Five Questions: Lainey Studebaker

By Parker West for DyeStat

Senior Lainey Studebaker of the defending state champion Centerville Elks is a rising star in Ohio. 

Last weekend, at the Centerville Saturday Night Lights, she beat some of the top runners in her state, covering the 5,000 meter course in 17:33. This week, DyeStat caught up with Lainey to ask her Five Questions.

Question 1: How does winning a big race with great Ohio competition like this past weekend affect your confidence?

Lainey Studebaker: Performing well in a race with great competition is always a good confidence boost. It was definitely a tough race and so handling it the way I did, I feel even more confident in my abilities. That being said, I feel that it's important to take what I learned from the race and move on to the next one. It's important for me to turn that confidence into drive and hunger to continue improving.

Question 2: Are you a descendant of the Studebakers who used to be famous for making cars?

Lainey Studebaker: Yes, I am! It's a long way down the family tree but my lineage does link back to the car company!

Question 3: How important was the Michigan State Invitational outcome for you and your team?

Lainey Studebaker: The MSU Invitational was our team's first big meet of the season and so being able to win it really got things rolling for us. It was essentially our first time seeing what we are capable of this season and so it definitely created some positive momentum for us to move forward.

Question 4: What is the running culture in Centerville like?

Lainey Studebaker: The running culture on our team mainly consists of hard work and close relationships. The Centerville Girls Cross Country program prides itself on creating a close, family atmosphere. We are bigger than most teams, consisting of 60+ girls and four coaches, but we still manage to create very strong bonds with one another. Each year, our program strives to be the best it ever has been and with that we are always working our hardest to improve.

Question 5: How excited is your team about your upcoming trip to the Great American XC Festival in North Carolina? (Note: Subsequent to this interview the Great American meet was canceled due to weather concerns. The team switched gears at ran at the McQuaid Invitational in New York).

Lainey Studebaker: Our team is very excited to have the opportunity to race at Great American! Being able to attend big meets and test ourselves is very essential to what we want to accomplish this season. Also, going on team trips helps us get even closer with one another and so we are all looking forward to spending time together and becoming even more of a family.