Most athletes know that training during the off-season is just as important as training in the season. Someone who has taken her off-season training to the next level is junior cross country runner Madi Ledden. 

“I really wanted to get better. My sophomore year I had a lot of fun and really started to enjoy running and showing up to practices and things like that,” Ledden said. “I thought to myself and I actually wanted to be good at it, so I had to put in a lot more work.”

To accomplish this, Ledden started to train over the summer before this current season.

“I did a little bit of lifting in May and early June. During the summer, we also did team running,” Ledden said. “I tried to go to all of those that I could, and I also would run at home. I did a 10k in June to finish my summer runs.”

Ledden’s hard work is already paying off. Assistant cross country coach Alyssa Hansen has observed significant improvements in Ledden’s running abilities over the summer. 

“I have seen Madi improve in a lot of ways. Distance-wise, she is running faster than I have seen her run, both in practices and competitions,” Hansen said. “She really has put in the time that we would like to see kids put in, and she has definitely made herself into a leader, which has been really cool.”

Junior Anna Rupp, a teammate of Ledden’s, explains how the team’s motivation and preparation were significantly influenced by Ledden’s dedication during the off-season. 

“She was always setting up times for summer running and always wanted people to come. I think once everyone saw that Madi was going, everyone wanted to go,” Rupp said. “So she had pushed the team a lot over the summer.”

Beyond the cross country races, Ledden has or is planning to participate in several outside races, including the Cornfield Cornfield 10k in the summer and the Good Life Halfsy in October.

“My favorite race I have ran so far has been the 10k run. All of them have taught me valuable lessons because running is very mental, and so I feel like it just builds that mental toughness that you don’t find in other places,” Ledden said. “It has also made me like running better and looked at it not just as a sport.”

Hansen is proud of Ledden and hopes that by continuing to push herself outside of her comfort zone, she will continue to impact her teammates. 

“She has really been putting herself out there and really trying to push herself. I think by pushing herself, she is being a good role model for her teammates,” Hansen said. 

Ledden is described by her teammates as a hardworking athlete who always pushes others and is reliable. 

“Madi is super fun. She knows how to have a good time. We’re always laughing. She works really hard and she pushes other people a lot,” Rupp said. “She’s always someone you can lean on on the team.”

Ledden hopes that her time and effort will result in a personal record (PR) this season.

“I haven’t PRed yet, but I definitely feel like this season if I keep trying and putting in effort I will,” Ledden said. “I just need to remind myself of the work I have put in and how proud of myself I am.”

As the season nears its end, Ledden aims to maintain these efforts and avoid frustration. 

“I’ve put in a lot of work, but there’s still going to be hardships,” Ledden said. “It’s still going to be difficult, but I just have to remember that I’ve put a lot of time and effort into this and to just keep improving.”