Less may be more for Gillen.

• Position: Sports

Nashoba Regional sophomore Rylee Gillen has been taking it easy this fall, but the reigning Central Mass. Division 1 champion is confident she'll be in peak condition for the home stretch.

"I think (this season) has been pretty good,'' said Gillen, who along with returning teammates Natalie Bettez and Grace Dempsey were T&G Super Team All-Stars last year. "The season has just started for me. I've only run in a couple of races.''

Gillen participated in dual meets against Hudson, Westboro and Groton-Dunstable, winning all three. She placed 10th, with a personal-best 19:12.74, at the Ocean State Invitational 5K on Sept. 28 in Warwick, R.I.

"I kind of took some time off over the summer,'' said Gillen, who won last November's CMass meet at Gardner Municipal Golf Course's 2.9-mile layout in 17:32.8 before finishing 12th (19:40.8) at the All-States on Northfield Mountain's 3.1-mile trail. "I just want to be ready. I didn't want to start racing too soon. The focus is later on in the season. It's worked out so far.''

Sixth-year Nashoba coach Dan Glover didn't want Gillen to get burned out so soon. Too much running and training eventually catches up to any harrier, even the great ones.

"I don't believe she's at her full capacity yet,'' Glover said. "I was encouraging her to take it a little lighter. I wanted her to take it easy. I like kids to take time off. She started running later in the summer. I think that's going to pay off for her in the long run. I think her legs are going to be fresh. She's the type of athlete who understands what type of workout will work for her.''

Gillen is looking forward to this Saturday's Midland League B Championships at Ghiloni Park in Marlboro, where she is also the defending champion. The Chieftains will be trying to capture their fourth straight team title.

But more importantly, Nashoba is the defending CMass champion.

"It would be awesome to win as a team,'' Gillen said. "I really like the team environment.''

Gillen knows that two of her top competitors next month in Gardner, Wachusett Regional senior Colleen Sands and Shepherd Hill Regional senior Stella Worters, will be ready. She respects them both, but is looking forward to racing them again.

Last year, Gillen defeated Sands by 17 seconds, while Worters was sixth.

"They're probably looking to have a great season, but so does everyone,'' said Gillen, who admires former Bromfield School star Emily Jones. "I guess, for me, anything other than first would be a...