Name: Audrey Parson 

School: Lee's Summit West High School

Q: What does your training look like right now given the current situation?

A: I am trying to stay as consistent as I would during a normal season, and I am getting in more weight and crossfit training. The only difference is I am not running all the races that are in a typical track season. I am really trying to work on my speed and accerleration right now.

Q: What are you doing to stay busy other than run right now?

A: I watch a lot of Grey's Anatomy, and have started to cook a lot more than I usually have in the past. I also have been learning a lot more music on the piano to play and sing too. 

Q: What was your most memorable race/moment?

A:There has been a lot of great moments in my high school career, but my favorite  moment I would have to say is the day I won my first state title in the 800 meter. I will always cherish that race and remember that day. When I crossed that finish line, it made me realize that hard work does pay off and reminded me why I love this sport so much. 

Q: What was the funniest thing that happened during your running career?

A:I would say the funniest thing that happened during my runner career is when Ginger Murnieks collasped at the line and just laid on the ground on her last high school career race running the DMR at New Balance Nationals. This doesn't sound funny, but after the fact my coaches and teammates all had a big laugh about it and Ginger was totally fine so it was okay to laugh. 

Q: Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years?

A:There has been a ton of fierce competitors through my four years. As a freshman and sophomore, I would say my own teammate Jana Shawver was my biggest competition. Since we were workout partners and best friends, I never looked at it as competition.  I looked at it as just striving to be like her someday (the stud that she is). Since I have been able to hurdle, long jump, and run mid distance throughout high school, I have had the blessing of racing against many elite athletes, and that is what has made high school track so fun!

Q: What was your greatest accomplishment?

A: I would say my greatest accomplishment is running on 4 all-american relays at New Balance Nationals. It is one thing to run for yourself, but another thing to run for your team. I have been so lucky  to have had such awesome teammates around me that encourage us to hold up against some of the best. 

Q: If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school?

A: Absolutely nothing. There have been some bumps, but all they did was make me better.  So I don't regret anything. 

Q: What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome?

A: I would say my biggest obstacle I had to overcome was my confidence. I am very hard on myself so when cross country over the last 4 years never seemed to work out like I wanted it to, it kind of took a toll on me. By being constantly frustrated with cross country, it just made me work way harder for track season every year. 

Q: What will you miss the most?

A: I'm going to miss competition days, being able to run a bunch of different events, and finishing out every track meet running the 4x4.  I am going to miss all of my teammates, coaches, and all of the bus rides and trips we went on every year. 

Q: What advice would you give to younger athletes?

A: Set your goals really high and don't stop working until you know you've done everything in your power  to achieve those goals. 

Q: What kind of an impact has your coach had on you and your team?

A: My coach, Jesse Griffin, is the most determined, caring, and passionate coach I know. He has built a great program at Lee's Summit West and I am so happy I got to be a part of it for four years. Coach Griffin has given all of us so many great opportunities, and I don't know what kind of runner I would be today if I did not have him as my coach.

Q: What are your college plans?

A: I plan to attend Wichita State to run track and field this fall, and I am going to major in Exercise Science. 

Q: Who would you like to say 'thank you' to?

A: My first thanks goes to my wonderful parents, because they are the ones who have been right by my side from the day I started track at the age of 10. They are the ones who have always believed in me and have pushed me when I needed it. I  want to thank my teammates for pushing me in practice and for making this sport 10 times more fun. I also want to thank all my coaches, specifically,  Coach Griffin (thank you for being so dedicated and making my three years of track and field amazing), Coach Painting (thanks for letting me roast you and for making me laugh), Coach Dabalos (thanks for believing in me even if I didn't get to go to long jump practice that much and for being such a fun person),  Coach Barrows (thanks for making me do hurdle workouts right after my 800 workouts and for just being awesome),  Coach Cooper (thank you for helping me with shot and javelin in the summer so I didn't suck at the multis at the Junior Olympics). Coach Scott (thanks for coming in and helping our sprinters out), and Coach Arginsinger (thanks for being upbeat all the time and truly caring for our distance girls).