Bellingham’s Sophia Koch began running around the track in middle school and immediately fell in love with long-distance events. The sophomore placed second in the 1,600-meter event with 4:57.84 at the 2A state meet last season.
“It was super stressful and scary, but once you get there with the other people, everyone else is nervous,” Koch said. “It was less nerve-wracking because everyone was just like you.”
Koch decided to run the 800, 1,600 and 3,200 because she loves the long-distance running community and has made a great group of friends. In addition, she loves the challenge from her peers at the other local schools.
“The competition is really good and fun,” Koch said. “At the track meets, it is great seeing my friends from other teams and competing against them.”
Koch recommends students who want to try a new sport at Bellingham should try joining the track team because it teaches valuable lessons and you can see progress in yourself. This season, Koch hopes to see more development in herself, meeting new people and helping the freshmen succeed.
“I enjoy seeing progress throughout races and running with my friends,” Koch said. “It’s a good community.”
Nick Zeller-Singh is CDN's sports reporter; reach him at nickzellersingh@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 104.
