“She has definitely gotten faster and her work ethic has grown because she practices a lot over the weekend and she prepares a lot for each meet,” Zalavadia said. Running has increased Mi’s dedication and self-motivation because it requires an extensive amount of physical and mental strength that forces her to run faster and finish the meets. In addition to UPA practices after school, Mi trained at her local gym and park and researched the 2018 CCS records to aim for a qualification for California state championships. “I prepared myself mentally [for CCS] by assuring myself that I could do it,” Mi said. “I just wanted to do my best and made the most out of the last time I competed on the Crystal Springs course.” On Nov. 16, Mi competed at CCS, placing No. 43 out of 49 female runners, with a timed run of 26 minutes and 3.74 seconds for 2.8 miles. She was surrounded by competitive athletes, who she thought lacked sportsmanship. “Running [at] CCS taught me running truly takes both mental and physical strength because [I had to strengthen] my muscles and endurance for three whole months,” she said. “Without willpower, running is impossible.” Photos: Jovita Mi (12) trained for CCS with teammate Emma Fulton (9) by doing leg exercises, warm-ups, and laps around the parking lot near the amphitheater and Cathedral of Faith. She wore a pink Kinesio Tex Tape to prevent pain from running with shin splints.
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