Senior Jordan Grimaldi has been running since sixth grade track. She recently won the Arlington County Championship at Bluemont Park with a time of 19:22, beating all competitors and the imminent pouring rain. As captain, she leads the team on stretches and interacts with other runners in a friendly atmosphere. It was her friend that starting her on the journey she carries on today.

How did you get involved in cross country?

“I didn’t think I was going to be interested in cross country, and then Michael Stearman actually recommended it to me and I started freshman year.”

What makes cross country worth it?

“[It’s worth it] when you put in all this effort, running six days a week, and then you have a really good race. It’s just like this euphoric feeling it is finally paying off. It is so important for my mental sanity. When you are sitting in the classroom all day and then after school you run in the forest, it provides a chance for me to relax and take a breather and take my mind off of things.”

Favorite memory?

“Sophmore year when the girls’ team was second place at states. It was the first time the girls’ team ever qualified in school history for the state meet. It was great to do so well, especially since we were the underdogs; we got to prove everyone wrong, including our coaches.”

What did it feel like to win the County Championship?

“I was really happy. It was the first individual race I had ever won in high school. I usually hate Bluemont, but that day I had a lot of fun, despite the rain and everything.”