Mike Barrett, LSSULakers.com
SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. — With many similarities between cross country and track & field, it is easy to forget that those who participate in both are multi-sport athletes.
What even fewer people realize is that everybody who participates in cross country at Lake Superior State also competes on the track team, making each cross country team member a multi-sport athlete.
Senior Rachel Leggett is one of the few who gets to call herself as such.
"We have indoor and outdoor track season, so we are competing all year," said Leggett. "The season never really ends, except we get a couple of weeks of rest between seasons."
Being in season all year, Leggett and the other athletes have found the transition from one season to the next tiring to say the least.
"It's really hard, you have to schedule your practices around it," she remarked. "The biggest thing is that it becomes a big strain mentally after a while and definitely physically as you go from cross country to track, as you already have a season under your belt. By the time it comes to outdoor season, you really need to pay attention to what you're eating, making sure you're sleeping, and taking care of yourself."
While in most years she would be gearing up for track and field as soon as cross country ends, the native of Manton, Michigan will see her collegiate career draw to a close at the conclusion of cross country season.
"I'm out of eligibility for track right now, so I'm just finishing up with cross country season," said Leggett.
A freak injury at the end of outdoor track season her sophomore year caused her to miss her junior season in cross country. Recovering in time for indoor track, Leggett was luckily forced to redshirt for just cross country.
"I had a spontaneous injury at the end of my sophomore year. I had ribs that came out of place, and so we tried to figure out what to do about that. My coach and I decided we should redshirt my junior year and save it for this season. I had already planned on being here for 4 ½ years."
Before her injury, Leggett set many of her personal records. "Personally, my sophomore year was my prime year…For me right now, personal improvement and appreciating being able to run again."
Through her time with the Lakers, Leggett has had many memorable moments with her teams, from amusing to encouraging. In particular, the 2015 Jayhawk Invitational stands out because of the support she received from her team. "The top girls stuck with me," she recalled, "and helped pace me. They encouraged me so that I could [set a personal record] and get in the 21's, finishing with a 21:26 time. I cried and hugged them all afterwards because it was a breakthrough moment for me and just goes to show how strong you are when the team as a whole is there for you every step of the way."
Majoring in wildlife management with a minor in environmental science, Leggett was attracted to Lake State by her academic program and the size of the school.
"That was actually the biggest reason I came here," remarked Leggett, on the small school atmosphere. "I only visited two schools and the other was Grand Valley. When I got to Lake State, I loved how small of a campus it is. Coming from a small town, you might as well go to a small school. It's a more comfortable transition."
The thought of joining the teams didn't occur until after choosing the school.
"I came more for the [wildlife management] program, honestly," said Leggett. "I really wanted to go into the outdoors, as I'm a conservationist type of person. At my state track meet, one of the assistant coaches approached me, and that's how I got involved with running."
Having grown up on a farm, Leggett developed an appreciation for nature early. In large part because of this, she chose a major that allowed her to get outside. "I didn't want to pick something where I'm stuck inside all day."
After graduation, the senior is open as to where she ends up. "Everyone thinks I'm going to work for the [Department of Natural Resources], but I'm really open to anything. This past summer, I worked with invasive plant life management. I really liked that and I hope to get a job as a wildlife technician. Later I may go graduate school for forestry or botany."
Next weekend, the Lakers will partake in the GLIAC Championships. Hosted by Grand Valley State, the event will be held at the Gainey Athletic Complex at Calvin College in Grand Rapids. Last season, the women's team finished in 11th place. Leggett was 4th on the Lakers, placing 98th overall with a time of 28:51.4.
As for the never-ending struggle of being a multi-sport athlete, Leggett admitted it can be crazy, but conceded that "it's worth it in the end."
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