track meet last June and also qualified for state in the 300 hurdles in her sophomore season. 

Burton is just two-tenths of a second off the East girls program record in the 300 hurdles, which is one of her goals for the spring. 

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Burton was also a member of the Lumberjacks cross country and nordic skiing teams and signed a letter of intent with the Unviersity of Wisconsin-Milwaukee women's track team earlier this year. She recently sat down with USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin to talk about her indoor season, her sports memories and her start as a hurdler, among other subjects. 

You are a (Nordic) skier, too. Did you have some mixed emotions after the storm this past weekend? It delayed the outdoor track season but it means extra snow.

I'm actually a big downhill skier, too, now, so having the snow was a little painful because thinking back to Nordic skiing when we had little to no snow (during the season) and it still was negative-10 degrees. I just got into downhill skiing so it was like, 'Thank goodness it's snowing.' You don't want it to go but then there's (track).

The Wisconsin Valley Conference indoor meet was last week and teams were gearing up for the start of the outdoor season before the storm. Where did you feel you were in terms of your performances so far?

I'm pretty happy, especially with my 200-meter hurdles (indoor). We did a lot more conditioning that was centered toward the longer races, so I feel I was more prepared than I was in some other years. It was a good feeling coming out of (the WVC meet).

What are your goals going into the outdoor season?

My goals are always to improve and however much that is, I'm pretty much happy with. I'm pumped to be running and (eventually) being outside every day and having the sun on you is just something that makes it all worthwhile. 

What has been your most memorable athletic moment?

Probably last year in a (WIAA Division 1) sectional. Going in, I had won races (during the season) but that was a meet where I still felt I improved so much and figured out what I could do in order to do well at state. 

At the same time is there a moment you would like to forget?

It was during the (WVC) relays meet and we were doing the 100 (meter hurdles). It was super wet out and rainy and I was the first leg of the relay, I went and hit the second or third hurdle and really trashed my legs and kind of rolled off the track. I DQ'd myself which was not fun for the relay team because we didn't even get a chance to keep going. 

Are you superstitious at all? Do you have any traditions or something that makes you feel comfortable (on the track)?

I have a necklace that I wear (in meets) and I do have some doughnut socks I like to wear. 

When did you first start in the hurdles and what led to that?

My coaches kind of pushed me into it in middle school because you don't always have a lot of people who want to run hurdles. They just want to do the full-out sprints. If I wouldn't have started in middle school, I definitely would not have been doing it in high school because it is so hard to overcome that (intital) fear of getting over the hurdle. 

You are wearing a UW-Milwaukee sweatshirt today. Talk about your excitement for having the chance to run for the Panthers next year.

It's just fun because a lot of people get really sad at the end of the track season — (a feeling of) 'Oh, I never get to do this sport again.' But I do get to do this sport again which is super fun. This team I'll miss (at East) but I am really excited for my new family at Milwaukee, too. 

FAVORITES

Sport: Track.

Pro or college athlete: (University of Kentucky and national sprinter and hurdler) Sydney McLaughlin.

Movie: Any of the "Harry Potter" ones.

TV show: "The Office" or "Grey's Anatomy."

Music: Country.

Food or meal: Noodles. I always have some for lunch before a track meet. 

App on phone: Snapchat.

Track to run on: I really like Everest's or the state one (UW-La Crosse).