Junior Zoe Gebhart had an impressive performance at the John Cleveland Invitational on August 23, finishing 6th overall. She was the first runner from Hamilton Southeastern to cross the finish line at 15:19. 

We asked Zoe how she felt about her placement, and she stated, 

“I felt great coming in sixth at the John Cleveland meet! I didn’t really know what to expect. There were two girls who beat me by less than a second, so I hope to learn from that experience for races in the future.” 

That race experience helped prepare her for upcoming competitions. Although Zoe has been running since 8th grade, this is her first year participating in cross country. Encouraged by friends to join the team, she quickly discovered a love for the sport. 

When asked about her mindset going into future races, Zoe explained, 

“I try to visualize the race. I think about myself navigating through the course and running strong. I also think about my mindset. I try and visualize myself being very focused during races, and my goal for the next race is to give it my best effort and have fun.” 

For Zoe, cross country isn’t just about competing, it’s about having fun regardless of what time she finishes. She continues to train hard with workouts like interval cutdowns and hill repetitions to prepare for each meet. 

Although pre-race nerves are common for her, Zoe has found a simple way to cope taking a deep breath and trusting in her ability’s. With her positive attitude and strong work ethic, she’s ready to tackle her next race head-on. 

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