What was your most memorable meet or race?
My most memorable meet would have to be cross-country sectionals my sophomore year. That year my team had a mutual goal to make it to State together, and when we found out we placed the top four, we were all so ecstatic! It was such a rewarding feeling to see our training cash in.
Who was your biggest competition?
I definitely can't pinpoint a single competitor because Missouri is filled to the brim with so many fantastic runners. Therefore, I would have to say my biggest competition is everyone.
Out of all your high school accomplishments, which stands out the most?
My sophomore year state track and cross-country meets stand out to me the most. Both of the seasons ended with personal bests, and an all-state medal. Plus, on both trips, I had my teammates alongside me!
If you could do it all over again, is there anything you would change?
In all honesty, no. After every race (good or bad) I learned how to improve my strategy, mind-set, and strength for the next race, so without my mistakes, I would not be the runner I am today.
What will you miss the most?
With out a doubt my competition and my coach. During a race, I want to do good, but I also want my competitors to do good as well. If I come in first, I want my closest competition to come in right behind me. Therefore, I will miss this sense of honorable competitiveness. In terms of my coach, Jason Miller, I would not be where I am today without him. I have made it all four years injury free thanks to him, and I will miss him very much during college. His advice will stick with me the rest of my life.
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?
Well, when people say running is 90% mental and 10% physical, they are not kidding. In the middle of race or at the finish line, pushing myself to the limit is one of the hardest things to do, especially when your mind keeps telling you "no". So overcoming my mentality was (and still is) my most difficult obstacle.
Do you have any advice for the younger athletes?
My best advice would be to accept nervousness. No matter the race, every racer is in the same situation at that start line. You just have to remember the girl/guy standing next you is probably thinking the same thing.
What are your college plans?
I plan on running at Tulsa University and majoring in Biology pre-med.
Who would you like to thank?
Of course I would like to thank my parents for supporting me through every race and practice. Good or bad, they have both been there for me and it has made all the difference. I would also like to thank my coach. Whether it was driving us to a park to get in a long run, buying a plastic pool for ice baths, or being there every morning to talk about running, he has always been there for me and the rest of my team. I could go on and on about how grateful I am to have him as a coach, but in the end I could not imagine my high school career without him in it. Thanks for everything Coach Miller!
Also, I want to thank MoMileSplit for their detailed coverage of races and events over the last 4 years. It has made looking up times, finding pictures, and seeking out competition that much easier!
Lastly I would like to thank my competitors. Hard work means little when you don't have an opportunity to show it, and having such a fantastic group of girls to race against really pushed me to be a better runner in all of my races.
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<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>
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