Athlete of the week: Birthday surprise is first-place finish for Ingargiola

Talk about a 14th birthday; Oak Ridge freshman Adriana Ingargiola had one she will never forget. On Aug. 20 at Sierra College in her first cross country race in high school, Ingargiola not only won the freshman girls' race, beating 65 other runners to the finish line two miles away in 12 minutes, 14.70 seconds, but her time was also the second fastest girls' time of the day out of 297 athletes. This is a freshman in her first cross country race; running the second-fastest time of the day, faster than 56 seniors, 65 juniors and 110 sophomores. The only female who ran faster placed first in the senior girls' race, Whitney's Katie Kopec, who finished 10.6 seconds faster. Kopec, last year as a junior, placed seventh in the CIF State Cross Country Championships and finished 13th in the 3,200 meters at the CIF State Track and Field Championships. "Adriana began running with use during our second week of summer training and when she was in town she was with us the rest of the summer," Oak Ridge cross country coach Rob Fairley said. "She was very consistent. You could see she was very determined. She has absolutely no fear. "She's got a lot of potential. She's a great teammate with a great attitude and she has great teammates to learn from like Addison (Clinton) and Nola (Boucher) and our senior runners." Folsom Telegraph: I know you are only a freshman, but what are your hopes for after high school? AI: My hope for after high school is to get into Stanford and be an elite runner! I am not yet sure of what I would like to study; however, I am currently very interested in computer science or design. FT: Do you think you'd like to run cross country in college? AI: Absolutely! After high school, my plan is to be on a college Cross Country and Track and Field team. I just started running, and I look forward to continuously improving and becoming an elite runner. I will give it 120 percent until I achieve this goal. FT: Do sports run in your family? &emsp;&emsp; AI: Yes, my parents especially. My mother is an amazing, hardworking runner that has motivated me! My father was a baseball, football, volleyball, tennis, and basketball player in high school. Currently, my father still plays volleyball, golf and does weight training. FT: How long have you been running/competing in cross country and how did you get your start in it? AI: I have been running for four months now and training with Oak Ridge for three months. This is my first official cross country season. I originally started running in early May, when my mom noticed my excellent results in my P.E. mile; 6:40, without training. The track and field season came along and my mom motivated and pushed me to do it. During my track season, I was very successful and only did one mile of training. Fast forward three months, and I'm running 50 miles a week on the varsity cross country team now. FT: Have you ever been involved in other sports? AI: Yes, I have. I have done dance, gymnastics, ice skating, tennis, rollerblading, volleyball, and basketball. Out of all of the sports I have done, cross country is my favorite! FT: What do you like about running/cross country? AI: Running is a sport like no other. It requires you to push yourself beyond your comfort zone, be determined, motivate yourself, and always have positive thoughts going through your mind. Once the gun goes off, it's your time to shine and do your best out there. Running isn't a sport where you go at 50 percent speed and effort, it's more like 120 percent of yourself devoted to your run out there. A very small percentage of the population in this world run, and enjoy running. I guess I am a part of the small percentage. FT: Did you run/prepare for the cross country over the summer? How many miles did you run over the summer? A: Yes! Over the summer, Coach Rob Fairley led me and my cross country team through building my mileage over the summer with organized running workouts, short runs, and long runs. I have been training with several talented and wonderful athletes - Addison Clinton, Nola Boucher, Brooke Butler, Lauren Olson, and so many other athletes who have pushed me through every run I have done over the summer and now. I want to thank my incredible, hardworking, loving, and worlds'-best mother for getting me into the exciting sport of running. Without you mom, I wouldn't be running today. My entire family has been extremely supportive and wanted to say a special thank you to both my dads, my sister, my brother, and my grandma. I am extremely grateful to have my family in my life and will continue to make them proud. This summer, I ran a total of 250 miles. FT: The first race of your varsity career was something else. On your 14th birthday, you not only won your race but also posted the second fastest time of the day by any female runner. Did your time or place surprise you? AI: I am extremely proud of myself and the results of my first ever varsity career cross country race. Since it was my birthday, I went out there and gave it my all. This is just the start of my running career. Yes, I was absolutely surprised. It was an unreal feeling for me, I couldn't believe it! FT: In middle school, you won races? This race wasn't your first win, right? AI: In middle school, I almost won every race placing first in the 1600-meter run. In the finals at El Dorado High school, I beat the El Dorado County record for girls! My official time was 5:48.61 minutes for my one-mile run, beating the record set in 1980 by 15 seconds. My mile time will keep decreasing and decreasing. FT: Do you have any goals set for yourself this season? AI: For this season, my goal is to always try my best out in the practices and races and not let anything stop me. My goal in terms of numbers is to achieve a 17:30-minute 5k and a 5:30 mile. FT: How excited would you be to run in some big varsity races later this season? AI: I would be super excited and even now, I'm extremely delighted and excited to challenge myself more and more. Each step I take as a runner brings me closer to my next achievement and personal goal. FT: What is your favorite class/subject in school? AI: My favorite subject in school is math and computer science because they are very interesting, get my brain in solving mode, and the study of them brings me so much joy. FT: Favorite music and/or artist? AI: My favorite artist is Taylor Swift and I love all of her albums. FT: Favorite book or movie? AI: My favorite movie is Moana. FT: Favorite Food? AI: My favorite food is salad. I love all of the delicious vegetables. FT: Do you have any pets? Tell us about them. AI: Not yet but, maybe soon! FT: Do you have any hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time? AI: Some of the hobbies I have is to play volleyball, going for a swim, and even going for a fun bike ride! I enjoy planning, getting organized, and spending time with my family during my free time. FT: What inspires you in sports? AI: Things that inspire me in sports are finishing and being proud of the work I have accomplished. Whether it is a recovery run, workout, or race; it is necessary to take a moment and reflect on all of the hard work you have put in to get to the place you are. At my birthday race, I exactly did that and outdid myself that day. FT: Is there a particular job or profession you'd like to have someday? AI: I am not yet sure of what I would like to study; however, I am currently very interested in computer science, computer design, and math.