CARA SHIRLEY HAS BEEN EXCEPTIONAL FOR CONCORDIA LUTHERAN CROSS COUNTRY, DESPITE HER YOUNG AGE.
Most recently, she was the top Crusader finisher at the TAPPS State Meet in Waco. Among the 80 competitors at the two-mile race, Shirley finished in the No. 15 spot, with a time of 13:23. Given that she’s just getting started, there’s no telling how much she will improve in the coming season.
VYPE got the chance to catch up with the soon-to-be junior Crusader...
VYPE: Why did you get into cross country, and what do you love about it?
SHIRLEY: "Well, my Dad started running when I was little, and I would run with him. So, that kind of led me to stay with for the team-aspect. It also made us closer."
VYPE: So, talk about your sophomore year. Were you surprised? What were your expectations?
SHIRLEY: "Oh, I was super surprised that I came in as a sophomore and won gold in my first meet. I was just blown out of the water. I had no clue that I was capable of that."
VYPE: I’m fascinated with what cross country people think about when they’re running. What do you think about? Do you listen to anything before going onto the track?
SHIRLEY: "Before I go onto the track, I recite the Lightning McQueen mantra–’the faster the fast, the quicker the quick’. When I’m running, there’s an 80s pop song playing in my head at all times."
VYPE: Cross country is great, but what do you do outside of running?
SHIRLEY: "I do art. I competed in the TAPPS State Art competition and got first place in my category."
VYPE: How did you get into that?
SHIRLEY: "My older sister did Art. So, I grew up drawing with her and she taught me a lot. I’ll draw anything, but the specific category I won in...I just drew a picture that I saw on the campus."
VYPE: What is your Netflix jam?
SHIRLEY: "Stranger Things."
VYPE: If you had a celebrity dream-date, who would that be?
SHIRLEY: "Harry Styles."
VYPE: What has Concordia Lutheran meant to you, so far?
SHIRLEY: "It’s been like my second family. Coming here and being able to see all these people that I’ve known since I was a little kid –it feels so safe."
VYPE: Finally, what are you going to do to get better for next year?
SHIRLEY: "I’m going to train as hard as I possibly can this summer.That way, I can come back next year and succeed more than I did as a sophomore."