A freshman runner and varsity athlete, Preston Nelson (9), has been running cross country since 6th grade. “Discipline and pushing yourself until you no longer can is the most important thing cross country,’’ he said. Nelson trains hard for meets by going on long runs, following the instruction of his coaches, and listening to motivating music. He always tries to put his best into every race, so that even if he doesn’t win, he will be satisfied and proud of his efforts.

Before a race, Nelson often gets nervous but stays focused and makes sure to have a good, healthy meal before the race starts and get plenty of rest. He goes into each race prepared and runs his hardest as his coaches, teammates, family, and friends cheer him on. ‘’Our coach Patty Ley motivates us all the time to keep pushing and to finish the race strong,’’ he remarked. When fatigue and discomfort set in during his race, he has to tell himself to keep going and to not give up. With incredible determination, faith in his training, and 100% effort, Nelson finishes his races with incredible times. He explained, “The races are sometimes pretty simple, but most of the time they are challenging. You have to push yourself through it and not quit, and then it eases up and gets better.” The best part of any race, however, is finishing it. Nelson’s favorite meet of the season took place at Pacific Lutheran University, where he placed 18th and finished with a time of 17:13.10. His fastest 5K time of the season, however, was at the Puget Sound League Championships, where he placed 27th and finished with a time of 17:09.8.

Representing Gig Harbor High School as a runner is a responsibility that Nelson takes seriously. He loves that his team supports him during his training and races, and he loves running for his school and team. Nelson always tries to wear the wave in a way that embodies the spirit of respect, responsibility, and kindness that are at the center of Tide culture.

Without a doubt, cross country is a challenging sport. Runners must maintain good form and have enough stamina to complete the race, maintaining a good pace. Nelson plans to keep running throughout high school and possibly college in the future. He hopes to get a scholarship one day for cross country, get into a great college, and take cross country to professional levels.