This story is sponsored by Victory Apparel
By Paul Lecker
MarshfieldAreaSports.com
MARSHFIELD – Marshfield senior Rebecca Voss suffered through a tough two years fighting injuries and unable to run her best.
That changed during the past summer, when Voss said she was pain-free and finally able to properly train for the first time since her freshman year.
All of the hard work paid off for Voss, who won last Saturday’s Division 1 sectional and will run in the 2013 WIAA State Cross Country Meet on Saturday at the Ridges Golf Course in Wisconsin Rapids.
“After struggling so long, sophomore and junior years, with injuries, then finally this summer being pain free and being able to train a lot, really was what made it all work,” Voss said. “I became so dedicated and I really pushed a lot because I knew this was my last season and I had to give it my all.”
Voss placed second in the Wisconsin Valley Conference Meet on Oct. 19 and followed that up with a sectional title at last Saturday at Standing Rock Park in Stevens Point, running in 14:50.7.
It was an identical finish to the 2010 season, when as a freshman, Voss qualified for the state meet after winning the sectional race at Nine Mile Forest in Rib Mountain. Voss went on to take 11th at state in her only previous appearance.
This season was a microcosm of her career. She started strong, winning the Marshfield Invitational in early September, before fading in the middle portion of the season. She was able to turn it on late and regroup for her final postseason.
“Right now, she’s running some of the best races of her career,” Marshfield coach Dan Akin said. “Not too many people are focusing on September or the middle of the season, everybody’s focusing on who’s running well right now and she’s one of those people. She took command of the race last Saturday. Some other girls went out way too hard and she’s running really smart, especially early in the race.”
That early portion of the race is key to the success of any runner at the state meet, Akin said.
“At state you have a lot of people that are used to being in the lead,” Akin said. “You don’t want to go out too fast. The first mile is pretty easy on that course. If you go out 10 or 15 seconds faster than you normally do, you really pay the price in the second half. The first 600-800 yards, she has to be composed and that’s hard to do.”
Voss said she will lay it all on the line on Saturday.
“I’m really looking forward to the competition,” Voss said. “Going in, I am pretty confident. I feel like I have a really good time going into it. I am going to just try my hardest and see where I’m at. I am going to push myself because I know it is my last high school race.”
WIAA State Cross Country Meet Schedule
Saturday, Nov. 2, at the Ridges Golf Course, Wisconsin Rapids
*Division 3 girls (Auburndale’s Abby Bauer), 11:30 a.m.
*Division 2 girls, 12:05 p.m.
*Division 1 girls (Marshfield’s Rebecca Voss), 12:40 p.m.
*Division 3 boys (Marshfield Columbus Catholic, Stratford’s Phil Sersch), 1:15 p.m.
*Division 2 boys, 1:50 p.m.
*Division 1 boys, 2:25 p.m.