Chloe L. ’20 is the co-captain of Hewitt’s Varsity Cross Country team who started without any experience in ninth grade and has since developed a love for running. I interviewed her to ask about the season and her accomplishments.
Hewitt Times: What responsibilities do you have as the captain of the team?
Chloe: I am one of the co-captains of the varsity cross country team along with Daniela Macia. As a captain, I have the responsibility to make sure that my teammates are feeling good and having fun. I view this as the greatest responsibility of being a captain. It is mine and Daniela’s job to pump up the rest of the team before meets and encourage them to push themselves in order to improve. Even though I am one of the captains of the team, we are really one family who support and help each other, without a single person being above the others.
HT: How do you prepare for a race?
C: There is a lot of hard work, effort, and training that goes into preparing for a race. On the day of the race, our team likes to relax and distress on the bus ride over by listening and singing along to songs and just talking with each other. We make sure to eat really well and drink tons of water throughout the week before a race in order to prevent dehydration the day of the race.
HT: What skills do you get out of cross-country?
C: Since I joined cross country a year ago, I have gained tons of skills. The first and most important being the ability to work successfully on a team. Many people think that cross country is an individual sport, but when we run together during practice, we make sure to cheer each other on and push each other. Cross country can be both mentally and physically straining, and it is crucial to have a supportive and enthusiastic team that works well together. In addition, being a part of cross-country has taught me time management skills. Doing any sport for five days per week takes up time that could be spent on homework, so I have had to learn how to manage my time and become more organized. I also have learned that running is a great way to relieve stress, while also increasing your work focus. After I run, I feel more relaxed and ready to get started on my homework.
HT: How do you feel about the winter running program?
C: I think that the winter running program is an amazing addition to winter sports. For students who run cross country, varsity track or both, the winter running program allows them to stay in shape and continue running during the off-season.
HT: What made you interested in being a runner?
C: I started running last year mainly for stress relief and exercise. Running is one of the greatest remedies for both of these things. My parents thought that it would be a good idea for me to join cross country, and because of them, I discovered that I really love running. It is a sport that you can take with you anywhere you go, and it doesn’t matter how fast or slow you are, you can just run for yourself.
Source: The Hewitt School