Junior Cori Persinger of the women's cross country team tells us about her semester studying abroad and how it helped her grow and how excited she is to be back and running with the team this year:
 
Q: Looking back, how did you feel about your freshman year of cross country and track?
 
A: The most important part of running for me, freshman year, was the community it gave me. My teammates from freshman year, whether or not they are my teammates this season, hold a special place in my heart and always will. It was an incredible asset to have this community to ease the start of my first year of college. I also got to run new distances, on courses all across California.
 
Q: You studied abroad last spring, where did you go and why did you choose to go there?
 
A: I went to Buenos Aires. It was a no-brainer for me. I wanted to study the Spanish language, and it is the only Spanish-speaking location.
 
Q: How was your experience abroad?
 
A: I loved abroad. I especially loved running abroad. From parks like 3 de Febrero, two blocks from Casa Holden (where we did school), to the shores of Largo Argentino, to the streets of a pueblo in Los Misiones, to the coast of Montevideo, Uruguay, my friends and I ran throughout South America. It was a unique way to see the landscapes in a deeper manner than we could from a car window. It also provided a way to bond with locals and each other. I felt like I was a small part of the places I ran through.
 
Q: What was your biggest takeaway from your time abroad?
 
A: My experience abroad taught me many things. I'm still processing a lot of it. One of the most applicable to this interview is that I love running in new places.
 
Q: What was it like coming back to competitive running after taking a year off?
 
A: My friends and I ran a marathon abroad, and we ran pretty much every day to train for it. This made for a nice transition back to the college team, since I was already used to a training schedule. Also, my teammates who went abroad all made the commitment to come back to the team, so with their support it was easy to make the decision to come back to it.
 
Q: What is your favorite thing about being a runner?
 
A: Running is about as close as I can come to flying. During my best runs I feel completely freed of all other preoccupations (physical and mental), completely focused, and completely whole. It's a special presence that comes with knowing your physical body intimately. When I finish really hard workouts I thank every part of my body, starting with my toes. The amazing thing about the sport for me is the way it has helped to mend a relationship broken by social norms and expectations -- the relationship between me and my body. Running taught me how incredible the human body is, and it gives me an outlet through which I can show my gratitude.
 
Q: How do you balance running as well as your studies?
 
A: It can be hard to do both at times. My prime work/study time is about 2 a.m. When the rest of the world is quiet, my head is really free to start churning out ideas. However, that's not exactly compatible with a 6:30 a.m. practice. So, I have to make sacrifices. I get to bed by 11 p.m. on most nights, which means I have to get my work done during the day. Sometimes, I miss classes to travel. My professors have all been so kind in their eagerness to work with my meet schedule and help me get work done even when I can't be in class. Honestly, missing class has even been beneficial in that it gives me a reason to talk with my professors more.
 
Q: What are you most excited about for this year of cross country and track?
 
A: I'm excited to compete and run fast! With my injury during my sophomore cross country season, and my time abroad in the spring, it had been a little less than a year and a half since I last competed with the team. On top of this, the team has such a healthy vibe this year! My teammates seem to be in a positive headspace of readiness to work hard and grow. We mesh well together. There's a good mix of experienced returners as well as eager newcomers that the women's cross country team hasn't seen in a long time.