If self-motivation was, let's say, a sports drink, Elizabeth Kline might be its spokeswoman.

"You don't need to talk to her to get her up. She talks herself up," Upper St. Clair coach track coach Doug Petrick said.

Case in point: Kline, an Upper St. Clair senior, stopped getting pumped-up when facing an elite opponent long ago. Instead of worrying about what somebody else is doing in another lane, Kline is only concerned with one thing.

"No matter whom I'm up against, I'm racing the clock. And I know I can never beat the clock," she said.

It's that type of mental toughness that has helped Kline become one of the premier hurdlers in the state.

In each of her first three seasons, Kline finished in the top four in the 100-meter hurdles at the WPIAL Class AAA championships, including a third-place finish last season. She followed that up by taking fifth place at the PIAA championships.

In her other top event, the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, she placed second at the WPIAL championships a year ago, after finishing third as a sophomore.

"She is probably one of the most determined athletes I've ever encountered, either as a coach or otherwise," Petrick said. "She's physically strong, as well as mentally strong. After every race she goes through it to see what she could have done better, even if there is nothing she could have done better, and I think that really motivates her."

Kline, or "E.B." as she's known to her friends, couldn't have done much better in the two biggest meets so far in the young season.

At the South Hills Classic two weekends ago at Baldwin, Kline took home titles in the 100- and 300-meter hurdles. Her time in the 100 (15.39) set a meet record. Then, at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championships last weekend, she captured both titles again, despite some less-than-ideal weather conditions.

"I'm happy with how things have gone," Kline said. "On Saturday you couldn't look at the times because it was so windy, but I was happy with running a clean race."

Petrick said Kline is technically ahead of where she was last year, while Kline believes she has become stronger, an effect of focusing on improving her endurance.

"Being a senior, she doesn't want to leave anything undone," Petrick said. "She's been doing everything she can -- in indoor and outdoor -- so that when the season is over she has no regrets."

Kline said she has no regrets about last season, even though her finish was not as sparkling as she would have liked. One of the favorites heading into the WPIAL championships, she finished behind Moon Area's Layne Baggett and McKeesport Area's Thomika Acie in the 100-meter hurdles, and was beaten by West Allegheny's Kristen Lang in the 300-meter hurdles. All three runners are back this season, including Baggett, who went on to win a PIAA title.

Being that it's her final chance to shine on the high school level -- she has accepted a scholarship to run at Pitt next year -- Kline is going all-out in pursuit of gold medals at the WPIAL and PIAA championships, saying, "I have nothing to lose."

Also among her goals is breaking school records in both of her primary races, saying she is close to shattering both. Her personal bests are 14.88 in the 100-meter hurdles and 44.71 in the 300 hurdles, both set last season.

"I know I can work faster. I keep pushing myself," Kline said.

Added Petrick: "She looks more determined than I've ever seen her. She's a senior and she knows this is her time to do it."

Of course she does.

No need for anybody to tell her that.

Upper St. Clair High School's Elizabeth Kline clears a hurdle en route to winning the 100-meter hurdles at the Tri-State Track Coaches Association championships Saturday at West Mifflin.