Personal Records:
200 meter dash: 25.5
400 meter dash: 52.8
1600 meter run: 4:32
3200 meter run: 9:52
5K cross country: 15:48.10
State Tournament Appearances:
Track & Field
2013 DQ in the 4 X 800
2015 9th place in the 4 X 800
2017 17th place in the 4 X 800
Cross Country
2013 44th in 16:24.4
2014 20th in 16:00.8
2015 32nd in 16:13.8
2016 6th in 16:05.0
Who coaches you and what do they do to help you?
Mike Bushey and Jody Zeleznikar (AKA "Z"): They have helped give me strength and the mindset to never give up. In times of a tough loss or bad race, they've shown me to look at them as lesson learners and motivational boosters. They've become not only coaches but parents and forever friends. Not only did they help keep my head up, they have also helped me to take in the moment and live it as much as possible. They have brought fun and a lively atmosphere during practice and at meets that makes you feel like a kid again. But above all they have cared and cherished not only me but the whole team.
Arne Maijala: Arne really helped me with pacing and obtaining speed. Though not as loud spoken as Bushey and Z, he still took care of us and made sure we were well hydrated and properly warmed up. Like Bushey and Z, Arne was a father-figure as well as a coach and friend. He would always remind us to eat right, sleep well, and stay in the shade. He is the reason why I warm up and warm down and prepare for racing the way I do. He is always there for us whether riding his bike during long runs or setting up and providing cold water during hill days. He coaches us but also lets us decide on our own decisions. Arne is also always at the finish line and has our back regardless of the result.
How do the Cloquet Lumberjacks train for distance running?
Training for CC and TF are similar to each other. The way they are similar is that we always do a variety of speed, hill, long runs, and tempo workouts.
For track we start out with hill workouts and long or tempo runs. Towards the end of the season our long runs get shorter down to 20-30 minutes and the hill workouts are changed to repeats on the track.
Cross country is pretty consistent until sections are close (then we start to taper). Mondays and Wednesdays are usually tempo runs. Tuesdays and Thursday are hills, 5 minute runs, or Tabatas. Fridays we often play Ultimate. Saturdays and Sundays are long runs or rest days.
What sports did you play when you were in the lower grades?
Growing up I did soccer for a few years but then changed to baseball which I played until 9th grade. When I had to choose between that or track it was actually a very tough decision. I loved running but baseball was more of a childhood growing up sport that I did not want to leave. I was always running when I played baseball too. My mom has been a runner since I was little so it rubbed off on me. When I first heard about cross country I was surprised because I didn't know running could be a sport. I wasn't recruited by anyone. My mom was the one who told me I should try it. But ultimately she made me go until I got adjusted to it.
Tell us about some of the problems you had adjusting to being a distance runner. What were some things you had to learn?
During my first year of cross country I had to learn how to eat, what to eat, and when to eat! During the section meet that year I was the youngest runner on the varsity team and was very awkward and new to this sport. To make a long story short I stopped at Subway on our way to the meet and ordered a foot-long sandwich. I ate the whole thing on the bus while Z was telling us how to eat. He was telling us not to mix any new foods into our diet. Well I wound up throwing up about five times during the warm up before that meet! I never threw up during the meet but it was enough to make me think about this during the rest of my running career.
We noticed that you are a member of LinkedIn and you listed some of the jobs you have had in the past and the ones you currently have. You do have a lot of jobs and it's admirable that one so young is on this social media. How did you get involved with all the jobs that you have listed on that website?
All the jobs I've done have been through my parents who both work for the school district. So a lot of people know them and ask if I was looking for a place to work. Both my parents are hardworking and efficient at their jobs. So I guess employers they know must think its heredity even though I was adopted. I guess "contagious," would be a better word!
What is your height and weight? Do you sometimes feel you have a biomechanical advantage?
My height is 5-4 and I weigh 115 pounds. I have never thought that I have a biomechanical advantage. I have always trusted my training and my mindset to be stronger than the rest. If I can believe I will do well that's half the battle. The other half is showing that I can do it!
What is your warm up routine for practices and/or races? Do you do that routine alone or with teammates? What would you tell a younger you about the warm up?
My warm up routine can be done either with my teammates or alone. Either way however I mentally feel like I warm up alone. I plug into my iPod and listen to my warm up playlist. I go for about a 10 minute easy jog then rest a little bit. Then I go for another easy warm up to reloosen my body. After I do a set of plyos (butt kicks, high knees, lunges, etc.) then I do some ground stretches (butterflies, leg stretches, arm stretches, etc.) Then I do some stride outs and after try to stay hydrated and loose until the race starts.
Something I would tell a younger me about warming up is to take your time and do it effectively. It's not a race to warm up. Let your body ease into getting warmed up.
What does it feel like to win a big race?
Honestly I don't try to think about the races I win. It's nice to get first and everything but typically I look at the way I ran the race. That's what I really care about. I use races as checkpoints within a season to see how I'm doing during certain times of the season. My ultimate goal is to make it to State, and I know races have to be fast to qualify and place. But I do feel grateful when I win. I'm Grateful to God for helping me throughout the race and my coaches for training me. I'm also proud of myself for having the strength to continue instead of giving up!
Tell us about one of your best races. Where was that race? Who did you run against and how bad did you beat them? What was your thought process? Did you have a kick?
My best race was when I ran 15:48.10 at the Nike National Regional in Sioux Falls, South Dakota last fall. I can tell you one thing, I was not expecting to run that fast that day. This was a race a couple of guys and I wanted to race just because. So it was more of a fun senior road trip than a "prep for race day." My opponents were from MN, ND, SD, IA, and WI. Some I recognized from the state meet but I don't know if I beat them or not.
My thought process was two things: don't get boxed in, and just run. It was my last XC race so I wanted to enjoy it. As for any kick, I wouldn't have had one had I not looked at the clock. If I hadn't seen that I was in the low 15 mark at the last turn, I wouldn't have had a reason to kick. But I did and I kicked hard, or at least I thought I did!
Have you picked out a college yet? Why did you choose the one you did?
I am attending St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN because it's known for their amazing medical fields and I'm looking to become a physical therapist. Also I have gone there for the last three years for Upward Bound. So I'm very familiar with the camps and have already established relationships with some of the coaches and faculty.
What do you do for fun in addition to athletics?
Going for runs is something I really enjoy doing even though I run enough already. But these runs are more for enjoying the day, Mother Nature, and I appreciate the gift I have to run. I also like to hang out with friends and be outdoors as much as I can. Sleeping and eating are probably one of my favorite things to do though. It's nice to get more than 7 hours of sleep though many people get even less than that. Bless their hearts!
(Photo provided by Isaac Boedigheimer)