“We have some of the fastest girls South has seen in years,” said girls cross country coach Bob Klebolt.
On Nov. 8, three Patriot runners competed at state and junior Natalie Lena placed 24th out of 30. Not only did she place at state, but at the “Last Chance” meet before state, she ran a time of 18:37 for the 5k which is the second fastest time ever for Parkway South.
“She has grown so much as an athlete, this is only her second season as an XC runner. If you look at her times from last year she is 30-60 seconds faster on every single course that she has faced this season,” said Klebolt.
Once she broke 19:00, it didn’t just affect Lena, it affected her coaches as well.
“When she broke 19:00 and crossed the finish line, I gave her a huge hug and was so proud of her for achieving the goals she set for herself,” said coach Dani Whitcher.
Whitcher said she was ecstatic that Lena was able to achieve the goals she set for herself and was able to push past any hardships that would have led up to that moment. Furthermore, running can be physically and mentally challenging which can make it difficult to stay positive during races, but not for Lena.
“I break down the race into small parts and have small goals throughout the course and I think of comparisons during the race like if I have 800m left, I think of it as the equivalent of the time it takes to brush my teeth and that makes it sound easier,” said Lena.
Also, her ability to stay positive and take the race portions at a time instead of thinking of the whole race makes her be able to stay positive and be a more efficient runner. To add on, It’s not just Lena’s coaches who have been great influences on her, but her teammates as well, specifically junior Allison Miele.
“[Miele] always knows what’s best for me and gives me great advice when I need it and pushes me, but also tells me when I need to take it back a notch. She is always so supportive of me,” said Lena.
According to Whitcher, Lena is able to not get too worried about the results and outcomes of her races which gives her a more positive mindset.
“She doesn’t take herself too seriously which goes to her advantage and she doesn’t get too tied up with the results and is willing to go with the process,” said Whitcher.
Head Coach Bob Klebolt said Lena is easygoing and resilient and is able to take on anything that comes her way. It’s not just her strong athletic abilities that help her achieve her goals, but her bubbly, kind, and positive personality plays a role as well.
“She is just an overall good person, from her daily smiles and dad jokes to blowing bubbles at the end of practice and after finishing her races she is just a great person and athlete to be around,” said Klebolt.
Lena’s character shines through in her actions making her not only a great athlete, but a great role model. She makes an effort to lift the spirits of others whether it’s her teammates, coaches, or competitors. This kind of camaraderie and kindness creates team cohesion and encourages others to keep pushing themselves.
“The coaches and team are lucky to have a wonderful person like her,” said Klebolt.
