Shady Side Academy’s Lauer looks forward to cross country season

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, August 15, 2017 | 11:15 PM

Jeanne Lauer has been a successful athlete at Shady Side Academy in track, swimming and cross country for three years. As she enters her senior year, she will be concentrating on improving on her cross country performance of last fall, when she finished second at the WPIALs and eighth at the PIAA championships.

She's been running three to four days a week, and on the other days she works on elliptical training and pool running.

“I started having shin-splint problems in my sophomore year, and I actually had a stress fracture so it's not in my best interest to overdo it with the running,” she said.

“Things have been working out well, and when I start to feel pain in my legs, I know it's time to ease up with the running. I'll rest up for a couple of days. I'm aware of what I need to do if I feel a shin splint problem coming up.”

She hasn't made a college decision yet, but Spanish and biology are her areas of interest wherever she goes.

“My college decision will be based on academics. I hope to continue with sports, though.”

She doesn't have a favorite sport.

“Whatever season it is, that's my favorite sport,” Lauer said. “I would concentrate on running in college, though.”

She is optimistic about the SSA cross country team this year.

“We didn't make states last year and we didn't have the greatest season, but I think we'll do well this fall. We only lost three seniors and they'll be missed, but we have some good runners coming back and there's some talented freshmen coming in.”

Marty Stewart is a freelance writer.

Tags: Shady Side Academy