Carolyn Griffin '22 Recruiting Profile

     My name is Carolyn Griffin and I am a varsity track and cross country runner at Shenendehowa High School. I’ve been running since the outdoor track season of 2019. My favorite track events are the 800,1000, and the 1500 as well as the 4x800 but I am always willing to try new events. Before my highschool running career, I played field hockey. The next step for me in field hockey was to make the JV team. I practiced all summer in my yard in addition to joining summer leagues to prepare for the fall tryout. Despite my work put in I did not make the team. It was very disappointing at the time but looking back I feel that memorable experience started the fire inside me to compete harder and strive higher for success even with failures. My dad has been a runner for most of his life so he suggested I try running. I joined the outdoor track team that spring, determined to work hard and be a part of a team again. The legacy running program at Shenendehowa is one of the most encouraging and close knit groups of girls I have ever encountered. My teammates and coaches have become like a second family and I could not have become the runner I am today without their support and encouragement. Running has dramatically changed my life and has not only improved my fitness and self confidence, it has also shaped me into a better person. I cannot imagine my life without going fast on the track, going on a long run on an early Saturday morning, or racing in some of the most adrenaline racing meets in my career; I love every minute of it. I come to practice everyday ready to work and am, as my coach would have me say, a contributor.

     There are many reasons why running is so important to me but one of the most important is being on a team. Knowing the girls that are heavily breathing alongside me are always there to encourage me has helped me improve as a runner and a person. During races I find it helpful for not only my teammates but also myself when I verbally encourage a teammate who is running alongside me as well as cheering on the rest of my teammates after I finish a race. I also believe that throughout my time on the Shenendehowa team I have found confidence within myself and abilities which have pushed me to work harder and become faster each day at practice. I use this confidence to push myself each time I race and to always keep in mind my love for the sport. I am always looking forward to practice and it is always the best part of my day. There is no better feeling than walking out of a practice or a race knowing that I showed up, put in the work, and improved even if it was hard. I also love waking up on a beautiful morning and going on a long run where I can reflect on the week and clear my mind of the stress that school can bring. Running has also made me a more disciplined person as well as improved my time management. Running is the most constant thing in my life that I can always count on to improve my well being. If I had to pick my favorite aspect of running it would be that “you get out what you put into it so if you work hard enough you are capable of achieving big goals”.

     One of my biggest goals is to continue my running career in college. I want to continue to be a serious competitor and become an even better runner. I am excited for new workouts and training on a new team. I think it will be interesting to learn about new techniques and training styles than the ones I have built the base of my running career off of. I would love to be able to train at a high intensity and continue to compete on a serious level. I also feel as though it will be a great social opportunity since I will have many new people to form strong friendships with on a team. It will be fun to get to know a group of girls who are all there for their love of running despite all their different running backgrounds. Most importantly I want to continue to support my passion for the sport and put forth hard work and dedication at a higher level.