The Marvin Ridge star was one of two freshmen state-wide to break 18 minutes last fall, and she has made some training upgrades since.

 

In preparing for the Hoka One One Future Stars articles posted earlier this week, I had a hard time deciding which sophomore girl to contact (the choice for the boys was easy, but when it comes to the freshmen it will be the opposite problem).  I sent the questions to two girls, and eventually Sara Platek was chosen for the first article, due to the amazing start she has had this season.  I also sent the questions to Marvin Ridge's Lexi King, and I think she's more than worthy of being recognized among the top sophomores in North Carolina, as well as being mentioned as a possible future player on the national level.  As one of only two freshman girls to break 18 minutes in 2013, she will certainly be a factor this year and in the future.

 

Interview with Marvin Ridge Sophomore Lexi King

 

When did you first know you could be very competitive as a runner and that it was something you wanted to pursue at a high level?

When I started with Girls on the Run in 4th Grade


Can you tell us a little bit about your fundamental training philosophy - ballpark weekly mileage, frequency of hard workouts, etc?

My hard workouts are on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with a recovery run on Wednesdays and a long run on Saturdays and medium long runs throughout the other days of the week.  I probably put in about 55-60 miles per week.  Some of the days throughout the week include morning runs.


What have you done differently this season (or over the last several months) to move forward and improve over last season?

Focused more on the outside factors such as eating, sleeping and stretching, while increasing my mileage to compete on a higher level.
 

Have your races so far this season met your expectations, or have you had to adjust your goals after seeing your early times?

Being so early in the season its too early to determine where I stand against my competitors as of now, especially after how hard I worked on my summer training and overall training up to this point.


What are your goals for the rest of cross country season?

I would really like to get my 5k time down to 17:30-40 and to be able to be competitive on a national level.

Have you begun to set goals for track season yet?  If so, can you share one with us?

I will begin to set goals based on my times after the cross country season, I tend to take one season at a time.


What is your team's culture like, and how does that affect your training and motivation?

We are a very close team, we treat each other like family, we are always working together to reach our goals.  Gives me a support system to cheer me on, which helps me work towards my goals knowing I have them to support me.


What is your preferred race strategy (aggressive, sit and kick, etc.)? Do you have a detailed plan before races, or do you react to the situation?

Aggressive during a race.  I prefer going into a race open minded being ready to adjust throughout the race if need be.


Do you scout your competition before races and make that a part of your plan?

I don't, but my coach guides me to let me know what he thinks I can expect.