Top Runners Share Tips

By Jondi Gumz

Running is a good way to stay active. It doesn’t require a gym membership, but how do you get started? And how do you avoid injury?

Who better to ask than the Boothbys? Aiden and Amber are 17, fraternal twins, and Ashlyn is 16.

These three siblings have led the Scotts Valley High School cross country team to top finishes in state competition.

Aiden: I started in sixth grade. I wanted to be active. Mom ran in high school and college. She said, Yeah, you guys could try out.

Amber: We tried different sports. I was really into swimming for a while. Eventually I decided running is what I want. Running with people is a big motivator for me. Hearing Aiden talk about the team environment.

Ashlyn: When we lived in (Boulder) Colorado, we were always running around. We all did soccer. Eventually you find something that sticks. Deep down, I wanted to be a runner. I started cross-country in sixth grade. It’s fun and it’s very rewarding.

Aiden: The harder it is, the more you’re going to be rewarded. It’s very satisfying when you’re able to run a couple miles.

Build in rests

Aiden: If you have a hard day, a hard day, a hard day, you won’t be able to get out of bed. Do an easy run after a workout.

Ashlyn: We tend to forget our easy days are supposed to be easy. You need to not overtrain, or you’ll get injured.

Amber: It’s important to take rests, too. If you’re running every day without breaks, you’ll burn out. Take a week or two off in the season. Make the break part of your routine. I’m trying to cross train, walking, swimming.

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Aiden: Every Sunday, we don’t run. We might go to the gym, or swim or hike. It’s not a running day.

Prevent injuries

Ashlyn: Build in habits like stretching before and after running. Different stretches. Calf stretches. Running on stiff muscles won’t end well.

Amber: I had shin splits, Achilles tendon, strained muscles. I rested a couple weeks.

Aiden: Shin splits are the most common running injury. You’re doing too much, too early or using bad form. Cut down on your mileage. Shorter strides help, and new shoes.

Amber: Start with short mileage, one mile, three miles, and build up to higher mileage – 10 miles.

Ashlyn: The more you do something, the easier it gets. Getting started is the hardest part.

Aiden: Before running, stretch. Touch your toes for 30 seconds. You need different stretches to target the same muscles.

Long distance?

Aiden: Some runners do 70 miles, that’s too much for high school. Fifty miles is the max during the season at high school. I could do 70 but I should not. You don’t need all those miles.

Ashlyn: Our coach is getting us ready for college, not high school. Low mileage-- quality over quantity.

Good place to run

Amber: The entrance hill to the high school. It’s steep.

Ashlyn: Hills. The hill on Casa Way, it helps you build power.

Ashlyn: We ran on the middle school team with the Los Gatos Track Club, AAU, it’s good to prepare for high school.

Aiden: Jeremy Kain (SVHS ‘2022 second in the state track and field championship now on the track team for Duke University) did that same club. It’s very competitive.

Amber Boothby is committed to run for UC San Diego after high school graduation. “I’m super excited to run for a college team,” she said.

Aiden Boothby wants to attend college on the East Coast. He’s looking at Division 1, II and III schools and plans to major in electrical engineering.

Ashlyn Boothby is a junior so she’ll be running cross country for Scotts Valley High next fall. Her goal is to run at a D-I college, so this track season she is working to improve her times in the 1,600. Stanford expects a time of 4:49. Her best time is 4:51. She’s ambitious: “My goal is 4:45.” 