Second year cross-country member named Athlete of the Week
Second year Gryphon Heather Petrick won the Cross Country New Balance Vic Matthews Open with a remarkable time of 20:42.6 – almost a full 20 seconds ahead of second place. The finish was part of a great 1-6 sweep for the Gryphons on Sept. 20 at Guelph’s Arboretum.
The Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario native talked about being a member of the Gryphons cross-country team, her love for the sport, and more.
Stephanie Coratti: When did you start participating in cross-country, and what attracted you to it?
Heather Petrick: I started running cross-country in grade seven. I was living overseas in Saudi Arabia at the time, and it was a popular school sport. However, I didn’t start training competitively until I was in grade 11 back in Ontario. At first I was attracted to the sport just for fun, but now I enjoy the challenge of running personal bests and improving.
S.C.: What’s the best thing about being a member of the Gryphons cross-country team?
H.P.: The team itself. Everyone works hard and is supportive of each other. It’s like a family. We push each other to accomplish our goals in both running and life. In high school, I ran and trained pretty much by myself, so it was a completely different experience for me.
S.C.: Do you have a pre-race ritual to prepare yourself?
H.P.: My favourite […] is a huge bowl of oatmeal with every topping imaginable in the morning. Other than that, I like to take my time warming-up and getting focused on my race instead of others around me.
S.C.: Where do you get your motivation?
H.P: Part of my motivation comes from the fact that there are no limits. It’s always possible to push yourself a little harder and run a little faster to achieve a new personal best. I find it exciting to never know what you’re capable of until it happens.
S.C.: Who has been the most influential part of your life as a student, and an athlete?
H.P.: The big influences on me, especially last year as a rookie, were the veterans. They were great role models and always had good advice […].
S.C.: What are your goals and aspirations outside of cross-country?
H.P.: Outside of running, a huge passion of mine is nutrition. Good nutrition is important for all athletes, and I hope to pursue a career in this field. I also enjoy cooking and experimenting new recipes with fresh and local ingredients.
S.C.: How do you think you’ve developed and grown since being a first year athlete?
H.P.: As a varsity athlete, time management is very important. My schedule is busy with classes and training, and I’ve had to learn how to balance it all. In terms of training, I’ve becoming much more in-tune with recovery and how to prevent injuries. It’s easy for athletes, […] rookies especially, to push themselves too hard early on and end up having to sit out a season.
S.C.: What’s next for you following this cross-country season and the school year?
H.P.: We have an exciting competition schedule this fall – we’re heading to Pennsylvania and Wisconsin for some NCAA meets, and then OUA and CIS in Kingston and St. John’s. It’s a high caliber of athletes we’ll be up against this year, and I can’t wait for our teams to perform. As for the school year, I’m currently studying Biomedical Science, and hope to volunteer in some labs relating to nutrition and exercise.