Emily Farrell: Varsity Cross Country Team

Emily Farrell has been on the Valencia Cross Country team for three years now. She is a varsity athlete who has a positive attitude and a bright future. 

   Q: How long have you played this sport, and what inspired you to start?

A: I started at around 8-9 years old, and my friend convinced me to join a running program. I originally didn't like running, but I realized that when I started needing to commit to something like a sport, I needed to have stability in running, and that's how I had to get better and keep going from there, and I did.

Q: What has your favorite moment/achievement been in your athletic career? 

A: It's a pretty difficult one because there are a lot of bittersweet moments, but I would say my proudest moment was when my PR(personal record) was 17:39 for 3 miles in my sophomore year.

Q: What advice do you have for people who want to join your sport?

A:  Don't overthink things or overwork yourself- just try to pace yourself and slowly increase your mileage because you won't get a fast time right away. Working on yourself, consistency, and listening to your body when it’s telling you to not push yourself too far are valuable things you won’t regret because you also don’t want to injure your muscles.

Q: Who is the most inspirational person in your life?

A: I'd say probably my dad because he's always been right there to support me, and he started really pushing me. He's the one who got me to take those leaps when I said I wanted to make that commitment and challenged me with questions like “Are you sure you want to do this?” and told me that I have to go for it if I really want this. He encouraged me to push through and keep on going, so he has been a big part in helping me. 

Q:What are some difficulties that people should expect?

A: You must learn your form. For me, I only recently started noticing that my form has been improving. Looking at past years, I see my form, and some would say that it’s awful. When running, you have to be aware of what you're doing right and wrong. Stand up straight to allow a greater airflow in, and don't slouch or raise your head too high. Another important tip is to be aware of your footing. You shouldn't be stomping, as that can result in injuries and strains, taking up unnecessary amounts of energy. As well as your form, you have to take your diet into consideration. It plays a large factor in how you perform each run, so make sure you have a good diet. I used to be the type of person to skip out on meals, but I have recently been able to get all three in. Space them out throughout the day, balancing your nutrition with each thing you eat. 

Q: What is the biggest problem you faced?

A: I had a large amount of injuries when running; it's bound to happen. The worst time would have to be when I got a stress fracture in my fibula; it was like a scooter to the shin. I felt the pain with every step I took, and I sadly had to stop my race midway because of it. In the end, I had to be in a cast, missing out on school. At the same time, I had gotten strep throat, which left me in a horrible condition. On top of those two problems, I was missing out on important AP Tests. I was struggling each day, and I had to recover and make up for the tests that I was missing out on. In total, this has to be the worst injury because of the other stress-related factors. 

Q: Did you ever feel some sort of pressure or expectations? 

A: It’s very common for others to feel nervous, but personally, I could not say the same thing. Because I already had a lot of running experience, I had already established myself. I realized that I was in an environment that I was comfortable in so there was no sort of pressure involved. 

Q: How did you start out in running, were you always fast?

A: I was not always the fastest runner. From the ages of 8-10, I was the slowest on the team. Finally, I noticed some improvement around the age of 11, running with more competitive teams in my youth club. I was able to move up, and I gradually noticed myself getting faster over time.