It is with a heavy heart that we share the heartbreaking news that Janet Smith-Leet, the greatest girls cross-country runner in New Jersey history, has entered hospice care at the age of 59. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Janet and her family during this profoundly difficult time.
Smith-Leet, who lives in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and is married with one son and one daughter, is etched into the very foundation of New Jersey high school sports.
A true pioneer, trailblazer and icon during her legendary days at J.P. Stevens High School in Edison in the early 1980s, Janet didn't just win the biggest championships- she rewrote the record books and redefined what was possible for girls in distance running. Her dominance in the early 1980's came at a time when the doors for female athletes had only just begun to open, in the wake of Title IX. Janet didn't walk through those doors - she sprinted, with a grace and determination that left generations in awe.
With a relentless engine and a quiet confidence, Janet began her running journey in a world still grappling with how to support and celebrate female athletes. Her grammar school coach, understanding her potential, had her compete with the boys' team - disguising her with a wool cap to avoid controversy. Once the gun went off, she let her legs do the talking.
Janet became a legend well before she left high school.
In XC, Smith-Leet was a four-time Central Jersey champ, the only 4-time State Group 4 champion, and at the prestigious Meet of Champions, she was nearly unbeatable. In 1980, she became the first freshman ever to win the M of C. She repeated as a sophomore, and after placing second as a junior, she recaptured her title as a senior in 1983.
Smith-Leet's senior XC season was one for the ages!!!
She didn't just recapture her M of C title that season, Smith-Leet shattered the Holmdel Park course record with a 17:36 - a record that stood for 27 years!!!
Then at the Kinney (later Foot Locker) Northeast Regional, she clocked the second fastest time ever at Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx at the time of 17:08.1, earning a berth to the national championship race in San Diego. There, after two straight 5th place finishes as a sophomore and junior, Smith-Leet, in one of the most celebrated performances in the event's history, became the first - and still only - girl from New Jersey to win the national title by stopping the clock at a mind-numbing course record 16:43.7!!
Her victory at Balboa Park was more than just a win - it was a huge statement. She blazed through the course in a time so fast, it stood as the course record for seven years, a testament to her raw talent and fire that defined her senior season.
She was rewarded for her epic career by being named the Girls Cross-Country Athlete of the Century by The Star-Ledger.
Smith-Leet also won four Meet of Champions titles on the track, three outdoors (the 3,200 in 1982 and '84 and the 1,600 in 1984) and the one indoors (the 3,200 in 1982) to finish her career with 7 M of C titles in XC and track and field combined. She finished her high school career with PR's of 10:18.6 for 2-miles in 1983, which still stands as No. 6 in NJ outdoor history, and 4:52.1 for one-mile in 1984.
Janet's story didn't end in high school.
At North Carolina State, Smith-Leet became a 10-time All-American in cross-country and track and field, helping to elevate one of the nation's top programs. She was a Top 10 finisher three times at the NCAA Cross-Country Championships.
In 1987, she wore the red, white, and blue for Team USA at the IAAF World Cross Country Championships, placing 23rd and helping the United States defeat the Soviet Union for the team gold medal - a remarkable victory on the world stage during the Cold War era. Smith-Leet would again represent her country in 1990 and she was a 2-time U.S. Olympic Trials qualifier.
Through every mile, through injury, asthma, and the growing pains - including a six-inch growth spurt in high school - Janet persevered. Her success was not just built on talent, but on grit, resilience, and a rare inner fire that inspired and left all who watched her compete in awe.
Even after her competitive career, Janet never stopped giving back.
Smith-Leet is the founder and owner of the SUB5 Running Camp for Girls in Illinois, an innovative and empowering initiative designed to promote a positive, uplifting message to the next generation of female runners. Through the camp, she's mentored hundreds of young girls - not just in how to run fast, but how to run with confidence, purpose, and self-belief. It was another way in which Janet led -with integrity, with passion, and with a deep love for the sport and those who shared it.
Today, the New Jersey running community - and indeed, the broader track and field world - pauses not only to reflect on Janet's talent as a runner and mentor, but also to support her and her loved ones in a moment of need.
Janet gave us moments that will live forever: breathtaking finishes, historic wins, and the blueprint of excellence for generations of girls who dared to dream.
Janet is, and will always be, a legend - not just because of what she did on the trails and the track, but because of who she is: a pioneer, a coach, a warrior, and a champion in every sense of the word. She showed us what was possible and built a legacy of greatness that will be remembered forever.
Run in peace, Janet.
It is with a heavy heart that we share the heartbreaking news that Janet Smith-Leet, the greatest girls cross-country runner in New Jersey history, has entered hospice care at the age of 59. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Janet and her family during this profoundly difficult time.
Smith-Leet, who lives in Arlington Heights, Illinois, and is married with one son and one daughter, is etched into the very foundation of New Jersey high school sports.