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10/01/2024 11:23 AMFor her first race with the Haddam-Killingworth girls’ cross country team as a freshman, Keira Sehl-Albert recalls she shocked herself with how well she performed on that fateful day. But it was the pace on that day that set the tone for a litany of solo and squad honors for years to come.
The Haddam-Killingworth senior was inspired to run by watching her mother run while she was growing up. Keira looked to start cross country during middle school, but that goal was hampered by the pandemic. Yet as a freshman with the Cougars, she qualified for the varsity squad and ran in states for the state champs.
As a sophomore, Keira upped her accolades by notching All-State and All-Shoreline Team recognition before repeating those individual feats as a junior in helping the Cougars claim the Shoreline throne. This season, she looks to keep on the winning pace for both herself and her club as a senior runner for H-K.
“This team is amazing, and it made me want to run. It is such a loving community with good friends and moments,” says Keira. “One thing that has helped me is training with the team; it is so much easier to accomplish something when you are all working together. I also think persevering through bad times has helped me because it builds your confidence and mental toughness.”
In conserving her stamina for a race, Keira breaks it down into pieces. She likes to stay steady during the early phases of the run. Yet in that home stretch, she likes to kick it up a notch before leaving it all on the trails in crossing the finish line.
“I like to start off a race by going strong to get myself into position. Then, I gauge myself with my teammates, and if I feel good, I keep pushing myself,” Keira says. “The first and second miles are steady for me usually. In the third mile, for the final 800 meters of the race, I pick up the pace and then leave every last ounce out there for the final 400.”
Pessimism is the biggest detriment to a distance runner, or any athlete for that matter. Keira keeps things upbeat while telling herself in the heat of the battle that there is nothing she cannot accomplish.
“I always keep a positive mindset because it changes the whole race for me,” says Keira. “If you tell yourself you cannot do something, then you won’t. I think mental toughness is key because mental strength pushes you through races. The positive outlook makes a huge difference.”
While Keira saw arguably the biggest day of solo accomplishments as a sophomore, it was her rookie voyage at states that stood out, both from a personal and team perspective.
“My sophomore year at states, I finished sixth and made All-State, and we won as a team. We also set a record-low for points with 17 at Wickham Park, which was huge,” says Keira. “Also, my freshman year at states was a great experience. I did not know much going into it, but both us and the boys’ team won states, and it was such a positive community experience.”
When it comes to speaking to the prominence of the Cougars’ cross country program and its storied success, Keira points to the mentors at the top. Beyond that, it is that unity and collective determination that drives every person to the top.
“Our coaches have been big for us and our success with the training sessions they plan for us,” Keira says. “The other thing that makes H-K so special is the sense because we are always working together. It is such a unique sport because it is both a team and individual one. Yet we are always working together, including the summer training we do.”
Seeing Keira as a four-year varsity veteran, H-K Head Coach Matt Diglio details that she embodies all the characteristics one could want in both an athlete and captain.
“Keira has been consistent, reliable, and dependable in some of our biggest races over the last four years,” says Diglio. “She is a very hard worker who has steadily improved as a runner over the course of her high school career. Over that time period, Keira has helped her team win two state titles and three Shoreline championships. This fall, she is one of our co-captains, as Keira is a leader and someone the younger girls can look up to as a role model. She is always positive and upbeat with a smile on her face, as she constantly supports and encourages all of her teammates.”
In her final foray with H-K, Keira wants to see her squad keep on keeping on in terms of championships. On top of that, she has a plethora of personal goals in mind to help seal her reputation with the program.
“As a team, we want to win states and sweep Shorelines for the boys and the girls. We also want to try to finish in the top 10 at the State Open as a team,” says Keira. “We also want to continue the team bonding and bring the team even closer together. For me, I want to break the 20-minute mark for the 5K. I also want to make First Team All-Shoreline and All-State. I also want to be more stable during races and just enjoy my last year.”