1) What do you think first attracted you to distance running?
Honestly, I wasn't attracted to distance running at all. I only joined the track team to spend more time with a friend who was planning to do sprints and jumps. Unfortunately, she broke her leg the day before practice began, so I had to show up on my own. Since I didn't really want to be there, I wasn't paying attention when the coaches explained where each group should go for warmups. When we were dismissed, I panicked and followed the largest group, assuming they were the sprinters, but it turned out to be the distance group. Throughout the season, I actually began to enjoy running, and with encouragement from my parents, I decided to sign up for cross country the following year.
Since I'd never done a sport before, I wasn't used to athletic ability coming naturally to me, so I expected training to be hard from the start. That made it easier to stay motivated, since I always went in expecting the process to be difficult. As for repetition, I actually prefer my training to be structured that way. Knowing what's coming each day helps me stay recovered and mentally prepared.
3) If someone watched you train for a week, what would they learn about you that they wouldn't learn from looking at your race results?
My progress in workouts is never linear. I've had some of my worst workouts right before some of my best races. I'm not a perfectionist, so I'm not afraid of missing a rep or two; what matters more to me is consistency and showing up. That reality is usually invisible in race results, especially given my steady track progression since freshman year. People might be surprised by how much self-doubt I used to face behind the scenes.
4) What has running taught you about handling setbacks?
My junior cross country season taught me the hard way that results can be affected by things far beyond injury or lack of training. I came off some of the best months of training I'd ever had and still didn't see the results to show for it, due to circumstances completely unrelated to running. It was a real hit to my confidence, but pushing through and finally running a personal best at the end of the season taught me the value of perseverance.
5) Has your attitude toward running changed as you've gotten older?
I've given running more and more attention every year, and I think that growing focus has helped me become more serious about the sport.
My biggest strength as a racer is my endurance. I'm good at running even or negative splits, which means I don't get discouraged starting a race near the back of the pack, because I know I'll be able to work my way through the field as others settle. That takes a lot of pressure off early on and helps me stay confident, since I know my starting position isn't tied to my ability to win. This isn’t reflected in my times because the final mark only shows the result and not the process or strategy it took to get there.
7) What's the hardest part of a cross country race mentally?
I've always preferred cross country to track, but after a difficult junior season, the hardest part this year will be trusting that I can meet my own expectations despite past disappointment.
8) Do you have any particular thoughts, phrases, or strategies you rely on when a race starts to hurt?
My coach always says consistency is key, so whenever I'm nervous on the starting line, I remind myself that I've shown up and put in the work every single day. That's our team motto, and reminding myself of it helps me relax.
When a race doesn't go to plan, I'm usually a little shaken up at first, but within a few hours I take time to reflect and figure out what went wrong. Then I talk it through with my coach, and together we adjust my race plan and figure out what led to the mistakes so I can fix them going forward.
10) When you compare yourself to the runner you were a couple of years ago, what change are you most proud of?
Comparing myself to who I was a couple of years ago, I'm most proud of how my habits have changed. I'm getting more sleep and eating better.
11) Was there a point when you started believing that you could compete at a much higher level?
I've always had competitive goals for myself, but I think the turning point was sophomore year at the Clovis Invitational, when I ran 18:40 in my first 5K. That's when I realized I had the potential to be great if I really put in the work.
12) Who has played the biggest role in helping you develop as a runner?
The people who've played the biggest role in my development are a mix of my teammates and my coaches. I don't think I would have stuck with the sport into sophomore year without the team culture and the friendships I built along the way, and having coaches who know how to develop athletes has made all the difference. I'm really grateful Mountain View turned out to be a place that gave me both.
13) What's something about your training that you didn't appreciate when you were younger but understand much better now?
Freshman year, I didn't appreciate the workouts at all. Just going on a run felt hard at that point. Now, workouts are the best part of my week. I love pushing myself and running fast; it makes me feel fit and builds my confidence. I'm really happy I've grown to love them instead of dreading them as I did a few years ago.
