Q: What first got you into your sport, and what kept you motivated to stay in?

A: Well, I just joined cross country in sixth grade, and then I really liked it, so I just kept doing it. Then what helps get me motivated […] the team and the mentality of the team.

Q: What’s one of the challenges you face in cross country? During meets or even practice?

A: Well, sometimes when the run just feels long, it’s hard mentally to keep going. [During races, when you start feeling pain,  you just push through the pain and run fast.]

Q: So, what are some tactics when you’re working to break a personal record?

A: Run fast.

Q: What does your schedule look like during and off-season? 

A: Well, I’m still on the mileage chart, so l just run every day, but practice is usually not as long, so that’s nice. 

Q: How does being an athlete affect your day-to-day, and how do you balance it with your school and sport? 

A: I just go home and do high school work after practice.

Q: Okay, so what do you do to take care of yourself as an athlete? 

A: Well, I make sure I’m in bed by eight o’clock every day, so l get eight to ten hours of sleep.  I watch what I eat, [and] I make sure I don’t eat too unhealthy.

Q: How is your season currently going? What do you expect from the season? 

A: Well, it’s been going really good. My last race wasn’t great, but it’s just one bad day, so hopefully, the next race I’ll do better. I’m trying to go sub sixteen this season, and for the team, it’s looking really good. We just beat North.

Q: Do you practice? 

A: Yeah, I run every day. We do workouts for endurance over long [periods], and we do speed workouts.