BY ED WRIGHT
Nov. 10, 2010, 1:15 p.m.

  There are not many high school sports more demanding than cross country.

  Running close to 30 miles a week -- in all weather conditions, even if you're feeling under the weather -- takes a special breed of athlete.

  To excel in the sport is even more challenging, which is why PlymouthCantonSports.com is saluting the Plymouth-Canton Educational Park's girls state-qualifying runners.

  The eight Salem runners qualified as a team while two Chiefs and one Wildcat qualified as individuals by placing in the top 15 at the Division 1 regional race.

  Following are the results of profile questionnaires the Park's state-qualifiers filled out for PlymouthCantonSports.com. They are listed in alphabetical order.

  Profiles spotlighting the Park's boys state-qualifiers will be posted later in the week.

ADRIANNA BELTRAN

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Junior

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:20.7

FAVORITE CLASS: Creative Foods

ROLE MODEL: I look up to Tori Tripp and Alex Tucker. They love the sport of running and love getting better, and I wonder if I can be as good as them some day.

FAVORITE PRO OR COLLEGE ATHLETE: Danica Patrick because she drives really fast cars, which would be fun, or Shawn Johnson because she's a gymnast and I would love it if I could do the things she does.

WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? I love to sprint at the end of the race.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I ran track in 7th and 8th grade because my friends joined.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: Joining clubs that interest me and making new friends; hanging out with my current friends.

ALEJANDRA BELTRAN

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Sophomore

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:52

FAVORITE CLASS:
Honors Geometry or Spanish III.

ROLE MODELS: My grandfathers and my dad.

WHAT I LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? It helps me deal with stress. It's such an easy exercise to do and it keeps me in good shape. Also, I get to practice with the greatest teammates.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? In seventh grade because it had just become a sport and I had been wanting to do a sport since I was in 6th grade. I tried cross country and I'm glad I did.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: Singing, dancing, acting and any kind of sport. I also enjoy hanging out with my buds.

EMILY BIZON

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Sophomore

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:54

GPA: 4.0

FAVORITE CLASS:
Honors Biology

ROLE MODELS: Our captains have been really big role models for me. Even the ones from my freshman year. They all gave me so much encouragement and kept the team in line every day.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING: I like that running is a really great team sport. More specific, in cross country a team is a family and to succeed, everyone has to be on the same page and all want to work together for the benefit of all. It's really great to have team support. Running isn't like other sports -- no one else gets to go in for you or let you rest. You start and finish a 5K with your team.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY: I started running in 7th grade for West Middle School's track team. Cross country is so different, though. I started my freshman year and it was really challenging at first.

HOBBIES BESIDES RUNNING: Art, reading, being with my friends.

KARA BOOMS

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Senior

5K PERSONAL BEST: 20:07

GPA: 4.06.

FAVORITE CLASS: Health Occupations

ROLE MODEL: One of my coaches my freshman year, Lauren Kane, has really been a role model for me for the last four years, even though she's not my coach anymore. She really challenges me both as a runner and as a person.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? I like spending time with my friends every day after school, and running clears my head from the stress of the day.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I ran track in middle school, and got into cross country as a freshman because a senior kept bugging me to put my name down on the information list.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: Youth groups, watching movies, hanging out with friends.

SHANNON FLYNN

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Sophomore

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:30.8

FAVORITE CLASS: U.S. History

FAVORITE PRO OR COLLEGE ATHLETES: Kristine Lilly and Cristiano Ronaldo.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? I like how I get to hang out and talk with my friends and all the new people I have met through running.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I started running in 7th grade for Central Middle School's cross country team because I wanted to get in better conditioning for soccer.

HOBBIES BESIDES RUNNING: Soccer and hanging out with my friends.

MADISON GOODPASTURE

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Sophomore

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:54.7

FAVORITE CLASS: Math

ROLE MODEL: One of my best friends, Nadya

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? It is good for relieving stress because when you run, you can clear your mind and get a good workout in.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I actually didn't start running on purpose. In eighth grade, I went to the orientation where you could sign up for different clubs and sports, so I signed up for cross not thinking I was actually going to do it. I had planned on doing cheer or pom, but I didn't know when tryouts were, so I missed them. I started to go to cross country practices because they kept sending me fliers and different papers, and I just fell in love with it. I had never run before my freshman year at Salem.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: Hanging out with my friends, shopping, jumping on my trampoline, riding my bike, pogo sticking and sleeping.

KAYLA KAVULICH

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Freshman

5K PERSONAL BEST: 18:25.4

GPA: 4.0

ROLE MODELS: My mom, dad and sister, Kara, have always been my role models. My mom always being so competitive and consistent; my dad being a runner and my sister never giving up at anything she did.

