Name: Irene Yi

Sport: Cross Country

Grade: Senior

Going into the fourth meet of the season, Irene has high expectations despite the heat.

How long have you been running for the Ranger cross country team?

“This will be my third year on the team.”

What is your biggest inspiration throughout your athletic career?

“My biggest inspiration comes from my teammates. Their encouragement and watching how hard they work motivates me to push myself harder, especially during a workout or a meet.”

Why did you decide to first start cross country?

“I first started cross country during my sophomore year because my friend Hannah Anderson convinced me to join. She did cross country freshman year and really loved it, and I wanted to try a new sport.”

What is your best time that you have achieved in a race and why did you do particularly well that meet?

“My best time was at the first meet of junior year at the Benzie Invitational. I got a 23:56, and I think it was because of how hard we had trained all summer. Benzie was the first meet of the season and it was a week before school started, so we had all the training and strength without the stress of school taking away from our endurance levels.”

What is the hardest part about running cross country?

“The meets are for sure the hardest part. A lot of the meets are on Wednesday afternoons and I’m super tired from school already, so it is hard to have the energy to run a meet. Also, I am bad at getting enough sleep the night before, so it makes me even more exhausted. A lot of our meets this year have been in really hot weather, too.”

What do most people not know about running cross country that is important?

“A lot of running is mental, especially during the meets. You have to be in the right mindset and try to push out any negative thoughts while you race. [A good mentality] can make or break your strength.”

Do you participate in any other sports at FHC?

“I do track in the spring, but I like cross country better because the team is closer and it feels more like a family. Also, I like distance running better than short sprints.”

Are you interested in running in college?

“I’m not interested in running in college unless it’s just a casual running club or something like that.”

Where are you planning on going to college?

“I’m looking at a long list of colleges right now, but I want to go to one of the choices on my list because they all have good psychology programs and that is what I want to go into.

What is your favorite quote about running?

“‘Eat pasta, run fasta,’ or, ‘To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift’ by Steve Prefontaine because it helps to push yourself a little harder just when you think you’re about to give up.”