Raider grads lead the way for cross country

Emily Trosino’s hard work and dedication has helped to push her to the front of the Mt. Hood cross country pack this year.

The freshman, a 2013 graduate of Reynolds High School, has placed first among Mt. Hood women in every meet so far this year.

“My dad runs three miles every day, and around seventh or eighth grade, I started running with him,” said Trosino. “My dad and sister have been my biggest influences when it comes to running. They got me into it.”

She said her sister, who is five years older, got her to join the cross country team in high school.

“I started running to stay in shape but I ended up actually liking it,” she said.

From Reynolds, barely a mile run away from the Mt. Hood campus, Trosino decided to join a group of Raiders runners who are now driving the Saints squad this season.

“Brandon (Raleigh), Keenan (Follett), and Courtney (Andre) were all going to run cross country at Mt. Hood and they all went to Reynolds. So I thought it was going to be a little (Raider) team,” she said.

It’s been a good time, on and off the running course, she said. “Joining a sports team makes you feel connected and it’s a good way to meet people,” she said.

At Reynolds, Trosino ran cross-country all four years. She also was involved with student government. “My sophomore year I was class president and my junior year I was ASB vice president,” she said.

This fall, a favorite moment for Trosino came during the Mike Hodges Invitational meet, held earlier this month. The leading women took a wrong turn off the official course, which reduced the 5-kilometer distance and threw personal times and team scores into confusion.

“That meet got cut short for us but I felt good about how the team competed. It was a good bonding moment for all of us,” she said.

From the outside, it might be easy to assume that all distance runners need to do for practice is to run, but they work at much more.

“I go to the weight room every week, but I do a lot of different types of runs. I like to do a lot of tempo runs, which is running for a certain distance, then stopping, then doing it again,” said Trosino.

She is pursuing a career in teaching and is majoring in education. “I’m getting my AAOT then I want to go to a four-year school and get my teaching license.

“I want to join the Teach for America program and help kids in lower poverty situations,” she said.

In her spare time, Trosino enjoys watching movies and holds down a job. “I watch Netflix a lot with my boyfriend, and I work at Kitchen Collection in Troutdale,” she said.

“With school, work, and hanging out with people I stay busy. But I like staying busy, it keeps me on track and it helps me make sure I get things done.”

She said running at Mt. Hood has been a great decision.

“Cross country has been a family to me; it’s good to have each other. The coaches are great. Head coach Matt Hart is intense and he holds us accountable but he also lets us have fun and I like the guidance he gives.”

With the NWAACC regional and championship meets ahead, Trosino looks to stay focused and improve on her season-best 19:20 time for the standard 5-kilometer course.

“I need to get to my highest level of fitness and work on my stride but I like where I’m at,” she said.