FAVORITE PRO OR COLLEGE ATHLETES: Michigan State basketball player Draymond Green and Mia Hamm

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? When you are done you get a feeling of relief and you feel so accomplished that you finished the run, especially if it's a race. I also love to compete and in a race with over 100 girls, you have to compete.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I started running officially in 6th grade in cross country. I heard about the OLGC cross country team, but I waited until I was in middle school to run for West. My parents told me I would always be a runner because when I was younger I wanted to run wherever I went. Plus, my dad was a runner, so I guess I just followed in his footsteps.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: I play soccer for Michigan Rush. I played basketball at OLGC last year and I hope to continue playing for Salem. I also like to spend as much time with my friends as possible.

BIANCA KUBICKI

SCHOOL: Canton

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Senior

5K PERSONAL BEST: 18:18

GPA: Overall - 3.055;
Current quarter - 4.0

ROLE MODELS: My only true role models would have to be my parents. Because I know them and they try to work hard every day. Also, my sister is a great role model because she is an extremely nice, good-hearted person who works hard and tries very hard for the things she wants to accomplish. I hope one day I'll be like them and good enough to be someone's role model.

FAVORITE CLASS: My favorite class is Health Occupations because it is  such a fun, interactive class, and it teaches me about the health-care field, which is where I want a job in the future. Every day I look forward to this class as it has so much positive energy that it makes my day.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? My favorite thing about running is that no matter how bad my day went or how sad I am at a certain moment, I know that when I start running, my day will instantly become great. Whenever I run, I just automatically become happy, and let my stress and bad emotions out. Also, knowing that I have accomplished something every single time I finish running adds to the positive feeling running gives a person.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I started running freshman year, and it was just to keep in shape for soccer, and an alternative to track (which is during soccer season). But over time, this changed and I started to love running more than anything and quit soccer.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: I like to write poems and short stories, and I enjoy reading books and making arts and crafts sort of things.

RACHEL ROHRBACH

SCHOOL: Canton

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Senior

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:27

GPA: 3.9

FAVORITE CLASS: Practical Law and Pre-Calc. I enjoy learning about the law and I love the challenge pre-calc puts in front of me on a daily basis. I also like math because there is only ONE answer.

WHO ARE YOUR ROLE MODELS: One of my role models is my Club soccer coach David Hebestreit. He has taught me to find my passions in life and pursue those passions whether it be in my sports or the career I want to pursue. His two loves in life are soccer and English and he lives his passions daily. Another role model is Sarah Thomas. She was a junior on the girls cross country team when I joined the team as a freshman. She taught me to always work hard and encourage everyone to do their best. She was always there encouraging me and she taught me to be encouraging to others as I became an upper-classman.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? The best thing about running is the feeling of accomplishment when you finish a long run or race. I love running because it allows me to relax and exercise before I start my homework after school. I love to get the adrenaline rush after working hard on a long run and the satisfaction of finishing.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I started running in 7th grade to help keep me conditioned for soccer. In 8th grade I went to the extravaganza night at the high school and the seniors  at the cross country table encouraged me to come to practice in the summer and they promised I would not regret it. I have to say I never imagined how much I could come to love cross country. Once I started track, I realized how much I enjoyed running. I continued to run track through middle school and then joined the Canton High School girls cross country team.

HOBBIES BESIDES RUNNING: Soccer, water-skiing, boating up north and hanging out with my friends.

NICOLE TRAITSES

SCHOOL: Plymouth

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Junior

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:32

GPA: 4.0

FAVORITE CLASS: I don't really have a favorite class, but if I had to choose one, I'd say history.

ROLE MODEL: My role model is my older brother because he is such a strong person and pushes me to work harder and do the best that I can.

FAVORITE PRO OR COLLEGE ATHLETE: Molly Slavens. She was a senior at Plymouth when I was a freshman and now she runs for Grand Valley. She's a great runner and she taught me a lot about running.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? The feeling of accomplishment I get each time I run.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY?
I started running in 7th grade for our school track team. I joined because a lot of my friends were joining and I figured it would help me get in shape for soccer.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: I don't have that much free time, especially during the season, but when I do, I usually just hang out with my friends.

VICTORIA TRIPP

SCHOOL: Salem

YEAR IN SCHOOL: Senior

5K PERSONAL BEST: 19:05

GPA: 3.9

FAVORITE CLASS: AP Biology

FAVORITE PRO ATHLETE: David Beckham

ROLE MODEL: My grandma

WHAT DO YOU LIKE BEST ABOUT RUNNING? When you're done with a run or a race, you feel the "runner's high" and you feel a sense of accomplishment.

WHEN DID YOU START RUNNING AND WHY? I've been running around playing sports all my life, but I actually started running cross country in 8th grade because my mom's big into it so she signed me up.

HOBBIES OTHER THAN RUNNING: Soccer, gymnastics, volunteering, many clubs (Science Olympics, National Honor Society, French Club, Quidditch Club, Indian American Student Association), listening to music, going to church, doing homework and hanging with my awesome friends.