Winner: Grace Thanasack

School: Teays Valley

Quote: “After crossing the finish line on Saturday, once I saw my time I was completely shocked and so excited that my hard work had paid off. My future goals are definitely to break 19 and continue to have a healthy season!”

Highlight:

After opening her season with three PRs through five races, Teays Valley junior Grace Thanasack has earned our Runner of the Week award. Coming off a stress fracture last season, Thanasack still managed to open her junior campaign with a personal best of 20:12. She followed that up with two more impressive 19:47 performances before breaking out at the Berlin Bear Den Dash, clocking a huge PR of 19:13. Thanasack finished as Teays Valley’s No. 4 runner that day—and was the fastest No. 4 in the entire meet. A strong postseason from her could help propel Teays Valley to the state championships, though much of that will hinge on the development of their No. 5 runner, who scored 128 points—the highest of any team in the top nine.

Part of Thanasack’s motivation this season stems from her appreciation for running after being sidelined by injury last year. “I’ve been more determined than ever to push even harder throughout each race, no matter the course,” she said when discussing her mindset. After her massive PR, Thanasack remains as motivated as ever. “My future goals are to break the 19-minute barrier and continue to have a healthy season.” She’ll look to challenge individually at the regional meet and help lead Teays Valley to a strong team finish.