Cali Townsend's Race Towards Victory and Her Future

Cali Townsend running at a cross country race. Cali has described how the motivation of her teammates, sister, and dad are what helps her continue running when she feels like she can’t anymore. Photo Creds: Ellie Hege, Watauga Yearbook

Rosalyn Rabinowitz, Junior Editor for The Powderhorn

Running on a scenic trail with trees, flowers, and grass for 3.1 miles. Lungs and legs are dying, but hundreds of athletes keep running. Those athletes continue to preserve because this is cross country. Cali Townsend, a sophomore at Watauga High School, knows this feeling all too well. Townsend fell in love with running in the 5th grade, and since then, it has been obvious that she has talent. This past cross-country season has shown just how great she is. Not only is she winning major titles at competitions, but Townsend also demonstrates dedication, enthusiasm, and grace at every competition she attends. 

While the cross country season has come to an end, Townsend also competes in both indoor and outdoor track. However, no matter what she is running, it is always longer distances. For years, she has run alongside her teammates, her sister, and her dad, who is her coach. For Townsend, cross country isn’t just a sport; it's a community.

“I'm lucky to have a good team and my dad as a coach. He takes all of that pressure off,” said Townsend. “At the end of the day, if I'm not having fun doing the sport, then why am I doing it?”

Townsend is extremely dedicated to her sport. Every week, Townsend runs approximately 30 to 35 miles. This means that Townsend is running more than a marathon every week. While this may seem like a lot for a sophomore in high school, Townsend sees the true worth in her hard work. 

“It means a lot because you put in the hard work at practice and you train so hard every day,” said Townsend. “So when you're getting good results out of what you put in, it just feels awesome because you're like, ‘I'm doing these hard workouts for a reason because they're benefiting me.’”

With so much training and dedication, it has surely paid off. This past season, Townsend ran a 17-minute and 16-second 5K and was recognized at this past month's board meeting for her success. Though Townsend has accomplished so much at a young age, she still has big dreams for her future in college and the rest of high school.

“I'm excited because I really want to go to a school where I'm going to be contributing to the team,” said Townsend. “But I also want to be a part of something bigger, and I want to be a part of a program that’s going to win.”

Townsend has the dream of running at a D1 school in the future. Although she doesn't currently know exactly what the recruiting process looks like, she is excited about the possibilities. Schools such as Florida, Alabama, and Ole Miss are currently following Townsend on Instagram, showing just a small portion of the places she could end up. Going D1 is extremely challenging, meaning Townsend must continue to strive for higher standards. Townsend already has ideas on how she can push herself to be better and  get to the level she desires.

“I think slowly increasing my mileage and also, still putting hard work in even though I've reached my goals. Expanding my goals and going bigger,” said Townsend.

Townsend's hard work and dedication are apparent, but running around 30 to 35 miles per week can be a serious strain on her body. For Townsend, recovery is just as important as training.

“It's definitely lots of hydration and then also getting a good night's sleep. I get probably at least nine hours to eight hours and 30 minutes a night,” said Townsend. “That's definitely a big part because the more sleep you get, the more your body is recovering, and if you're not getting enough sleep, that's when injuries come. I think also just mentally resting, too. I don't really run on weekends because it just mentally kind of takes a toll.”

Although Townsend has personally excelled greatly throughout her cross-country season, she also pushes her teammates to become better and brings energy to the team like no other. 

“I think it's so crazy impressive what she does, and the amount of work she puts into it. It really pays off,” said Kate McKenzie, a sophomore at Watauga High School and Townsend's teammate.  “I think also, just how much she does academically and outside of school, also, while balancing running. I think it's just really impressive. She brings so much energy. She's always there hyping people up. When she finishes her race, she always goes on and keeps cheering on the people that are running. She's so hyped to do everything, and she just hypes us all up.”

Townsend's teammates' comments are a true testament to her character and dedication not only to the sport, but also to her team.