Highland’s Marti has successful freshman season with Maryville cross country team
Kate Marti went into her freshman season of cross country hoping to have success each race and make herself a contributing member of the Maryville University Saints women’s team.
When the season ended in early November, Marti had definitely made her mark.
Marti, a 2019 graduate of Highland High School, felt she turned in a productive season.
“I feel like it it (the season) went really well,” Marti said. “I ran two of my PR’s and obviously I didn’t run the same distances that I ran in high school, so everything was going to be a PR but based off the times I ran in high school, I’m pretty sure they would have been a PR.”
Going from high school to college distance running, Marti had some big adjustments to make. The biggest and toughest adjustment for her was the amount or roadwork or mileage to prepare for the season and races.
“The mileage (was a huge adjustment),” Marti said. “I was not used to running that kind of mileage. We probably did anywhere from 45 to 50 miles a week and high school I never did that ... probably around 30 is what I did in high school.”
Marti said the extra roadwork definitely took something out of her physically.
“It definitely took a toll on my body,” Marti said. “I actually didn’t do indoor season for track because I had a tear in one of the discs in my back.”
The season started off rather nondescript for Marti as she worked to find the right pace in the first three meets of the season.
That all changed for the better Oct. 19, when the Saints competed in the St. Louis Fall Classic at Francis Park in St. Louis.
In the Fall Classic, Marti helped the Saints to a third place finish out of eight teams and she got her first PR of the season, clocking a 11:19.52 in the 5K race, taking sixth place overall.
“I think I ran so well there because my high school teammates and coaches came out and it was the only meet that was close (to them),” Marti said. “It was nice to have them there supporting me.”
Marti followed that up with another strong showing in the Saints final meet of the season at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships in Evanville, Indiana, on Oct. 26.
The Saints finished 12th overall in the meet and Marti was the first Maryville runner to cross the finish line as she finished the 6K course with a time of 24:04.09. Maryville scored 389 team points in the meet.
GLVC performance puts finishing touches on freshman season
Marti’s strong finish in the GLVC Championships was a great moment in what had been a challenging but ultimately rewarding freshman campaign.
“It was really cool that I could be able to go to college and just be the first place finisher for my team,” Marti said. “I didn’t really have a big team at Maryville since we only had about seven girls (running), but it kind of allowed us to really get to know each other. If it had been a big team, I probably wouldn’t have known everyone as well, so it was a cool experience.”
The biggest boost for her confidence in meets was having family and friends there for support in races such as the St. Louis Fall Classic. Marti said that support really helped her thrive in those meets.
“It was always the meets that when my parents and grandparents could come too,” Marti said. “Especially, the one I had close to home. Everybody came. I had my grandparents, mom and dad, my high school coaches, and high school teammates and I don’t know why but that really got to me and really helped me.”
What does the future hold for former Highland star?
Ending the season on a high note was big for Marti and, after dealing with back and knee issues during last fall, she is focusing on her nursing classes this spring and giving some serious contemplation on whether she wants to return to run cross country at Maryville this fall, call it quits, or take a year off and let her body heal up.
“I’ve been thinking about throwing in the towel with this because of my back and I feel if I go up to that same amount of mileage again it might not be good for me,” Marti said. “I’ve already had three knew surgeries, and my knees are bothering me at some points too. As much as I hate to say it, running has given so much to me and taught me so much and I love the sport but in the back of my head, is it worth sacrificing being able to walk when I’m older.
“I feel like if I can’t do the training the coaches want me to do, that’s not fair to my teammates and I’m not sure I’m going to go back (to run) next year.”
Should Marti not run for Maryville this fall, she will still continue school next year at Maryville and run casually with friends. Marti said Maryville coach Vince Bingham has left the door open for her to take next season off and return to the team then if she decides to go that route.
“I still have the opportunity to go back, but it’s up to me and I’m just gonna play it by ear until then,” Marti said.