Athlete Name: Steven Weaver
School: Napoleon
Year of Graduation: 2012
Best times in a 5K race and in which meet.
15:21- State Meet 2010
Tell us how your summer training is going?
Going well despite the heat, I averaged about 60-65 miles per week throughout the summer. Also adding in some tempo runs along with fartlek's.
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
Winning State and hoping to break 15 minutes sometime during the season.
How long have you been running and how did you get started?
I started running cross country my sophomore year after playing football my freshman year. A successful freshman track season helped with my decision.
Will you be competing out of state this season?
Most of our team meets are in Ohio.
What is your favorite course to run in your state?
Tiffin
What is the toughest course to run in your state?
Tiffin
What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career?
State meet
Favorite cross country memory?
Placing 2nd at the state meet in 2010.
When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?
Hanging out with friends, going hunting, fishing, or boating.
Favorite quote?
"Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, an hour, a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take it's place. If I quit however, it lasts forever." -Lance Armstrong
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Athlete Name: Sam Prakel
School: Versailles
Year of Graduation: 2013
Best times in a 5K race and in which meet.
15:36.70- M.A.C. Championship 2010
Tell us how your summer training is going?
I have been able to train consistently, and I am happy with what I have accomplished. Starting two weeks after the state track meet, I set milage goals each week to improve my endurance while staying healthy. It has also been nice pushing the team and watching our improvement as a whole. Though cross is my first priority throughout the summer, I also juggle other activities. I completed my Eagle Scout service project in July and participate in the marching band.
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
My two main goals this year are to stay healthy and help my team advance to the state meet. I have had some injuries in the past and I hope with my experience and altered training I can avoid that obstacle. From a team standpoint, our ultimate goal is to make it to state, but we will take it one step at a time. There are a lot of returning runners from last year's top 10, and we are all improving. Hopefully, by the end of the year, we are where we want to be and we can accel both individually and as a team at that final meet.
How long have you been running and how did you get started?
I have been running for as long as I can remember. Whether it was going out with Dad on his daily fitness runs or sticking with my older sister Mary, age 20, when she started her running career in 6th grade, my family played a key role in starting me in this wonderful sport. I was also big on the local 5k races and always had a great time competing in those at an early age. (Mary Prakel's MileSplit profile)
Will you be competing out of state this season?
I plan on running a few post-season races depending on how the season goes.
What is your favorite course to run in your state?
My favorite course would have to be Coldwater's course. They host the Lions and M.A.C. meet in a local park, and the whole course is flat. However, my favorite part is that you get to finish the last 300 meters on the track.
What is the toughest course to run in your state?
The toughest course I run would have to be our home course at the local sewer plant. There are two steep downhills and one monster up hill nicknamed "big nasty" which really makes it difficult.
What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career?
My favorite race was the Treaty City Invitational in Greenville my freshman year. It was my first victory as a high schooler and I also got the school record in this race.
Favorite cross country memory.
Listening to African music on the way to regionals last year. It was weird, but I'm sure it will become a tradition.
When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?
Play ultimate frisbee. My friends and I get together multipe times during the week to play. It's fun but at the same time a decent workout.
Favorite quote?
"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us." --Hebrews 12:1
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Athlete Name: Abel Flores
School: Defiance High School
Year of Graduation: 2012
Best times in a 5K race and in which meet.
15:42 5k pr at les eisenhart invitational
Tell us how your summer training is going?
Summer training was going great, but I developed a stress fracture in my left leg and will be out for a month. I am still maintaining what I got from summer training with a lot of biking and swimming.
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
Goals include winning WBLs (Western Buckeye League), and state and all with my team as well.
How long have you been running and how did you get started?
I have been running since 5th grade I'd say. It all started with the fitness test in gym class. I was second best and always got beat my friend Austin Frayley. I was also in boxing and we ran sometimes and I was always out in front. Eventually I did track in 7th grade and was decent. I joined cross country in 8th grade and won the WBL and after that was when I fully committed myself to running.
Will you be competing out of state this season?
I may do the footlocker or nike meet undecided as of right now, but would like to qualify for one national meet.
What is your favorite course to run in your state?
My favorite course would have to be Tiffin.
What is the toughest course to run in your state?
Toughest course has to be Tiffin, I guess.
What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career?
Last year's State race.
Favorite cross country memory?
Getting 5th at state last year and some of my teammates painted their chests for me, it was great.
When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?
In my spare time i just like relax at home, play video games or something, and hangout with friends as well.
Favorite quote?
"Never give in no matter what, push past the pain and go" This is a quote that I made up and I tell my self this during a race or workout.
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Athlete Name: Josh Steible
School: Centerville High School
Year of Graduation: 2013
Best times in a 5K race and in which meet.
15:51.43 at the 2010 GWOC Championship meet my sophomore year
Tell us how your summer training is going?
Summer training is going very well. I was able to get a good base over the summer and am feeling stronger than ever. Our team is also coming together. Even though we lost a few key seniors, we have a lot of depth this year. Several upper classmen are stepping up and our underclassmen will continue to get stronger. We are looking to have one of the better teams in the state and hope to be competing for the win at all the meets we attend.
What are your goals for the upcoming season?
My goal for this season is to compete with the top runners at every meet and have a strong placing at the State Meet. Our team goal is to qualify for the State Meet and compete with the top teams.
How long have you been running and how did you get started?
When I was younger, I swam for our area’s club team. As a part of our training, we would have to run a mile. I found that running came natural, so I ran a few area races for younger kids. In 7th grade, I went out for the middle school cross country team, began to like racing, and have been running ever since.
Will you be competing out of state this season?
Yes. Our team will be running at the Trinity Invite in Kentucky and the Culver Invitational in Indiana.
What is your favorite course to run in your state?
My favorite course is the MVJTC where the Alliance Invite and our District Meet is held. I have run the course, both two mile and 5k, many times over my running career. Because I know the course so well, I have always had better races there.
What is the toughest course to run in your state?
The toughest course I have run is the State Meet course at Scioto Downs because there is no point on the course where you can mentally relax or you will find yourself dropping in position. The gradual hill in the first mile separates the competition and if you’re not in a good position, you can find yourself too far back from the leaders. The last mile of the course is all rolling hills, so if you mentally tune out, you can lose a lot of places.
What is your favorite cross country race so far in your high school career?
My favorite race is our home meet, Saturday Night Lights. The race schedule is planned so that the varsity races are at night under the lights. The feeling you get from running under the lights is like no other meet I have ever run.
Favorite cross country memory?
The best memory I have had so far in cross country was at the Regional Meet, my sophomore year. I put in a lot of the hard work during the summer and it was a great feeling to have everything come together and have one of the best races of my running career at the meet that qualified me to State.
When you are not running what is your favorite thing to do?
When I am not running or sleeping after the run, I love to hang out with my friends and go to the pool. I also like playing all kinds of sports.
Favorite quote?
“To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift.” -Steve Prefontaine. I like this quote the best because I have always been raised as winning isn’t everything and all that matters is to do your best at everything you do. This applies in everything, not just running. I always try to help guys that don’t want to work hard and just go through the motions. If you’re not going to do something to the best of your abilities, then why do it at all?
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