Running the extra mile

Freshman Annie Schwartz´s life would be different without running. She doesn’t just run for competition, but for other things too. ¨I usually run if I’m really overwhelmed or stressed. It’s a good way to clear your head,” Schwartz says. 

Schwartz excelled at many sports as a kid. ¨Soccer was my main one and gymnastics¨ Schwartz said. Not only does she succeed at running, but she also succeeds at taekwondo. ¨ I did taekwondo, but I stopped because I got my first-degree black belt.¨ These sports have helped her get her athleticism up, which helped her in running.  

¨I love watching her encounter problems and learn how to figure them out on her own. Sports are full of obstacles, some of them from opponents but mostly from within ourselves.¨ Schwartz’s dad, David Schwartz, said.

For running, Schwartz has traveled to many places far and wide. She has traveled to Wisconsin, North Dakota, California, and many more. Her favorite meet was in California, and it wasn’t because she did well, but for another reason.

¨ I got to see the ocean for the first time, which was a big goal of mine forever,¨ Schwartz said. She also liked going to see it because she got to spend some alone time with her mom for the weekend. For her future, Schwartz wants to go to college in California, because she loved it so much. ¨It was so different from Iowa. I kind of loved it.¨ Schwartz replied. When she gets older she wants to be a doctor, especially one that specializes in sports medicine. 

Schwartz needed something to motivate her while running and that’s how she came up with her saying ¨Do your best a forget the rest.¨ Schwartz said. ¨Someone told me to just like, try my best. Then I was like, okay, now I’m going to make it rhyme and make it sound cool and sing it while I run.¨

One of Schwartz´s biggest accomplishments was running a 400-meter sprint. To most runners, this is a regular task, but this was no regular day. It was pouring and got delayed so her anticipation just kept on growing. She finally started running. Schwartz kind of gave up but by the third turn, she tried super hard to beat the girl in front of her. She ended up finishing last. Even though she finished last, she got a personal record and cut one second off of her time. ¨ That felt really good,¨ Schwartz said, referring to after the race.

¨She works really hard and is open to coaching¨ Schwartz’s Coach, Peggy McGuire, a special education teacher at Liberty high school said. ¨She pushed the pace and her and a couple of other girls broke away on the intervals and that’s what needs to be done to get the most out of each girls’ workout,¨ McGuire wrote. 

Schwartz looks up to her mom for influence.¨She does so much stuff it’s impressive. I don’t know how she can handle all of it, but I couldn’t.¨ Schwartz said, ¨she go to all the meets you know, she’s a really big supporter.¨

Schwartz is excited to run a marathon one day, and she is preparing by running more and more each day. When she does run a marathon, she would dedicate it to her mom.