This is the first article in Sporty Seniors, a bi-weekly column celebrating M-A senior athletes’ dedication to their sport.
“I got my MRI results back the night before PAL finals,” said senior Sophie Chi. “The doctor said my bone wouldn’t break after one race, so my mindset going into it was, ‘I’m just gonna race.’”
“To make it so far after being injured was one of my biggest accomplishments.”
Sophie Chi’s exceptional running career began in middle school on La Entrada’s cross country team. She is now going into her fourth year running cross country for M-A and third year on the track team. Last season, Chi qualified and competed in the CCS regional championships and State championships. She ran her seasonal best at CCS, ranking in the top 25 of 83 competitors and setting a new career best for the 5k race at State.
Chi’s father, a runner himself, served as her main inspiration for starting cross country. “I didn’t really like running when my dad first took me on runs, but after a while it kind of grew on me,” she said. “He’s always super supportive of me and we still go on runs together when I’m not at practice.”
“She works really hard and she’s very quiet about it. Even when you give her credit for it, she just laughs it off.”
Senior cross country runner Claire Gong
Chi’s cross country career hasn’t always been a jog in the park. Her history with injuries began freshman year with shin splints. Even with this persistent pain, she was able to set the bar high for herself and her teammates.
“She works really hard and she’s very quiet about it. Even when you give her credit for it, she just laughs it off,” said senior cross country runner Claire Gong.
“Sophie is one of a kind,” said junior Mia Sanchez, another one of Chi’s cross country and track teammates. “She’s an amazing person to have on your team because of how supportive she is.”
Chi expressed frustration when she didn’t PR (personal record), especially during her sophomore year. “It was really mentally tough because I was thinking, ‘What if I peaked freshman year? Why is this so hard? I feel like I’m not improving,’” she said.
“It’s nice if you PR, but that doesn’t have to be your whole experience.”
Still, Chi stressed the importance of having fun when running and not getting caught up in the times and numbers. She reminds herself why she enjoys running: “My teammates are so much fun, I get to participate in fun races, and just the community. I’ve been learning to appreciate that.”
“It’s nice if you PR, but that doesn’t have to be your whole experience,” she said.
Chi recalled when workouts or races got especially tough, she would remind herself, “This run is only two 10-minute “All Too Well”’s long,” referring to the song by Taylor Swift. “If that goes by so fast, this will too.”
After her sophomore cross country season, Chi made her track debut. Later that year, she decided to participate in a half-marathon and a triathlon with her dad.
As she entered her junior season of cross country, Chi had many PRs to beat but had run the courses so frequently so she knew how to prepare herself. “I know what’s coming after the hills, so I usually break it down into chunks,” she explained. She also developed strategies for herself, focusing on maintaining a negative split—getting faster as you go—and picking off competitors towards the end.
Chi’s junior season was her first regular season that wasn’t haunted by a serious injury. “I’m kind of used to running in pain because I’ve raced on shin splints before,” she said. “Once you’re in a race, you don’t feel an injury anymore because you’re in other pain.”
Unfortunately, Chi started feeling new discomfort during the practices leading up to the end of the season. Soon after the pain began, she got news from her doctor that her femur was injured and was told to take six to eight weeks off. However, Chi was determined to continue in the final races of the season. “I was basically just biking to keep my fitness and then I would just run the races,” she said.
Chi ended her junior season as one of less than ten M-A athletes to make it to the CCS and State championships. “To make it so far after being injured was one of my biggest accomplishments,” Chi said.
Chi’s final cross country season has just begun, and she is looking forward to what this year has in store. She continues to cross train to prevent overuse and avoid future injuries. “I’m not looking to get recruited for college, but I would definitely join a running club and keep running on my own,” Chi said.
