Alabama Cross Country Q&A: Lizzy Danis
10/5/2017 1:27:00 PM | Track & Field, Cross Country
Lizzy Danis is in her second year as a member of the Alabama cross country team. The sophomore from Nottingham, N.H., has been one of the Crimson Tide's top two runners in both of her outings in 2017 after a solid freshman campaign last season. Danis and her teammates will be in action when UA hosts the Crimson Classic on Oct. 13 at the Harry Pritchett Running Park in Tuscaloosa.
How have you improved from your freshman year?
Lizzy Danis: "I think the biggest thing that helps me improve is the quality of runners on our team. We have a lot of really good girls right now that have the ability to push each other while still not making it a race at practice. I think all of us being able to push each other in a good way and still be friends at the end of the day is really what's making all of us better right now."
What's the makeup of this year's team?
LD: "The atmosphere on the team this year is great. It feels like a whole new team. We have a lot of girls that are on the same page, really want to do well and run hard. I think that is what is helping us become a better team. We're ready to push each other in practice, but we're not ready to push it too far. We can just have fun with it and we can enjoy it while making sure we're still running at the level that we need to be running."
As a returnee this year, how are you helping the freshman adjust to running in college?
LD: "We have a lot of very strong freshmen and they themselves have really great personalities, so they've picked up everything quickly. It's been great to see them get involved and bring a lot of new and fun energy to the team. I think that it's really great that they've injected themselves into the program."
What are your individual goals for this season?
LD: "I want to improve on my performances at the SEC meet and at Regionals compared to last year because I really didn't have a great end of the season. I also want to make sure I'm still having fun and the rest of the girls are having fun and that we're all trying to be the best we can be for the team. That's how I feel we create a better program and get better results at the end of the season."
How has your time at Alabama helped you grow?
LD: "I think I've grown leaps and bounds. I mean, I came from a small school in New Hampshire and now I'm at a big Division I program. I think every one of your teammates makes a different impact on you. I think I've matured over the past year a lot. I've also gotten to taste a different side of running and it's been a great experience overall. I think it's made me a better, more confident and more mature runner."
