Kenia Salgado poses in her track uniform. Kenia Salgado
Junior Distance and Cross Country runner, Kenia Salgado is a two-sport athlete at Saint Xavier University, she spoke about her challenging yet rewarding experience of being a Track runner and Cross Country.
In Salgado’s beginnings, she started running track before she was introduced to cross country. She began her journey when her teacher suggested she’d try out for track after seeing Salgado running throughout the court when playing basketball.
“I decided to try it out and immediately fell in love with it,” said Salgado.
Salgado would race for her first time while attending J. Sterling Morton East High School in Cicero, IL. She would run for track at Morton East for all four years and she’d encounter the person who inspired her to keep running, her hurdle coach, Hayden.
“Coach Hayden was my hurdle coach, she believed in me from the start. She gave me the mentality to try out new things, and that has taken me so far,” Salgado had to say about her coach.
While attending Saint Xavier, Salgado wasn’t sure of what she wanted to do in the future of her career. During her time in high school, Salgado competed as a hurdler and mid-distance runner in track, grabbing the interest of other schools who had reached out to her for opportunities to compete for hurdling. However, when she spoke to the coaches, she became invested in becoming a part of Saint Xavier’s Track and Field and Cross Country program.
Since Salgado has joined the program, she continues to grow as an athlete and can’t see herself playing any other sport. Salgado runs her first 6k run this season for cross country. She has shaved a whole minute off her personal record from last year to this year.
For track, Salgado placed 2nd All-Conference in the pentathlon. She has gained many accomplishments and continues to grow as she keeps training. On top of being named an CCAC All-Academic consideration, regardless of the roadblocks that come her way, she works hard to accomplish her feats.
Running both track and cross country requires a lot of high intensity training because of the capability of high aerobic capacity to run long distances. Two-sport athletes don’t get a lot of time off, which can lead to injuries or fatigue. Salgado has been able to perform at a high-level regardless of playing two sports. As cliche as it sounds, hard work does pay off.
“Our training is a lot to digest, we have mileage in the summer every day when it’s 90 degrees, We train when it is super cold and when it’s raining in all types of weather,” said Salgado.
When doing what you love, you tend to forget the downsides that may come along. When running year-round like Salgado, the conditions can vary. Passion can override any negative emotion and push someone to become better.
“I run year-round so a lot of time and effort is put into it. Even from the mental aspect as a runner, it has allowed me to go deeper into who I am as a person and challenge it as well,” Salgado commented. .
Track has granted Salgado many opportunities within her time as a college athlete, however, she believes to remain consistent in the game, remaining patient and keeping life at a pace is what carries her.
“You want to get everything done by a certain time and you have so many goals and expectations. Patience in whatever you do will always be gratifying,” said Salgado.
Even though Salgado is at the halfway point of her college career, her passion for running has not burned out.
“I want to continue running even if it’s not competitive, I just enjoy it,” said Salgado
As Salgado looks at the progress she’s made on her athletic journey, she intends to gain additional rewards that will motivate her experiences in consistently being a runner.
“It’s been a surprise every year, but I would say a very fun journey I get to experience new things, and yet still, not every season is perfect and that’s ok,” said Salgado.
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