By Emily Coughlin
Staff Writer
Sophomore Christine Walsh is a top cross-country runner for St. Bonaventure University. She battled foot injuries her whole freshman year, and has recently been trying new training techniques to overcome her fracture.
Her freshman year, she began to have foot problems from too much running, but pushed through the pain until the winter.
“When I got hurt I continued to run, even when I was in a boot I raced the 5k at the A10s,” said Walsh. “I kept running which made things worse.”
That was Walsh’s seventh injury in the past year and a half, which forced her to realize she needed to change her ways. She talked to her coaches and family to decide what to do and how to change her techniques.
“I realized rather than training harder, I needed to train smarter,” said Walsh.
Walsh participated in many other activities which strengthened her mental side of running. Walsh said she was swimming every day, doing yoga and joining a program to work on strength and speed.
“I was just working on the little things you have to do as a runner,” said Walsh.
During the summer when she was working on other aspects of being an athlete, Walsh didn’t run much to help rejuvenate her body.
“I learned how taking a break mentally can help, and it helped me become more consistent in my thoughts and my workout habits,” said Walsh.
This special training and running hiatus allowed Walsh to restart her running career and rehearse the basics of running. By doing this, she could work her way up on the team by placing higher in races. Walsh became a top scorer for the team, and a better runner overall.
“Last year I wasn’t even in the scoring,” said Walsh. “I was part of the team, but I wasn’t that important, and I was more towards the back.”
This year, Walsh said she finished as the number two runner at the Little Three Championship, which was a huge improvement from where she was last year. She acknowledged that she came into the season physically and mentally stronger, as well as smarter about how she trains and runs.
“I surprised myself,” said Walsh. “I kept telling myself I could go faster.”
Walsh also contributes a lot of her success and improvements to her coaches’, head coach Bob MacFarlane and her conditioning coach Darryn Fiske, who have motivated and encouraged her to become a stronger person and a better runner.
Walsh said her goals for this season are very different than last season. She has a clearer idea of where she wants to be and what she wants to be able to do by the end of the season.
“Last season going into A10s, I knew I was going to be in the back and wasn’t going to place, but this year I know I have a chance to place for the team, so it is very exciting,” said Walsh.
Walsh said she is proud of how far she has come and eager to see where this year and her future with running will take her.
“I have definitely matured,” said Walsh. “I am much more focused when going into a race, and I don’t get as nervous as I used to.”
Walsh is continuing to train hard and be smart about her races, especially with the A10s approaching. She also encourages teammates to take their improvements a little at a time, be aware of how they train and how it is affecting them.
The Bonnies will be running this Saturday, Oct. 28 in Fairfax, Virginia at the Atlantic 10 Championships.