What came together for me at the end of the season was my competitive spirit. After a demotivating junior cross country season, I'd wanted to break 11 all year, and it just hadn't happened. Going into CCS, I realized it was my last shot, so I fought to hold my position. The race went out slowly, and I realized that if I just stuck with the leaders of the chase pack, even though we weren't on sub 11 pace, I could still have a chance to qualify for state. I didn't even realize that when a competitor and I broke away, we were running close to 5 flat pace. Coming down the final straightaway, I looked up and saw 10:10 with a hundred meters left, and I couldn't believe it. I'm so happy it worked out the way it did. If I'd realized how fast we were actually going, I probably wouldn't have stuck with it, and that PR never would have happened. I was genuinely shocked by the time. You can see it on my face in the pictures from that meet.
15) Looking back at those races, was there anything you did differently tactically or mentally that you think made a difference?
I think ignoring the pace and racing for place instead of time made all the difference. If I'd been focused on trying to hit a specific number, I probably would have panicked and backed off. I'm just really glad that for that one race, I decided to ignore the clock, ignore my watch, and race the competition in front of me.
16) Did that 3200 performance change what you believe you're capable of running in cross country?
It definitely raised my goals. I've always set high goals for myself, but this year I believe they're actually achievable. Those races were proof that I'm capable of more than people think, and I'm ready to show them what I can do.
17) How has that track season breakthrough changed your expectations for this cross country season?
Usually when I set a cross country goal, I tone it down before writing it on paper because it can feel a little unrealistic. This year, I'm not doing that. I genuinely believe the ambitious goal I have in mind is achievable, and I'm excited to work toward it all season.
18) What are you most excited to find out about yourself this fall?
I'm excited to see how my 3200 endurance translates to 5K pace. The jump this year feels like the biggest one yet, and I'm curious to find out what I can handle.
19) Is there a particular course or race where you'd like to see what you can do?
Definitely the Woodbridge and Clovis Invitationals. Those are the two races I'm most looking forward to. I'm especially focused on Woodbridge since it comes early in the season and I've never had a great race there before. I'm excited to see if I can be competitive in the sweepstakes race and run a genuinely competitive time.
20) What would you consider a breakthrough cross country season?
A breakthrough season for me would mean breaking 18 minutes, maybe even dipping into the low 17s. Since the conversion between track and cross country times isn't exactly linear, it's hard to pin down a precise goal, but right now I'm expecting somewhere in the 17:XX range. I'll know more once I have a real baseline for the season.
21) If everything goes perfectly this season, what do you hope you're able to accomplish?
I have specific time goals, but I'm ultimately focused on racing the field. My biggest goal right now is winning an individual CCS title and earning a spot on the podium at State.
My favorite part of being on the Mountain View XC team is how connected we are, not just the girls' team, but the whole program. I love our pasta parties, cheering each other on, and talking through results after races. Everyone on varsity, and everyone who could be on varsity, genuinely loves the sport and loves coming to practice, and that pushes me to be my best every day as well. It's a great environment to grow in, especially since everyone around me is just as motivated academically as they are athletically, which helps me stay motivated in all aspects of my life.
23) What's something you've sacrificed for running that has been worth it?
I've sacrificed a lot of my free time: going to bed early, going to the gym, and more. Since I've refused to sacrifice my academics, that's left very little time to spend with friends.
24) If you could give one piece of advice to your freshman year self, what would it be?
I'd tell myself that the workouts you dread right now are going to become your favorite part of the sport, so stick with it even when it feels hard. Progress isn't going to be linear, and that's okay. Showing up consistently matters more than any single bad rep or bad race.
25) When your high school running career is eventually over, what do you hope you will be most proud of?
I hope I'll be most proud of how much I changed, not just as a runner, but as a person who learned to push through setbacks that had nothing to do with talent or effort. I want to look back and know I showed up every day, stayed consistent through the hard seasons, and became someone my team and my coaches were glad to have around.
Thank you very much for your time, Ada. AJC
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