s tu d e nt s pot l i ght by Sarah Grace Smith
Crossing the Finish Line Local track star wraps up her high school career Audrey Bannister has always been athletic growing up, but never had she imagined becoming a Division I college athlete. As a child, she tried out soccer and basketball. When she saw her sister running cross country, she decided she would join too. In seventh grade, Bannister started running. And she fell in love with it. “It was really exciting because it was different from the other sports I had done,” she says. “While it’s a team sport, you’re always trying to compete with yourself and beat your previous times.” Bannister ran in both track and field and cross country for Dublin schools. In track, she competed in the two mile, the mile, the open 800-meter and the 4x800-meter relay. She sees running as both a de-stresser and a discipline. While running casually is a stress reliever, racing is an op-
portunity. Even when her races don’t go as planned, Bannister refuses to cry over spilled milk. “I always use it as an opportunity to improve,” she says. Bannister quickly became a star in the local running world. She made the Division I state meet all four years of high school, and she has many titles to her name. Despite the success, Bannister’s running career hasn’t been smooth sailing the entire time. In middle school, she began struggling with knee problems. When she entered high school, she experienced stress reactions in her shins. For many runners, these issues can signal the end of their career. But Bannister didn’t let it stop her. Bannister learned how to be cognizant of her body and its physical states. She implemented specific stretches and cross training into her routine to avoid injuring herself further.
Meet must-haves Track and field and cross country meets can be hours-long events that require lots of preparation. When Bannister attends one, she makes sure to pack the following in her bag: • • • • • • • •
Spiked running shoes Recovery slides Chocolate milk BODYARMOR or Gatorade Cheese sticks Uncrustables Apples and peanut butter Lots of layers of clothing
Audrey’s top artists to run to Bannister’s music taste spans multiple genres. Here are her three go-tos. • The Strokes • Willow Smith • Awolnation* *Bannister runs to their song “Run“. How perfect! 36 • August/September 2021
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