Some people were born to run, while others have to work at it, and Wareham High School senior Aliyah Alley says she is definitely the latter.

"My freshman year I wasn't too into it," said Alley.

But by her sophomore year, her attitude toward the sport had changed.

"I just found that I could be better and I wanted to be better," she said. "I wasn't just naturally good at track, I worked my butt off."

Her coach, Chris Gardner, says that she wasn't exactly a stand out when she first started, but her hard work soon paid off.

"She was kind of a nondescript runner, kind of didn't know what she wanted to do," said Gardner. "Halfway through her [sophomore] indoor season, things just clicked."

In the spring of her sophomore year she broke the school record for the fastest time in the 200m, and this spring, she broke her own record in the 100m.

She competed at nationals as a senior for the 2012 to 2013 winter track season, and is hoping to make it happen again this May.

Alley has qualified for the state competition in the 400m, 200m, and 100m. After states comes all-states, followed by the New England Championship, and finally, nationals.

"My goal for the state meet is I want to place first in the 100m or 200m," says Alley.

Alley said she doesn't think she'll place if she makes it to nationals, but just making it is an achievement and an amazing experience.

"I think it's all about bettering yourself," she said.

Between meets and practices, Alley works out six days per week and says that Sunday is her only day off --but it's not really a day off. An A and B student who takes all advanced-placement and honors classes, she spends Sundays doing homework.

"Relaxing is doing homework," she said. "I stress myself out to the max but I enjoy it."

Alley won't be slowing down any time soon. Next year, she'll head to UMass Lowell with an athletic scholarship covering nearly the entire bill.

It's a good thing she'll have so much of her undergraduate tuition covered considering what her next venture will be: "I want to go to med school," she said.

Clearly, Alley's going places quickly.