Gorman carries on family legacy of running

For many students, running is a dreaded activity reserved for gym class. But for freshman Molly Gorman, it is a family legacy she hopes to carry on. 

Gorman has been running since seventh grade, when she decided to join the school’s cross country team. 

“I was drawn to running because both my sister and my mom ran, so I figured I would also try it out,” Gorman said. 

Gorman has been a standout on Baldwin’s cross country team, with consistently strong finishes at meets. She cites her mother as her inspiration for her hard work and training. 

“My mom inspires me because she was also a really good runner, so I want to be like her and run like she did,” Gorman said. 

But even a devoted runner like Gorman, it turns out, occasionally has to reach down deep to find motivation to run.

“There are definitely times where I would rather do anything but run, but I normally just work through it and it pays off,” Gorman said. 

Gorman has consistently placed among the top runners at meets throughout this season, including large invitationals. She placed 15th among all freshman girls at the Annual Red, White & Blue Classic and seventh among varsity runners at the Gateway Invitational.

Senior Emily Fowler admires Gorman’s dedication and believes that she is a gifted runner, especially for her age.

“Molly is a very strong runner and a very important piece of the team,” Fowler said. “As a senior, it is very impressive to see all of these freshman girls succeeding so much.” 

Another successful freshman runner, Julianne Ott, believes that Gorman’s strong results and hard work are good for the entire team. 

“It is important for a freshman to be so good because it will cause everyone on the team to push each other and will lead to everyone on the team improving,” Ott said. 

If Gorman feels her nerves winding up before a meet, she is quick to drink some water or continue stretching and warming up to keep her mind off of it. 

“Normally I try not to think about (the race) too much before I run,” Gorman said. “I find that whenever I worry about it too much, I end up not running as well as I thought I could.” 

Keeping a positive, focused mindset while racing is essential, she said.  

“I think about how much I have left to run in the race,” Gorman said. “If I have a mile left, I think of it as only four laps around the track.”   

Fowler said Gorman’s attitude toward running is paying off.

“I admire how hard-working Molly is. Even if she is hurting or does not want to run, she always puts in her hardest work,” Fowler said. 

Gorman is setting her mind on reaching some milestones.

“I want to improve my personal records in the future. I want to break 21 minutes and just lower my overall time,” Gorman said.

Ott believes that Gorman’s positivity has an effect on her teammates, friends, and even herself.

“She has a really good way of bringing other people up as well as herself, and she really pushes herself to be the best that she can,” Ott said.