Cross Country Q&A: Katie Engel
10/26/2015 9:04:00 PM | Cross Country, Competing With Purpose Blog
With the WCC Championships coming up this weekend, senior Katie Engel -- who has been Pepperdine's top women's cross country runner three years in a row -- reflects on her time running at Pepperdine, and addresses her goals for the future (both inside and outside of her sport).
Q: You have been Pepperdine's best runner for the past three consecutive years. Do you feel any additional pressure to continue to perform well because of this?
A: I don't feel any additional pressure to perform well because of any success I've had in the past. I want the team to do as well as possible regardless of whether or not I'm leading. As a result, I want to continue to push myself to reach my potential because if I can do that, the team performance also improves.
Q: How does Pepperdine Athletics' mission of "Competing With Purpose" relate to your own mission or goal as a student-athlete?
A: "Competing With Purpose" really resonates with me. I am so passionate about this sport because of the way it drives me to always challenge myself, test my limits, and form close relationships with my teammates. I genuinely love every minute of it, and consequently, I think I feel a sense of purpose behind every aspect of our training not only because it allows me to grow as an athlete but as a person.
Q: Do you have any specific goals you hope to achieve at the upcoming WCC Cross Country Championships?
A: I have a couple of goal places that I would be thrilled if I could hit,but mainly I want to be competitive and push myself at every point in the race.If I'm able to do that, I'll be happy with whatever the outcome is.
Q: You've been known to run outside of practice, and go beyond what is required of you as an athlete. What drives you to go above and beyond expectations? Where do you find motivation?
A: Again, I love the sport so I think that the extra runs and training outside of practice don't seem like a sacrifice or "going above and beyond." It's more of the consequence of wanting to see how good I can be as well as something I do to enjoy life in general.
Q: You are majoring in English (writing and rhetoric) -- do you have any career plans upon graduation?
A: I want to work in the social justice field in some capacity. Right now I'm considering grad school for public policy or taking a year off to do AmeriCorps.
Q: Have you found it important to establish an identity for yourself outside of your sport during your time at Pepperdine? Why or why not?
A: As I get older I think I'm beginning to find it more important to identify myself outside of my sport. Running has been such a central focus in my life for the past 10 years that I haven't always been willing to invest time and energy in lots of other outside things. However, gaining some maturity and more real-world experience has allowed me to start to explore other things that provide me with the level of joy and fulfillment I get from running.
Q: What has your experience as a student-athlete at Pepperdine been like?
A: Being a student-athlete at Pepperdine has been incredible. It's amazing how many people there are around you that invest in your success personally, athletically and academically. It's been a really fulfilling experience that has taught me how to pursue my goals intensely but also prioritize the other people and pursuits that enhance the experience.
Q: What have you enjoyed most about running at Pepperdine?
A: Getting to know my teammates has been my favorite part of running at Pepperdine. Our team is very close. We are a family and there are always people supporting you no matter what.
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