Name: Gina Pardi
School: Falmouth High School
What was your most memorable race? My most memorable race was the 4x800 at this year's indoor state championship. We knew we had assembled a good team (Malaika Pasch, Mira Wyman, Hannah Donovan, and myself), and that we could possibly win. I was running the second leg, and on my second lap, I got a little too overzealous, and made the classic rookie mistake of trying to pass people on the curve. Before I could even realize what a terrible decision this was, someone tripped me, and I abruptly tumbled to the ground. I was down for a good couple of seconds, but I quickly got back up and resumed running. I thought my fall was going to cost us the race, but we still ended up winning, and even managed to set a new 4x800 school record.
Who would you consider your biggest competition over your four years? While I had the privilege of racing against so many incredibly talented girls throughout high school, my biggest competition was probably myself. Joan Benoit Samuelson, running legend and one of my personal idols, says that racing is 90% mental and 10% physical, and I could not agree more. I used to always give up during races because I let negative thoughts and doubt take over in my brain. It took me a long time to learn how to break that barrier while racing and become more mentally tough.
What was your greatest accomplishment? My greatest accomplishment was running the 1600m at this year's outdoor state championship. I have a love-hate relationship with the mile; on a good day, it is 4 laps of strategic fun, and on a bad day, it is 4 laps of "I am NEVER doing this again." This past outdoor season, I struggled big time with the mile. I had such a hard time racing it; I felt physically and mentally weak every time, and I honestly didn't think I was going to be able to run anything close to my PR again. By the time states hit, I had pretty much given up on the mile and I didn't expect to place, PR, or anything worthwhile; I just wanted to end my high school running career on a good note. At states, I ended up PR-ing and placing 5th; my mom and I were both in tears at the end of the race. It sounds like one of those super cheesy cliche moments that only occur in movies, but it truly felt like all my hard work over the past 4 years had paid off, and I finally had a race I could be proud of. It was the perfect way to cap off my high school career, and to make it even better, my team ended up winning states for the first time in 25 years, so it was seriously the best day ever.
If you could do it all over again what would you change about your running career in high school? I would've started earlier! I didn't start running until the spring of my freshman year, and I wish I had done cross country my freshman year so I didn't waste that season trying to figure out the 400 (which, in my humble opinion, is scientifically impossible).
What were the most difficult obstacles you had to overcome? My biggest obstacle was definitely my mind. I don't know anyone that enjoys having a bad race, but whenever I had a crappy race, or even a workout, I would dwell on it forever and beat myself up. However, I learned that the bad races and workouts are what make you stronger as a runner, mentally and physically, and even if you have a bad race, you are still working, and that will pay off in the long run (literally ha!!)
What will you miss the most? My teammates, without a doubt. They are some of the most talented, toughest, and special people I have ever had the pleasure of knowing. They made every run 10x more bearable and enjoyable with their jokes, singing, and potty talk, and I will miss them all dearly.
What advice would you give to younger athletes? Believe in yourself, but most importantly, believe in your training. If you do everything you're supposed to, and put in all the necessary work, there is nothing stopping you from having a great race except for those negative thoughts in your head. Step up to the starting line and ask, "why NOT me?"- you may end up surprising yourself :) (oh, and never pass anyone on the curve)
What influence has your coach had with respect to your performance and overall life goals? Even on my worst days, my coaches always supported me and kept me motivated. They never stopped believing in me, even when I didn't believe in myself. Having that kind of person in your life is so powerful; I was lucky enough to have two people like this, and it has helped me become a more confident, capable, determined person on and off the track. Also, my coach helped jump start my car one time when the battery died after practice so if that's not a great coach, then I don't know what is!
What are your college plans? I will be running track and cross country at Wheaton College in Massachusetts.
Who would you like to say thank you to? Jorma and Mr. Paul for being the two best coaches any high school runner could ever ask for, my mom for teaching me the tricks of the trade, Ms. White for letting me cry on her shoulder multiple times, Vishva Nalamalapu for the constant motivation, love, and High School Musical pump up letters, and lastly, Frederika- we couldn't have done it without you.
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Do you know a class of 2016 track and field or cross country athlete? We'd like to salute them! Have them answer the following questions plus send 2-3 photos (can not be from another website or publication) to dveilleux@milesplit.us