Catching Up with the Top XC Returners 2015 - Rachel Wentworth

Garaway Sr. Rachel Wentworth finishing at the 2014 D3 State XC Championships. She ran 18:58.64.

Rachel has been to State in each of her three previous years and has not been out of the D3 top 10. In 2012, she ran 10th in 18:47.08. In 2013, she was 5th in 18:53.31 and last year she was 5th in 18:58.06. She is the #2 returning D3 girl in XC with a time of 18:14.60 run at the 2014 Nike Cross Nationals Midwest Region. On the track, she was 4th in 2014 in the D3 3200 with a time of 11:28.64 and 3rd in 2015 with a time of 11:11.34. In 2013, she was 5th in the OATCCC Indoor State 3200 with a time of 11:36.84. In 2014, she ran 2nd in the OATCCC State Indoor 3200 with a time of 11:23.36. In 2015, she dropped down to the 1600 at the OATCCC State Indoor Meet and placed 6th with at 5:16.75.

Rachel's Profile

Best time in a 5K race and in which meet?

My best 5k time is 18:14 so far, which I ran in Terre Haute, Indiana at the 2014 Nike Midwest Regional.

Tell us how your summer training is going?

Summer training is going great so far! My team meets at 6am every morning to run together. Soon I'll be up to 60 miles per week.

What are your goals for the upcoming season?

My team goal for this season is for us to be state champs. Individually, I just want to improve on last year through time and a higher place finish at the state meet.

How long have you been running and how did you get started?

The elementary school I went to had a junior cross country program, so I started that in third grade. I had already tried softball and was horrible, so I thought I'd go for a sport that requires less hand-eye coordination!

Will you be competing anywhere out of state this season?

My team and I will be competing at the Michigan State Spartan Invitational. We're all really excited for that one!

What is your favorite course to run in Ohio?

My favorite course in Ohio is definitely the state meet course at National Trail Raceway. There's always just so much adrenaline in the atmosphere.

What is the toughest course to run in Ohio?

The toughest course I have ever ran is McDonald's home course. Finishing up Billy Goat Hill is very intense.

What meet during the regular season do you put extra emphasize on to compete well at?

We try not to put extra emphasis on any one regular season meet. In the end, regular season doesn't matter anyway. Its purpose is to prepare us for state, so we keep our goals centered around that.

What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career?

My favorite cross country race is definitely my freshman year at the state meet. I ran faster than I ever had before and surprised not only my coach and my parents, but also myself.

Favorite cross country memory?

Without a doubt, the best memory would be standing on the podium with my teammates at state last year and receiving our runner-up trophy. That moment was filled with so much joy for us, and it always will be.

When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?

When I'm not running, I enjoy spending time with my family.

Favorite quote?

My favorite quote is from 1 Corinthians 10:31. "So... whatever you do, do all to the glory of God."

What shoes do you train in?

I train in the Nike Zoom Structure series.

What shoes do you race in?

My current cross country spikes are the Saucony Shay XC.

What's on your Ipod when you go out for runs?

Favorite song to listen to while running: You Can't Stop Me by Andy Mineo.

What professional athlete would you most like to meet?

I would very much like to meet Bridget Franek. I've followed her and been a fan since she competed for Penn State.

What is something that most people don't know about you?

I like to play the piano!