Madeline Fleming '20 Recruiting Profile

My goal is to go to a school that will allow me to continue to run while pursuing a career in Physical Therapy.  I would benefit a college team with my dedication, enjoyment of running, and willingness to encourage and help other members of my team.  I am currently enrolled in and plan to continue taking AP level courses.  I enjoy being a volunteer at my church,  other community events for children,  and the SPCA. Being considerate, funny, and compassionate are my core characterstics.  Teachers describe me as hardworking, intelligent, helpful, and friendly.  Running has been my passion ever since I was 9 years old. The person who encouraged me to start running was my Mom. She would sign me up for 5ks and at first I would not want to run but when the sound of the gun went off and everyone started running I felt a special passion that I had never felt before. So when I got into high school I signed up for my Cross Country team and it was the best decision of my life, everyone on the team encouraged me to push my self and do my best and succeed. My freshman season was an all learning experience from learning my pace, how to push myself, and how to never give up in the face of adversity. My next Cross Country season was once again an all learning experience but in a different way. I never thought that while doing something I loved, I would get an injury and not be able to run anymore for most of the school year. I was out for the last half of my XC season, and all but 2 indoor track races, and it took a tremendous toll on me.  At first everyone including myself thought that I was just getting calf cramps and that with stretching and time off it would get better, but things progressed and I got patellar tendinitis in my right knee, and at the end of the season I was diagnosed with a sever stress fracture in my fibula and tibia. During my time off I learned how to manage without my stress reliever and that was not the easiest thing for me to do but I also learned the importance of stretching, how my body works, and ultimately how to tell myself it will all be ok if I take time off instead of pushing through the pain I was experiencing. I would still go to practice and cross train on the bikes and with weights. Once I got the ok I moved to the elliptical as well but it just wasn’t the same as running. Now that I am cleared to run I will slowly, but surely, progress back into running full time, but this time I will carry the knowledge I acquired of taking care of my body and how to know when to ask for help with the pain I am experiencing. I hope to continue my running career in college and hopefully further on after college. I am using this outdoor season to get back and be better than I was before.