By Genre McAtee '16
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Allison Martinez (AM) is finishing up her first season on the Santa Clara cross country team. She told Santa Clara Broncos (SCB) that although she has gained plenty of racing experience this year, she is still hungry for more.
SCB: How is competing on the Santa Clara cross country team enriching your freshman year?
AM: Competing on the SCU cross country team has enriched my freshman year because it introduced me to my teammates, whom I absolutely love! Thanks to cross country, I have never felt homesick because running for the Broncos has made Santa Clara feel like home.
SCB: What makes you passionate about running?
AM: I am passionate about running because I simply love to run! I love the running culture, accomplishing personal bests, and my team. I am most passionate about running when I am in my element alongside my teammates.
SCB: How do you get pumped up for a race?
AM: I get pretty nervous for races, so I normally just try to stay relaxed and focused. I like listening to music, but my best pre-race strategy is to be goofy and just enjoy being able to do what I love. My teammates make it hard to be nervous because they're always making me laugh.
SCB: What do you think about during races? What's on your mind while you're running?
AM: My best races happen when I don't think! Running as hard as you can for 6k is tough, and it definitely takes a lot of mental toughness to be able to shut out negative thoughts. When I'm not focused, my mind is all over the place. One time, I started thinking about how hungry I was, which definitely did not make racing any easier!
SCB: With only three races left, including the WCC Championships on Nov. 1, how are you looking to end this calendar year?
AM: My goal for my freshman year was to gain collegiate running experience, race to the best of my abilities and have fun. I want to end this season feeling satisfied with my efforts, yet still hungry for more. I am excited to see what I can do in the upcoming races.
Go Broncos!