Looking Up At Brooke Young

800m - 2:30.35

1600m - 5:12.5

3200m - 11:17.06

4K (xc) - 15:43.20

5K (xc) - 19:04.50

2015 Cross Country - 19:23  (59^th place)

 Where were you born?

 I was born in St. Louis Park, Minnesota.

What sports did you play growing up?

Throughout elementary and middle school, I participated in a variety of sports. In elementary school, I dabbled in gymnastics and basketball. Additionally, I began to play hockey as a fourth grader. I took this sport very seriously and played it year-round for 7 years. The only reason I quit hockey after sophomore year was because it became harder and harder for me to balance both sports.

How did you get interested in cross country?

 My mom was a strong advocate for distance running because she was a competitive distance runner herself. She did an array of road races while she was on the Run-n-Fun race team. The fact that my mom loved running ultimately sparked my own interest. This interest led to me to participate in the running activities my school provided. At my elementary school, fourth and fifth graders could participate in a cross country race that was ¾ of a mile. I did this race both years and I loved it each time I did it. In addition, each year in gym class every student would have to do a mile time trial. Most kids dreaded this day, but I found it to be so much fun.

 Why did you join the track & field team?

Many of the girls on my cross country team also participate in track and field. It is such a fun and easy way to keep running in the spring. I personally started track in middle school and have continued it into high school. I started in middle school because I had a lot of friends doing it and I loved having the opportunity to improve my mile time.

 Who coaches you and what do they do well?

 Throughout cross country my two main coaches have been Dave Emmans and Addison Hallen. Both have been extremely influential in my running career and my development as a person. Dave and Addy are extremely dedicated to our team. The amount of time they put in, from planning workouts to organizing team activities, is extensive and does not go unnoticed.

This dedication we see from them correlates to the motivation we posses as a team. Dave in particular is extremely supportive. He is there to celebrate with you after a good race, and he is also tremendously encouraging and uplifting after a race or workout has gone poorly. In addition, he is very open and honest. In the past, I have had coaches that are cryptic and hard to read.

With Dave, I always know his reasoning for something and I know he has my best interest at heart. On the other hand, Addy is extremely good at verbalizing a message to our team. She always knows the right thing to say to get everyone on the same page. Personally, she has taught me a lot about the importance of running as a team. She is a huge advocate of running for your teammates, and this value has enhanced my running experiences extremely.

Which teammates come to your mind as helping you?  What did they do for you?

I have been extremely fortunate to have tremendous upperclassmen to run and train with. One teammate that has been my role model is Jaycie Thomsen. Jaycie is the poster child for a student of the sport. She is extremely passionate about running and she is always looking for ways to become a better runner. I have trained with her a lot throughout the years, and she always sets a good example of what it takes to improve as an athlete. She exudes leadership and has always been a strong and confident force for our team.

 How have your parents supported you?

My parents have been extremely supportive of me. At a young age, they taught me the value of hard work and determination. This value that I learned from them has allowed me to keep striving to become the best runner I can be. In addition, they are always there when I need them the most. When I get caught up in the small negative things, they help me see the big picture and move past whatever is bothering me. They are like my rock that keeps me grounded whenever I am struggling. I cannot even imagine what I would do without them.

You made it to the State cross country meet as a sophomore.  Do you think that you are likely to be better at that distance this year?  Why do you say that?

Each year I have found a way to improve my times. I think that this season I will be able to improve my 5k time again. I have improved in the past by increasing the amount of training I do, along with its intensity. In the past, this has made me a better runner. This summer I am doing the same thing by doing more running than I have done in the past.

How many letters have you received in cross country?  How many in track & field?  Were all of those for running varsity?  

 I have lettered four times in cross country. For our team in particular you must run a particular time to letter. For this reason, I lettered as a 7th grader while not being on varsity. The other three years that I lettered I was on varsity but the letter was ultimately earned as a result of the time I ran. In track and field, I have lettered three times (9-11 grade). In order to letter in track you must also run the qualifying time in an event. Given this, each year I lettered I was able to meet the time standards.

What do you like most about running?

My favorite part of running is the longevity of it. I love that I can keep running for as long as I want. Most sports end after high school or college, but running is something you can do throughout your entire life. I also love all of the people I have met from running. All of my teammates are such kind and encouraging people and it makes the sport so much more enjoyable and meaningful.

What other activities are you involved in at Wayzata High School?

I am also a part of our Club Y.E.S. When you are in this club you have a wide range of volunteer opportunities to choose from. I have been able to accumulate over 50 service hours through this club alone.

What advice would you give to a younger you?

 If I were to give advice to a younger me, I would tell myself to really enjoy racing competitively. I used to get extremely nervous and overwhelmed before races. Looking back, being nervous only wore me down and made racing a chore instead of something that was fun and rewarding.

What is your general race strategy for cross country?  Do you like to try a variety of schemes? (Go out fast, start in the middle, start in the back and move up, even pace, sit and kick, etc.,)

For me personally, each race I have a different strategy. It ultimately depends on the people in the race and the course. I have found that my best races occur when I go out fairly conservative and then work my way up throughout the rest of the race.

Do you have a warm up routine?  Does it differ when you run on your own?

 Before a run, our warm-up consists of a series of drills and hip exercises. We use the drills to dynamically stretch and activate our muscles and the hip exercises are used to strengthen and stretch our hips.

What out of school activities do you do?  Do you play a musical instrument or do you have a hobby?

Outside of school and running I do a variety of things with my time. One thing I like to do is cook. I always think it is fun to find a new recipe and then create it myself.

Does your team do anything out of the ordinary to get psyched up or to make training more fun?  Do you have a special cheer?

 Our team loves to sing/scream along to music. Whether we do it before or after a meet, it always pumps us up and allows us to have fun. In addition to doing karaoke on meet days, we also sing for hours on the van ride to Colorado. This is one of the many things that makes that team bonding trip so special.

What kind of run has helped you the most?

In the previous years of cross country, I have found that the most beneficial runs are those that include fast steady running during the last 2-3 miles. Nothing is better for me than a run that starts off slow and relaxed and then ends comfortably fast. Runs like this help build both my endurance and speed.