For the first time in Cross Country history at Long Beach State, a star athlete earned a Big West Women’s Athlete of the Week Award, making history for the school.
Ryley Fick, a senior majoring in Nutrition, has astounded people with her ability to shine on the track and field.
Fick also came in first for the 6k run, beating the previous LBSU record time by 20 seconds, according to Long Beach State cross country records book.
“Honestly, I didn’t even know that, that was a first time a cross country runner has gotten that Big West Athlete of the Week honor,” Fick said. “I did have my eye on breaking the school record and I was going into the first 6k race of the season, I was confident that I was capable of doing it but, I thought if I did it, it would be really close.”
Although it was a shocking moment for Fick, she had set goals to succeed.
“When I like finished the line and I saw it was like 20:07 and I beat it by that much I was really shocked, but at the same time I was like ‘no, I know my training has been good, I know I have been talking to coach and everything and we have been working toward this,’” Fick said.
This season has been similar to other seasons to Fick in sense of training, however, she has been able to build more stamina, set goals to beat time in training and build off of the successful season she had last year.
With the increase of mileage, Fick said she can do better workouts and increase intensity in workouts with a goal of staying healthy throughout the season.
Fick started out as a walk-on freshman to the team with no scholarship, but now starting to finish her time at LBSU, she has made her name known and has been her own motivation, proving to her younger self that she is capable of striving.
“I genuinely felt like I should quit the team because I didn’t think I was capable of running division one, cross country or track, so sometimes I think my motivation is that version of myself that I would think that I would never be in this position, so I’m like ‘oh I’m proving that version of myself,’” Fick said.
Breaking school records is one of Fick’s goals for the rest of the season, with hopes of breaking 20 minutes in the 6k, win her conference and make it to nationals.