Ashley Erba (center) is honored Tuesday during Senior Night for the Warsaw girls track team. The star, who is sidelined due to a foot injury, is flanked by her parents Scott and Karen (Photos by Jim Harris)

WARSAW – Ashley Erba is keeping a pep in her step and a smile on her face these days.

Even if it’s not the normal pep in her step that track fans are used to seeing from the Warsaw star distance runner.

Erba, who is sidelined this spring due to three fractures in her right foot, was very upbeat and positive Tuesday night as the Tigers honored her and her fellow classmates on Senior Night.

Erba, sporting a walking boot on her injured foot, spent the home meet cheering on teammates and manning a stopwatch as Warsaw was finally able to open its season, albeit almost three weeks late due to the cold weather.

“It’s healing well,” said Erba of the injury which was diagnosed back in February. “I have another appointment on Thursday (April 11) and I think the boot will probably come off then. It will be exciting to get the boot off and then start walking on it and start therapy and rehab.”

Erba, who has been in the boot since Feb. 14,  has been working out in the pool six days per week for about an hour to an hour and a half per day.

Erba competed all last fall in cross country with likely at least a couple of fractures, which may have been sustained as early as last August, in her foot. She went on to finish runner-up at the State Finals in October after winning the title in 2011. Erba won the state track championship in the 3,200-meter run last June, but is expected to miss her entire senior season due to the injury.

“I don’t view this as losing a season,” said Erba, who has signed to run at Providence College. “I’m looking at the big picture and this is just small potatoes in the scheme of things. What’s important is come August and being ready to run in college.”

Erba offered up a complicated explanation for how she was able to compete through the injury in the fall.

“I think that one thing is that I have a pretty creepy high pain tolerance,” explained Erba. “My thought was also that it’s not broken if I can run on it. I think that was denial on my part because I wanted to race.

“It was pretty painful at times and I look back now and it was a little discomfort. But, there’s no point in thinking about what ifs. That’s not going to change anything.”

Erba is one of the most decorated athletes in WCHS history. She also won the 5,000-meter run at the New Balance Outdoor Nationals last summer, setting a national record in the process with her winning time. She was the Class 5-A Runner of the Year in both 2011 and 2012 and was awarded the Mental Attitude Award at the cross country state finals in October in Terre Haute. Erba also stars in the classroom as well as she ranks fourth in her class of 512 students.

Erba says the injury has been a good thing.

“I’ve been able to embrace this situation and it’s helped me grow and build me as a person,” Erba said. “It’s brought me closer to God and I think this will just help me in future situations. I’m still kicking and I’m not depressed.

“It will work out for the best. If I can handle this, I can handle whatever happens to me in the future. I think it’s been a really good experience for me.”

Erba expects to return to her place as an elite runner when it’s all said and done.

“Oh yes, I’m going to come back even stronger,” said Erba. “My best days are yet to come for sure. I’m excited about the things I can accomplish once I get back to training and get on to Providence.”

Warsaw senior Ashley Erba receives a hug from a teammate during Senior Night festivities on Tuesday night.