Athlete of the Week: Josie Cahill, New Trier cross-country and track

Josie Cahill is a senior distance runner for the Trevians. During the spring track season, Cahill qualified for the state finals in multiple events.

1. Do you have any pre-race or pre-meet rituals?

Yes, the night before, I always use my Normatec compression boots and also before competing I always make sure to listen to music. I think it always helps me gain a competitive mindset in a way. I start with like Taylor Swift and on my warmup I do faster music.

2. What do you hope to do after high school?

I hope to find somewhere I can run in college, to keep that team aspect. I think it would be really good to make friendships like that going into freshman year.

3. What is your favorite thing to do when you’re not running?

This is kind of random, but I love going on walks with my friends through the trails near our houses (Skokie Lagoons). Other than that, I really like to travel with my family to places we’ve never been before.

4. What is the one place you want to visit next?

This is kind of a reach, but I really want to go to the Maldives. I love tropical places with beaches.

5. When did you know you wanted to be a distance runner?

Kind of freshman year when my head coach (John Burnside) asked if I wanted to start running with (the distance runners). That’s when I kind of was getting more serious with it. With the workouts, I found out that I can do more than I thought.

6. What do you enjoy most about distance running?

In cross-country particularly, I really like the team aspect and the friendships I’ve made these years that are definitely going to continue. I really like you can socialize but also get a really good workout in. I love being outside. And running longer distances helps me relax and reset on life.

7. If you could try another sport, what would it be?

I used to play a lot of sports, but tennis is the sport that I was in right before I started cross-country. I wasn’t really good at it, but I think if I continued I would have liked to improve on it. I feel like that would have been fun.

8. If you’re in Walgreens with a couple bucks, what are you buying?

I’d probably say Haribo gummy cherries.

9. What is something people don’t know about you?

This is not that deep but I always wear the same gold heart necklace when I race. On the back side, it says you got this, and my mom (Laurie Cahill) gave it me as a gift a while ago. I always use when I run and compete.

10. What do you hope to accomplish this (cross-country) season?

I just hope the whole team stays healthy, through injuries and sicknesses, and I really hope we win conference. Every year that is a big thing for us. For me, just staying consistent with all my work and performances. That’s pretty much it.

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