This interview took place just before Laney Barnes, 12, competed at the UIL 6A Texas State Meet in Round Rock, where she placed 2nd overall.
Q: What do your stats look like this season?
A: So basically it started off with just the 2-mile races and then we went to the 5Ks. And I feel like each meet I’ve just gotten progressively better each time, which it’s been awesome.
Q: Why do you enjoy cross country? What drives you to continue it?
A: Honestly, I used to be a swimmer and so just converting over to running has just been so much more fun for me. I just love getting to run everywhere and like the fresh air and just the feeling of having that runner’s high, honestly.
Q: What’s your favorite quote?
A: It’s hard. I feel like I don’t really know quotes, but maybe just like, I don’t even know if it’s been from anything, but just like phrases. It’s kind of just like remembering where you got your strength from. I don’t do anything just on my own. Like it comes from a lot of people, I feel like.
Q: Your strength that comes from a lot of people: Who are people that drive your strength?
A: I would say definitely Coach Zarate, the cross country coach, and my parents and all my family and friends.
Q: Have you done any other sports? I just heard you did swimming.
A: Yes, I used to swim. So that was my main sport that I used to do.
Q: How was the transition between [those]?
A: Honestly, I feel like swimming helps cross country so much just because you get that aerobic training, so you’re already used to it, but then you’re just using different muscles, I guess.
Q: When did you switch to cross country?
A: I switched to cross country at the beginning of my junior year.
Q: Did you feel like you were behind starting later or anything compared to all the people that’ve been doing it since middle school?
A: Honestly, I feel like it helped that I started later just because I was more fresh to it. So it just helped me to progress faster because I was not run down from it, if that makes any sense.
Q: What’s your favorite accolade/achievement?
A: I would say probably winning the Texas A&M Invitational. That was a really fun meet.
Q: Do you have any advice for people who want to get into cross-country, especially at your level?
A: I would say the biggest thing is you have to make sure you don’t stress out too much about it and don’t overthink racing. You really just have to have fun because if you are super stressed about everything and/or just like calculating exactly how to do things, you’re not gonna do great because you’re just like getting in your own head. You just have to run. You run so much every week and then you’re just running a little part of a race. So that’s my biggest thing, is honestly just to have fun.
Q: What do you think makes you a good athlete?
A: I feel like probably just my regimented routine that I have every day and like just my dedication to it because I feel like it’s so hard to have motivation sometimes. But I feel like just knowing end goals and having that routine every day is what helps me stay on track for it.
Q: What do you have to do to get invited to State? Like what’s the steps to get up there?
A: So basically, there’s districts first, which top three teams and top 10 individuals make it out of districts. And so sadly, our team didn’t make it out of districts, but I individually made it out. And then at regionals, top four teams and top 10 individuals make it again. And it was only me competing, but I was able to qualify individually out of regionals to make it to state.
