CROSS
COUNTRY
& TRACK
Most of what I know, I've learned
from (literally) chasing dreams.
Here's my collegiate athletic
journey through the lens of
a seasonal reflection.
MY JOURNEY TO BECOMING A DI ATHLETE AT UMD
For a while, athletics didn't seem like it would be my path. I was diagnosed with Celiac disease at 18 months old and Crohn's disease at six years old, but was ultimately able to live a healthy life by implementing a specific diet. When I was introduced to running my freshman year of high school, I quickly fell in love with the sport and decided that I wanted to run in college. However, trouble came when I was diagnosed with a series of seven stress fractures spanning mid-sophomore to early senior year of high school. Although I cross trained for an hour or more nearly every day of injury, I worried that I would never make a DI roster, especially at my dream school: UMD. Thankfully, doctors finally diagnosed and treated some medical issues I was having and I ran some breakout times winter of my senior year. I am so grateful that I was able to commit to my dream school just before the COVID-19 pandemic shut down all sporting events!
My collegiate running experience is a celebration of the wonderful opportunities I've had that allow me to be here today!
Fall 2020
Of course, my first season of cross country at UMD did not go exactly as planned. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we did not have any competition, and team bonding events were limited. However, we continued to train seriously and I even finished my "season" with a time trial 5k PR by over a minute (pictured) - 18:17! This experience has reiterated to me the importance of resiliency, not just in running, but in all aspects of life. No matter the situation, progress can be made when we remain grateful and make the most of what we are given!
WINTER 2021
Winter 2021 brought my first experience racing in a 'real' collegiate track race! I ran the 3000 meter race at two separate Penn State meets. Unfortunately, I was dealing with minor injuries during this time and did not perform nearly as well as I was hoping. I ultimately had to end my season early. This was very frustrating for me, as I knew I was fit and I hadn't been able to really race in almost a year due to the pandemic. I wanted to prove that I belong on the collegiate track and my poor performances severely shook my confidence. Ultimately, this experience has served a greater purpose in teaching me patience; rather than working through pain in hopes of obtaining short-term goals, I've learned to focus on health and longevity, even if it means falling short of expectations. I know what I am capable of, and will continue to strive to achieve my goals.
SPRING 2021
This season was not what I had expected at all, but I think it was everything that I needed. I did not compete in a single track meet, yet this was my favorite season of the year; it brought me new patience and confidence. After my winter season where I struggled with injury and (I suspect) illness, I took pretty much all of March off of running. As much as I longed to redeem myself from my winter performances and travel around the country competing in the sport that I love, I did what was best for my health.
I ended up biking and aqua jogging through much of the spring, and was very pleased to be feeling much better when I returned to the track in April! Because of my cross training, lifting, and physical therapy work, I returned feeling stronger than before. Due to my hiatus from running, I did not get to race for the remainder of the season. Nevertheless, I was able to prove myself by running some personal best workouts and, at the end of the season, ran a 4:55 1500 meter time trial by myself at practice. I was very excited to see that my patience and hard work had paid off --- I had run a competitive time without the benefits of competition to push me or a crowd to encourage me. My patience in training brought results, and because of my resilience, I was able to show myself and my team that I truly do belong in this competitive running environment. Furthermore, I had fun! This spring was a reset, and allowed me to remember some of the joys of running: the friends, the long run adventures, the common goals, and the excitement of endless possibilities. This season was characterized by a feeling of lightness, cheerfulness, and excitement. I was truly eager to live life every day. Thank you, spring 2021.
Fall 2021
My sophomore cross country season was my first real competition season of my college experience! It was also my first season without extensive COVID-19 restrictions, which was very refreshing. I had a newfound confidence going into every single workout and, although some of my race results weren't what I had hoped, I was still happy. I was more focused on my own effort than results, which was a great change of mindset! Our team also grew closer, as we were able to have more team bonding activities. Overall a great season with great people!
Winter 2022
PR season!
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I haven't had a track PR in an official race in a LONG time -- like, since before college. This season changed it all! I focused only on the 3k, but luckily that's my favorite event :) I ran each race with positivity, and improved both my racing tactics and my confidence with each competition. This was a fun season of training, traveling with teammates, and embracing the exhilarating opportunity to test myself on the track with friends and family cheering me on! I was filled with gratitude this whole season.
