Norquist bounces back from injury, runs for God

Sophomore cross country runner Leah Norquist started feeling jolting pain in her right foot around December of last year while competing for the Saints. Now she’s back on track, quite literally, and enjoying running again, especially with the help of her No. 1 love – God.  Like most runners, Norquist runs for a purpose, and feels a calling from a higher power. She doesn’t pretend to have had a difficult upbringing, but knows trials and errors, like anyone who has experienced life.

At first, the graduate from Sam Barlow High School outside Gresham ignored the pain and was fighting through the motions, like most athletes tend to do. Then the 18-year-old couldn’t take it anymore. She decided to see her primary doctor since she never had problems with her feet.

“I thought it was just a tweak or something that would heal over the weekend,” said Norquist. But as the weeks went on, she started to realize something wasn’t right. After an X-Ray, the doctor told her she was battling inflammation in the foot. This left her with more questions and she couldn’t seem to piece together a reason for her injury, though she never got too hot or cold in her thoughts. “It looked like I had arthritis in my fifth metatarsal (at first). I was actually relieved because (my doctor) said it could be a stress fracture” instead, she said.

Norquist said she had to walk with a hitch in her giddyup for close to two months, still without answer.  She opted to redshirt her freshman year of track and field in the spring, instead of pushing the limits, but never felt sorry for herself. She sought more answers, though, and turned to a naturopath doctor who said her body was sensitive to sugar and wheat and “that I had to take those out of my diet.” So, she did, and after two weeks, she started feeling results. “My foot was almost all better. It was so great to be able to start training again,” she said. “I had to start slow, because I hadn’t (run) for about four months.”

Norquist, who is the Saints’ top female runner this season, just feels blessed to be back on course. Heading into Saturday’s Mike Hodges Invitational at Clackamas Community College, she’s excited to compete after finishing 12th during Mt. Hood’s last meet on Sept. 26 in Battle Ground, Wash. She finished that 5k with a time of 20 minutes, 29 seconds. She plans on lowering those numbers, but isn’t putting a time frame on anything, though she has goals of finishing the season in the 19:30 range.

Norquist said she’s slowly but surely coming along, and has no regrets after suffering such a painful injury.

“The most amazing thing about this happening to me was the way that God was there for me,” she said. “I know it’s just inflammation in my foot, but through every step of the way, from when I first started limping, to when I realized I couldn’t compete, to when I found out how to fix everything through the help of my trainer and naturopath… God was the guy who carried me through it.”

Norquist, a devoted Christian, said through the help of God, anything is possible. She said that though she knows there is bigger fish to fry than an injury, she is thankful that God took the time to help her heal and to ease her mind.

“(God) really comforted me and loved me and I think that He is the coolest guy ever,” she said, matter-of-factly. “That’s kind of how it’s been for my whole life. God is like the perfect dad. He’s always provided for me and never once has He left me.”

Norquist said her favorite Bible verse is Psalm 139:13-14: “For You created me inmost being. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” She said that’s been one of her biggest inspirations for running.

“He made me and knows my name, and if I love something like running… Imagine how much joy it brings the one who designed me in my mom’s tummy,” she said.

Norquist first started running at Gresham’s West Orient Middle School, under the guidance of coach Andrea Anderson. She said she’s content with where she is at now, but wants to gain more and more speed for upcoming meets, including the South Region championships and the NWAC league championships, if all goes according to plan.

Though Norquist considers herself Christian, she doesn’t necessarily believe in one true religion, which she understands can be confusing, though it works for her.

“Religion sometimes can be just for rules and coldness. I just can’t stay away from Jesus,” she said. “Honestly, I get to know the one who made me! I don’t even have to be alive or exist, yet I do. And I know that I’m here because God says so. He’s not a cold, mean old guy on a cloud… He actually wants me and wants to be in a relationship with me. That’s what I love most in life: knowing and being known by a God who loves me like crazy. Life stinks without him.”

Norquist was one of six children at home. “When we were growing up, we had tons of neighborhood kids that we played with, so we were always doing fun things… mud wars, hay fights, lightsaber battles, building forts, hide-and-seek and tag at night,” she said. “I loved running when I was little and so it came naturally for me when I started track in middle school, except this time, I wasn’t running away from anyone” besides her competition, she said.

She plans to teach high school English, when the timing is right. For now she’s focused on running with a passion, and for God.

“I love high school students and I would love to teach overseas,” said Norquist. “This last summer I went to Slovenia and me and my team from church taught English camps.”

As for college, Norquist said her top choice is currently Multnomah University in Northeast Portland, which is close by and is now competing at the NAIA level (collegiate division) for cross country and track and field.

“I would love to run there and finish my degree,” she said. But she’s also prepared for potential detours, having fought back from her injury.  “Everything that happens to me is filtered through God’s loving hands. So I don’t have to be in despair when things in life don’t go as planned because I know that everything is actually planned.”