When the race starts, she makes sure to keep her pace and breathe rhythmically. She then zeroes in on the group of runners to pace with, picks someone to run with and makes sure she finishes before them. With the finish line in sight, she exerts all her energy to get there, often placing ahead of other varsity runners older than her. This is freshman Riley Beach’s mentality when running, the same mentality she used when setting her personal record at Regionals on Oct. 21.

One week after placing first in the Eastern Kansas League championships at Johnson County Community College on Oct. 12, Beach ran a time of 18:28.4, which won her Regionals and broke the all-time BVNW girls cross country record, a record which had stood since 1997. Before winning Regionals, Beach said she hoped winning EKL would be a stepping stone to bigger things.

“I’m hoping that I can just continue to keep up that kind of reputation and that college coaches can start to notice me from a younger age,” Beach said.

To start her competitive career, Beach joined a cross country club called the Brocaw Blazers in seventh grade. In 2015, her first year of competitive running, Beach went on to qualify for the Cross Country Coaches National Youth Championships with the Blazers. Beach said running in nationals helped instill confidence in her.

“I think that making nationals for my first year was just a good experience that led me into it, and helped confirm to myself that I could continue to do this and be successful,” Beach said.

Beach continues to run with the Brocaw Blazers and said she plans on running with them throughout high school during the cross country offseason. However, during the fall season she takes her talents to the varsity cross country team at BVNW.

When fellow cross country runner, junior Katie Henry, first met Beach, she was shocked by Beach’s running ability and work ethic.

“When I met her I could tell she was going to be fast,” Henry said. “I just knew I saw that spark in her.”

With the help of additional practice, Beach said the combination of competitive cross country running and practice at BVNW aided her this season.

In her first race as a Husky, Beach finished fourth out of all varsity girls with a time of 19:33 in a five kilometer race at Raymore-Peculiar. Since varsity is comprised of runners in different grades, Beach said running alongside upperclassmen has been a unique experience.

“It’s really cool just because I get to meet a lot of upperclassmen through [cross country],” Beach said.

Cross country assistant coach, Elizabeth Long, said although she is just a freshman, Beach is the top girl runner and has been a crucial part of the team’s morale.

“To have a teammate like Riley in cross country is extremely important because cross country is a very mental sport, and if you don’t have the positivity she brings, it’s going to bring the whole team down,” Long said.

Despite their age difference, Henry said Beach shares her cross country wisdom with the upperclassmen which ultimately benefits everyone involved.

Not only has Beach helped the team, but the team has also helped Beach. She said being a part of the team has benefited her because of the relationships she formed.

“It’s not the running that I necessarily enjoy,” Beach said. “It’s the team bonding, and having a group of people that you can physically bond over the pain with.”

After running for Oklahoma State University, Long said Beach has the potential to run at a higher level as long as she continues to take time off.

“She is a great girl and a great athlete, and doesn’t like to take rest days,” Long said.

For the time being, Beach said her goal is to place at state at some point in her high school career.

Ultimately, Beach said cross country is something that has grown on her in recent years.

“I would say two years ago [cross country] would have been [my] third [favorite sport],” Beach said, “but as I’ve continued on through the years, I would say it’s one of my number one priorities now.”