Q: What made you decide to join cross country?

A: I decided to join cross country in school because I have always found joy in running and I have loved it ever since.

Q: What is your favorite memory from cross country?

A: My favorite memory from cross country is from state last year. We celebrated as a team afterwards and had a ton of fun. Even though we didn’t win last year, we celebrated all of the hard work we put into it and all of the fun we had along the way.

Q: How did you feel when you competed at the state level as a freshman?

A: I felt accomplished, yet nervous, competing at the state level as a freshman. I knew how hard I had worked to get to that point, but I was competing against way more experienced runners. I was thrilled to have gotten to share that experience with the older girls on my team who I looked up to.

Q: Who is one person you have looked up to in your career, why?

A: I have looked up to Abree Winfrey since last year when I first joined High School cross country because she shows such great leadership as not only a runner, but a teammate and as a friend. She’s had such a motivational impact on my life since I have known her.

Q: What is a motto that inspires you daily?

A: The motto that inspires me daily is actually one that ironically is written on the whiteboard in our locker room, “It never gets easier, you just get tougher.”

Q: What is something you are looking forward to this season?

A: I am looking forward to improving with my team this year. It is definitely motivating that we are all significantly faster than we were last year and hopefully we can keep growing as a team, getting stronger, and getting faster.

Q: What are some expectations you have for the team this season?

A: I am expecting my team to place at least top 5 at the state level this year. I hope that we can push ourselves to keep getting faster and faster.

Q: What are some of your team’s weaknesses?

A: One of my team’s weaknesses is that we honestly don’t give ourselves enough credit all the time. We push ourselves and each other every single day, yet it is so hard not to beat yourself up after one bad race or one bad day.

Q: What are some of your team’s strengths?

A: My team’s strength is that we are constantly pushing each other to be better, doing everything as a team and have bonds like no other teams.

Q: What has been your teams focus in practice recently?

A: Our focus in practice has been being consistent. Being consistent is such a vital part of running and it gets hard, but that is why we are there for each other.

Q: How is this year compared to last?

A: This cross country season, personally, is so much greater than last season. This is now my second year as a high school runner, and I have gotten minutes faster in every race compared to my times from last year and I have gotten more comfortable with my team.

Q: What role do you play and why do you think this is important?

A: I always cheer people up. I think it is important to always have a light mood on the team and someone that you know you can come to and that will be there for you and try their best to make you feel better even if it’s at 6 in the morning.