By Derrick Smith

Running sports like track and cross country may not require a lot in the way of strategy, but they do require an enormous amount of preparation and hard work. Lucy Webb of Oklahoma Christian School competes in both sports and says that her motivation comes from knowing that she can always get better.

“Wanting to be the best version of yourself is what motivates me by knowing that I can always improve and work harder,” she said. “I’ve had some really great moments when running but I think my first competition would have to be the most memorable one. I was so nervous and had no idea what I was doing, but I got out strong and ended up winning the race. Since then, the 800m has been my favorite event to run.”

Webb, a sophomore, says that even though she enjoys running there have been a few people that have been important in her growth as an athlete.

“Some of the biggest influences in my life are all the coaches I’ve ever had,” she said. “They all made me into the athlete I am today, and they all taught me different life lessons that I will use throughout my whole life. My friend Hailey Nesselrode is a huge influencer and role model in my life because she is the one who convinced me to start running. So without her, I would have never done cross country or track in high school.”

The coaches are important, but Lucy also says that her teammates have played a big part in her getting to where she is today.

“I probably battle Liz Brooks the most at practice,” she said. “We are both very competitive, and when we do workouts together, we normally end up pushing the pace. I would have to say Lena Strauss is the least appreciated person on the team. She is the person to go to when you need to figure out your paces or splits for a workout, and she keeps everyone’s personal records on a spreadsheet and has them memorized.”