Amaya Aramini, a Notre Dame-bound senior at Bishop Manogue High and a Nevada 5A state champion in both cross country and track, joins DyeStat editor Erik Boal to discuss competing March 29-30 in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters at the Stanford Invitational at Cobb Track and Angell Field in Palo Alto, Calif. Aramini ran 4:59.11 and 10:39.59 at the meet last year and boasts personal-best efforts of 4:57.89 and 10:30.50 in her career. She ranks No. 5 all-time in the 3,200 and No. 6 in Nevada prep history in the 1,600. Aramini reflects on her breakthrough performances last year at Stanford and how that built confidence and created momentum for her to continue improvement at the Arcadia Invitational and the Oregon Relays, before helping Bishop Manogue win the Nevada 5A state title in the 4x800-meter relay last season, in addition to her placing second in both the 1,600 and 3,200 at the state championship meet. She revisits her 4:58.40 and 10:38.36 efforts March 16 at the Dublin Distance Fiesta and returning from Nike Indoor Nationals at The Armory in New York the week before following a fifth-place finish in the emerging elite mile and 19th-place performance in the championship 2-mile. Aramini expresses gratitude for the support she has received throughout her prep career from Bishop Manogue coach Ed Heywood and how instrumental he has been, along with her family, in helping the scholar-athlete overcome multiple injuries and health scares in recent years. She explains how significant it was to return from a hip injury in September and October during the cross country season to win the Nevada 5A cross country championship, becoming the first state champion in program history. Aramini also reflects on falling just before the finish line the year before and crawling to complete the race after momentarily blacking out and feeling temporarily paralyzed on the ground, and how after several visits to local doctors in Reno, an extended trip to the Mayo Clinic provided her more clarification and understanding about her health conditions and solutions how to overcome them during training and races. She also highlights the connection she developed with Notre Dame coach Matt Sparks during the recruiting process and how she immediately felt comfortable on the South Bend campus and in the surrounding community. Aramini looks forward to being reunited with several peers and friends from California during her trips to Stanford and Arcadia, and is excited about competing again in April at the Oregon Relays, in addition to helping Bishop Manogue defend its Nevada 5A title in the 4x800 relay in May, ahead of pursuing national racing opportunities in June before she departs for college.