Name: Jacob Sanford
Sport: Cross country
Grade: 11
How long have you been running cross country?
“I have been running since fourth grade. I decided to do Run for The Hills, but I never did cross country until seventh grade.”
What other sports do you play at FHC?
“In the winter I am a part of the FHC swim and dive team, and in the spring I run track.”
What is your best memory from your time running cross country?
“My first race freshman year I didn’t know how high school cross country was going to go, since I had a rocky middle school career, and I had not raced many 5Ks prior to that race. However, this race ended up going great. I got second in the freshman race and ended up running 18:55.9 to snag a spot on the varsity team. This race surprised me because my goal for my freshman season was to run under 20 minutes and I did it on the first race.”
What are the strengths of this year’s team?
“I believe that our team currently has the depth in order to have a great season and improve on our 12th-place finish at states last year.”
What are your individual goals for this season?
“I would love to finally run under the 16-minute mark because it’s a barrier that very few people achieve in their time running cross country, and breaking this barrier would help the team place better at states.”
Who is the biggest influence in your athletic career and why?
“My mom is my biggest influence because she comes to every meet to support me. She always encourages me to not take the easy way out, and to improve as a student-athlete.”
Do you have any superstitions associated with your meets?
“I always eat a Kind bar before every race, and I like to wear the same pair of socks for every meet. And yes, I make sure to wash them after every race.”
What is your favorite class this year and why?
“So far I have been really enjoying AM FX because I like working in a collaborative climate, and I think it is very fun to do the live shows every day.”
