Katrina Schlenker took herself to that delicate space of why she runs cross country in the first place.
At its core, she runs with her heart. All of it.
Schlenker, a junior at Batavia, reflected on it hours after running a national race in Alabama on Nov. 22.
“You obviously run to compete, but you also run to just better yourself as a person,” Schlenker said. “I think that’s kind of what you have to look at when you don’t really know when you can compete.”
Several months ago, the uncertainty of a fall sports season loomed because of the pandemic. Uncertainty persisted each week as the season progressed.
That was just one of the challenges that Schlenker worked through in a season that culminated with a sectional championship in October.
In August, her aunt, Dr. Anita Pinc, tragically passed away in a boating accident in Iowa.
“It took a whole toll on our family,” Schlenker said. “It was a big part of this season and my motivation, as well.”
Schlenker fondly remembers Pinc attending her historic track meet three years ago, when Schlenker broke state records in the 1,600 and 800-meter runs as an eighth grader.
“She was always very supportive of my running,” Schlenker said. “She always pushed me to work harder and strive to be the best I could be. She was a huge part of my motivation this season.”
Schlenker pushed herself to run as hard as she could this season for Pinc and her entire family.
“Running isn’t just [about] running. It’s other things, as well,” Schlenker said. “It’s a team sport. It’s different for everyone and there’s a meaning behind running for everyone.
“Personally, I run with more of my heart when I’m out there. That was a huge part of my season was running with my heart and running for everyone else’s hearts in my family.”
For her accomplishments, Schlenker is the Kane County Chronicle Girls Cross Country Athlete of the Year.
Heart and physical skill play a huge part in winning a race. Schlenker also “has such a knack and good feel for racing in her own abilities.”
“She was tested often to start the season,” Batavia coach Chad Hillman said. “She [had] two straight losses to [Wheaton Warrenville South star Samantha Poglitsch] going back to last year. Four straight losses in total to Sam. So she was challenged right off the bat with that and that was good for her. Once she started to gain more confidence and strength with her training, she started to execute some different plans that we had put forth for races. Her execution was so good that it started paying off and her confidence kept rising.”
Schlenker’s confidence evidently peaked with a convincing first-place showing in the sectional. Schlenker finished in 17:05.64 to Poglitsch’s 17:14.52.
While they have a highly competitive dynamic on the course, the two remain close friends off it and running appears to bring out the best parts of their friendship.
“We’ve improved each other,” Schlenker said of Poglitsch. “Yeah, we’ve had a couple races where it was a sprint-to-the finish type of race and I feel like that has helped me a lot throughout the season.
“I appreciate the competition that Sam brings to the sport,” Schlenker said. “She’s always been a really kind girl, amazing sportsmanship, and we just work together when we run.”
Kane County Chronicle All-Area Team
Marley Andelman, St. Charles East, freshman; Olivia Franklin, Kaneland, senior; Lauren Hunecke, Batavia, senior; Maia Italia, Rosary, senior; Corryn Kester, Burlington Central, freshman; Olivia Kunio, Rosary, freshman; Rachel Price, St. Charles North, junior; Katrina Schlenker, Batavia, junior; Lianna Surtz, Rosary, junior; Morgan Sandlund, St. Charles East, junior; Ella Townsend, St. Charles North, senior
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/shawmedia/54c9897c-156c-4bc9-b402-bbe587dee6c1.png)