What was you most memorable meet or race?
My freshmen year at districts at Borgia, it was so muddy that my coach actually taped our spikes to our feet so that wouldn't fall off. It was an incredible experience to run in the mud and to qualify for State as a freshman. Also, Clayton Invit my sophomore year was a magical race, I got to run with Grace Bridwell and PR by almost a minute.
Who was your biggest competition?
I have to give a shout-out to the Villa girls and the MICDS girls, I ran against them a lot and it was fun to get to know them--CeCe Stock, Elise Marker, Audrey Imbs, Grace Bridwell. Also, my dad and I have been running together since freshmen year, and though we try not to be competitive, it can be exciting to race each other in the off-season.
Out of all your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
Winning XC districts this year was really exciting--I felt like I could run forever. Also, finishing my district XC race sophomore year after collapsing--that was the hardest I've ever fought for a race.
If you could do it all over again is there anything you would change?
I would have actually ran during the summer before my freshman year. I really had no clue what cross-country was about, but getting that base of mileage would have made freshman year xc less of a shock.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
Sophomore year I passed out at XC districts and a few track races because of a type of tachycardia. After working so hard during the season, crawling through races and not getting all-state like I had dreamed of was pretty hard. I'm thankful that after being on some heart meds I felt a lot better. Also, being sick for my the State xc meet my senior year was really hard. Another obstacle was the pressure I put on myself to succeed. Sometimes, that pressure can be crippling.
What will you miss the most?
I will miss the unique atmosphere of high school meets. I will miss also hanging out with my team, it was always an adventure getting attacked by angry geese.
Do you have any advice for younger athletes?
Never give up or lose heart. You may not get exactly what you want even when you run your guts out all season, so run to glorify God and remember that you are not defined by your performance. For me, that's the only way to truly enjoy running while being competitive at the same time.
What are your college plans?
I am going to Truman State University and running XC and track. Go Bulldogs!
Who would you like to thank?
I'd like to thank Coach Ammen and Mr. and Mrs. Coach Meyer for introducing me to the sport and pushing me through all the training. Coach AJ--for his support and fun indoor seasons. My mom--should win an award for loudest fan at meets, and my dad--always talked me out of being too nervous before races and showed me how to make every run count. Everetts--taught me about competition with a great team motto, and made eating 8 cinnamon rolls in one day seem normal. Finally, I've learned a lot about faith through running, and I thank God for being faithful to me even in the difficult times.
<p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 10px 0px 0px; padding: 0px 0px 10px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <em style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: invert none 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana;">Want to be featured in our Salute To Seniors series? Email PEverett@milesplit.com and answer the questions above! Congratulations to the seniors on all their hard work and success.</em><span style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana;"> </span></p> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12pt; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Verdana;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> <div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; font-size: 12px; vertical-align: baseline; background-color: transparent;"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <p> </p>