Seymour senior has enjoyed distance career

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Courtney Mansfield said the main thing she likes about distance running is how you can do a workout morning, noon or night.

“I like how it’s very flexible. With other sports you have to have certain equipment, or maybe you need to go to the gym,” the Seymour High School athlete said. “You can just go out and run whatever time works for you. Also, for me, running is a stress reliever that I can just go out and run, and just kind of think things through.”

The senior began doing cross-country and track the in sixth grade, and ran cross-country through her junior year. She was on the state team in 2016.

“I really enjoyed running at Brown County, where we have our sectional, regional and semi-state,” Mansfield said. “It’s a fast course, and since we ran it so many times you learn it. My best 5K time was 21:56 at Brown County.”

This past fall, Mansfield coached Emerson Elementry’s cross-country team.

“I got to see the other side. I got a new perspective of what it’s like to be a coach," Mansfield said. 

She in her fourth season as a member of the track team, and is concentrating on the 800 and running a leg in the 4×800 relay.

“If I do run the first leg, typically I run better because I’m starting out with everybody so I have more competition," Mansfield said. "This season I haven’t gotten my times down. Last year I ran 2:42 at sectionals.”

In the spring of 2018, Mansfield was an alternate for the Owls’ relay team that competed at state.

Mansfield said it is important not to get boxed in because it is hard to pass other runners.

“I just look at who is in front of me, I look at their pony tails and I just get closer and closer," she said.

Mansfield feels like the open 800 is her strongest event.

"I like the fast pace of it," Mansfield said. "It’s considered middle distance, so it’s still some distance but because it’s a shorter distance you have to run faster. I just like that fast pace.”

She said she takes practices seriously.

“I just try to go in with a positive attitude in each of my workouts, getting the most out of it whether it’s a maintenance run or if it’s a hard workout like we had (recently), knowing the hard work will pay off in the meets," Mansfield said. “The big meets are a lot more competitive. Track is a good sport for somebody if they want to get active. They’ll find something they like.”

Mansfield said she has enjoyed attending SHS.

"They have courses where I can challenge myself. I’ve had a lot of really good teachers throughout the years," Mansfield said. "I think the thing I’ll remember the most is after track regionals we stopped (for treats). Those little things just hanging out with your team is a lot of fun and you just don’t feel any pressure.”

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Name: Courtney Mansfield

High school: Seymour

Parents: Tiffany Mansfield, George Mansfield

Sibling: Cam

Sports: track 4 years, cross-country 3 years

Athletic highlights: cross-country state qualifier 2016, semi-state 2017

Organizations: National Honor Society, student government, youth group

Plans after high school: attend Indiana University, major in elementary education

Favorite food: chicken nuggets

Favorite TV show: iCarly

Favorite band: Tenth Avenue North

Favorite movie: The Greatest Showman

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