Meet one of the fastest cross country runners in the whole area. No, it isn’t Anna Rohrer. It’s Jessica Duvall. Anna does play a role in Jessica’s motivation to continue doing her best.
Jessica Duvall, a senior here at Mishawaka High School, has been an official runner for nearly a decade. She’s done it all- track for seven years and cross country for four years. Although cross country is soon coming to a close, she has no plans of stopping: “I've been looking at becoming a part of the teams at Bethel or Indiana State.” Not to mention, she also has her senior year of track yet to complete.
She’s killing her personal record (P.R.) from last year, running a 5k in eighteen minutes and forty-four seconds at Oxbow. However, her determination doesn’t stop there. She is never satisfied with her work and always believes that she can be even more successful and better, stronger, faster. She finds inspiration in her cross country coach, Coach Kov’s, motivational stories. Her favorite is the starfish story, where even doing the little things will amount to something big. The ability to shave off a second at a race may not seem big, but it could be the difference between first and second place.
She also finds inspiration in her brother, who actually inspired her to start running. He ran four years in high school and continued on to a collegiate level. She is also inspired by Anna Rohrer’s ability to overcome obstacles and her compassion for others.
Her races have not always been easy. Her freshman, sophomore, and junior years each met stress fractures- which wouldn’t let her run. She has yet to experience any injuries this year, and is hoping to qualify for state and Indiana All-Stars. State was on Saturday, October 31st, and Jessica placed 44th.
She’s always looking forward to the beginning of her cross country season, where her team camps up on the beaches in Michigan. “we have so much fun and create a bond together that can't be broken.”
The generosity Jessica brings to the classroom is unmatched in her ferocity on the field. She’ll continue running hill sprints (her favorite workout) which, just like her career, will keep going up.