Spring 2022
This season was a tough one. I was diagnosed with a stress fracture in my foot just as the indoor season was ending and my fitness was hitting new levels. It was hard to watch everything come to a halt just as I felt like I was really starting to thrive! Still, I cross trained on the bike, in the pool, and/or on the Alter-G treadmill about six days a week on top of physical therapy and lifting. I made an effort to keep hanging out with teammates outside of practice. I started to run again in late April as the outdoor season was starting to wrap up -- just in time to go on a few running adventures with teammates, like the one pictured here! Although times like these are tough, I believe there is always something good to be found in difficult situations. I am no stranger to injuries, and this one was the perfect reminder to embrace the simple joy of running with friends when I have the chance! It also gave me time to focus a little more on career goals, which led me to add my double major.
FALL 2022
Junior Year Cross Country
This season was all about focusing on progress, no matter what that looks like! Rather than getting wrapped up in hitting specific times or places, my focus was on improving from where I was last year, and becoming stronger mentally and physically every week.
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Cross country isn't a strength of mine -- I'm definitely more of a track runner! It can be frustrating during the season when I consistently run great workouts but don't see the work translated into races. However, this season I was proud of my ability to remain positive and simply focus on doing my very best in leaving it all on the course. I worked on remaining relaxed on the hills and reframing my negative thoughts about cross country into positive thoughts about all the reasons I can succeed despite this form of racing not being my favorite. I also valued the team chemistry that cross country brings and enjoyed time spent running with the Terps! I walked away from the season happy with multiple big course PRs and ready for more!
WINTER 2023
I LOVED this season! Even though I wasn't performing as well as I wanted to the first half, I remained positive for the most part and kept working patiently. I ended the season with a new 3k PR! While a PR is always lots of fun, I also had a great time challenging myself in practice and traveling to meets with some of my best friends.
SPRING 2023
This season brought a brand new experience: racing the 5k on the track! I was originally uncertain about my abilities in this event, but after the first race fell in love with it. In my second 5k this season, I ran under 18 minutes for the first time -- a barrier that I had always hoped to break! I finished up the season running the 1500 meter race for the first time alongside many teammates at our home meet. Because of all of my past injuries, this was my first healthy outdoor track season since my freshman year of high school (2017!) and it certainly did not disappoint. This was my favorite season yet, and I can't wait to see what's to come!
FALL 2023
This season was tough. I had been navigating chronic achilles pain due to Haglund's deformity ever since my freshman year of college but it was always manageable -- until this fall. After a few cross country races with rough outcomes, I decided to get PRP injections in both achilles in preparation for the track season. I also used my time off to increase my iron, as I had been deficient. This was definitely a lesson in patience!
WINTER 2024
In recovering from my PRP injections, I wasn't sure if I would even get to race this season at all. It was hard, but I made my peace with knowing that I may never race indoor track again and learned to be content with knowing I was doing my best. My coach gave me the opportunity to race the mile at a small meet and I was disappointed to run poorly, but proud of myself for my efforts. I was grateful to have another opportunity to race, this time in the 3k, at Liberty University. To my surprise, I ran a PR race! I was so excited to see my perseverance, mental toughness, and positive attitude pay off. I raced one more 3k at the Naval Academy and ran an 11 second PR (10:12)! This was the biggest jump I'd had in the event in years and i was shocked. This season showed me how to trust myself and remain confident even in the face of adversity, and I am very happy with the results!
SPRING 2024
I loved this season! I raced the 5k 3 times, hitting a massive personal best in 17:33. At our home meet I raced the 1500, and was happy to run a personal best of 4:46. Throughout this season I felt the most confident I ever have on the track and embraced every run, workout, and lift. This whole spring I was very proud of how mentally strong I've become, and I owe much of that to my amazing friends and incredible coaching staff. It's so fun to step on the track fearlessly, confident that your best effort will be given. This whole season I was grateful for all of the experiences and people that brought me to this point.
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But wait, there's more! I am so happy to have the opportunity to compete for the Terps again next year as a fifth year. This is something I've wanted for a long time and I'm excited to see it finally happening! More to come :)
