Janine Mbianda, a Senior cross-country runner, started the sport because her friends were involved. At first, she didn’t take it too seriously, but now she trains every day to get better. Even when races are tough, Janine pushes herself to keep going. She enjoys being part of a close team and has learned to balance running with school, which has made a big impact on her high school life.
What motivated you to start running cross country, and how has your passion for the sport evolved?
I was motivated by my friends who were actually in cross country. I started out a little late, but I saw that they were all really good and really fast, so I took inspiration and did it. At first I just kind of did it because I was like “Oh, let me just do this as a side task.” I didn’t take it as seriously, but now I really do and I work every day to get better at it.
Can you describe a particularly challenging race or course you’ve faced and how you pushed through it?
Recently actually, we went to Elm Road Elementary School and they have one of the hardest courses in our area. That’s like our home course. And because we practice there so often, I thought it was going to be an easy race, but it was hot, and I was dehydrated. It was my first race of the season. So I was just halfway there and I was like “I can’t do this anymore like I literally physically can’t.” I could’ve collapsed right there and then. But I just mentally thought “Just get to the finish line.” You know what I mean? You’re almost there, look at the person in front of you. ‘Cause I knew I was going to beat myself up if I literally walked off that race, so I just kept going and pushed through it.
How do you mentally prepare for a race, especially when you’re feeling nervous or unsure about the outcome?
Nerves have always been a huge thing for me, so I try to reserve those feelings for the next day because I noticed that when I first started running, I would get nervous like days before and it just wasted all of my energy. So I just take the time, enjoy the moments, eat a lot of food, talk to my friends, and distract myself until the actual big day.
What do you enjoy most about being part of a cross-country team, and how has it impacted your overall high school experience?
Definitely the community. It’s filled with people who are so unique and besides them just doing cross country, there are people who do many other sports and clubs and activities and have different backgrounds, and you just get really close with those people from running with them every day. So definitely the closeness of the team and the bonding. It’s just really helped me to have something to turn to at the end of the day when you’re tired of all of your classes, but you go see your friends and run with them. That’s definitely what helps me to get through the day some days.
Can you share a moment during a race or practice when you felt especially proud of yourself or your teammates?
Proud of myself? Definitely during practices. Especially since cross country is definitely a group sport, so you’ve got to stick with the person in front of you. Especially someone you know is faster than you and has a lot more experience. Whenever I stick with those people on my team, I feel really good because knowing that they’re doing well when I’m sticking with them shows that we’re both improving. So that definitely helps.
How do you balance the physical demands of cross country with your other responsibilities, like school and social activities?
It’s been a little bit difficult, but I try to write everything down. So knowing what all the dates for the next races are, and knowing all my assignments. Just trying to balance everything so I don’t have to stick everything in my mind, ‘cause I notice if you just like throw everything in the back of your head, it’s easier to forget things. So just writing everything down, and just planning things out has really helped me.
What strategies do you use to stay motivated during tough training sessions or races, especially when you’re feeling tired or discouraged?
Just staying hydrated, and getting water. Water becomes your best friend for cross country. And also being motivated by your friends for sure and also telling yourself, “You’ll be more disappointed in yourself if you just walk off, not finishing this workout.” Rather than just sticking to it and finishing. No matter how well you do, it’s just so much better than just giving up at the end of the day.
How has cross country influenced your approach to setting and achieving goals, both on and off the course?
You need to integrate as many aspects into your life as possible when it comes to cross-country. So your health, your sleep, you know, what you’re eating. I’ve been trying to be mentally aware of everything I’m doing to know how it’ll affect the next races. I also do that for other things too, like for choir, or any of my other clubs and activities. I try to make sure that I’m taking the right steps to succeed in that.
What advice would you give to someone who is considering joining cross country but might be hesitant or unsure?
I say talking to people that you know does long distance for sure. ‘Cause obviously, they will give you the best insight. But we’ll tell you about some of the things we do. We do a lot of fun activities and at the end of the day, you will have a big group of friends, but it’s still going to be a hard sport. But because it has such a great community, you’re going to feel good about that. No matter what, you only get better. Every single day you come to practice, you’re going to get better, it’s going to get easier, and you’re going to get rewarded after every single day.
Looking ahead, how do you see your experience in cross country shaping your future, whether in running or other areas of your life?
I do hope to run later in college. I’m trying to talk to some colleges right now to run there. But also, I want to keep running after college, maybe doing marathons and races. If I have my own kids someday, maybe running with them. Just keep that in my life. And also keep up with other hobbies of mine in my life too because those are the things that keep you grounded when day-to-day life becomes hectic.
