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10/23/2024 11:30 AMSenior captain Natalie Estabrook is in her final season on the Morgan Huskies cross country team. She has been running on the team since her freshman year.
“I have been running for four years; no one, in particular, inspired me to start running. I wanted to try a different sport,” says Natalie. “Previous to cross country, I played field hockey, basketball, and softball. I also run on the indoor and outdoor teams at Morgan.”
Natalie notes that she is the only girl on the Huskies this season, and last year there were only a handful of girls. She recently ran in the Shoreline Athletic Conference (SLC) Championship race on Oct. 17, finishing 32nd overall with a new personal record of 21:46.
“This year has been going really well despite being the only girl on the team this year. I have a bunch of friends from other towns that also run cross country, which helps,” says Natalie. “Although it is just me on the girls’ team, there is still a boys and girls team. I just run by myself and there is no co-op with other schools that have a lower number of participants.”
Natalie’s head coach, Jeff Duda has coached her throughout all four years of high school. He talks about how she has progressed throughout the past four years.
“Most of all she has matured since her freshman year. She has always been really dedicated, loved running. She buys into the program during the season,” said Duda. “She will often ask for advice outside of the season and in between track seasons. She is very open to communicating on what she can do to improve and stay consistent.”
With Natalie being the only girl on the team this year, she is one of the captains, leading the boys team as well. She notes that some parts have been difficult this season.
“Certain parts of it are a little tough, but I think I have managed it pretty well. It has been hard running my race alone,” says Natalie. “Also, for certain workouts, I have to complete those by myself in addition to showing up for my teammates and leading them in any way I can.”
Although she is the only girl on the team, which could pose as a challenge, Duda notes that she still shows up for her teammates and leads by example.
“I think that she is a quiet leader; she is soft-spoken and not very vocal. Even in the last four years when there were more girls on the team, she leads by example. She is always at practice, doing drills and runs that she needs to do,” said Dude. “You do not have to double-check where she is. Even the younger boys see that and are realizing that they should be following in Natalie’s footsteps.”
On Sept. 6 at the Blur Dragon Invitational, Natalie ran in the 5,000 meters race, finishing 49 out of 72 runners with a season record of 26:02.8.
In seventh grade Natalie was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. She has learned not only to deal with this challenge but also to use running as an outlet.
“I went through three procedures to try and fix it, working for a little while, but then came back during my sophomore year. It has been difficult running with that, especially if I am stressed out, I tend to be more prone to flare up,” says Natalie. “Running itself has been an outlet to relieve some of the stress from it. It helps me not only relieve stress but also stay levelheaded so that I can still run to the best of my ability.”
On Saturday, Oct. 26, Natalie and the team will be competing at the Class SS State Championship race.
Although being the only girl may pose a challenge, Natalie has found a way to use that to her advantage throughout the season.
“Just the idea of the sport being against yourself has helped me overcome the challenges I have faced. A lot times, I will hear people get caught up in how other kids are doing, comparing themselves,” says Natalie. “That has not been an issue with me because I am the only girl on the team this year; I am able to focus on myself and better my times without having the distraction of other teammates.”
As the fall season wraps up for Natalie, she looks forward to what the remainder of the year holds for her, running on both the indoor and outdoor teams in the winter and spring.
“This indoor and outdoor season, I am looking forward to improving my mile time and practicing with my team,” says Natalie. “Meets during the indoor season are always the most fun because we all get food at the food court after our races and cheer our other teammates on.”
Natalie is also interested in running in college and running during her free time. She notes that she will be running an ultra-marathon this summer.