Starkey stays busy running, writing

Jenna Cederberg

POLSON - Polson sophomore cross country runner Mesa Starkey has running in her blood. Her dad introduced her to the sport when she was young, but she said she really learned to love running after spending a year in New Zealand. She's taken the love and turned it into two top finishes in the Class-A state meets. After taking second her freshman year, she finished third at the Class-A State Cross Country meet in Missoula on Oct. 25 and led her team to a ninth-place finish overall.

She talked about her season and about her late-night duties as sports editor at the Salishian — the Pirates' student newspaper.

Did your parent's get you into running?

"Yeah, my dad, for sure. When I was young, I hated running. I hated the feeling of pounding on my knees … but I always had to do the Blue Mountain Women's run. I didn't like it, but I got into it when I was in New Zealand."

Starkey spent her eighth-grade year in New Zealand while her dad was on sabbatical, and went to "grade nine" there. She has also traveled to Australia, Fiji and last summer went to Israel.

"I was a part of a harriers (an organized running group in New Zealand) running club, it was more xterra type running. Those kiwis over there are really hard core. I just kind of realized how much it helps me, it's a stress relief. I was injured before, in seventh grade. When I got injured in seventh grade, it put me out for running and I was extremely stressed and moody. Then I got better and said, 'oh here's a stress reliever.'"

What's kept me running is just the faith and belief in the coaches."

"Like Matt Seeley, he's amazing … you know, he's a pro athlete and he knows what he's doing … He wants us to do well and he also really knows what he's talking about."

How do you think the season went this year?

"I think it went really well. It was hard because we lost a lot of our leaders. I didn't really realize how much impact they had on us until this year. I credit it to the team and the coaches. Everyone is dedicated and wants to work hard. It's not like other sports where there's girl cliques and boy cliques. We're just a big family; if someone is down, everyone tries to pick them back up."

Did you have a favorite race?

"My best race was divisionals, which I ran in an 18:57.

I really enjoy Spokane. It's not the normal 3-mile race, it's a 2.5 mile race. It's cool because you get to go out, and you're competing in a different state, and you're kind of like moving up the ladder a little bit, getting a more broad view of racing. You are in a big race. Our team was able to really step up and show what we've got there. We took first this year. I didn't not like any of the races this year."

Can you talk about how your race went at state?

"State was totally opposite than what it felt last year. We had great luck with weather this year. Last year it was terrible, it was windy and I think at some point we had snow. It was freezing. This year it was beautiful. It was fall, it wasn't winter. .. I was more relaxed. It's comfortable, you knew that the pressure was kind of one, but it's like, this is it. It felt more laid back."

Talk about finishing third as a sophomore.

"I was pretty far back for most of the race, and I was thinking to myself, 'where did all these girls come from?' I hadn't raced with Livingston people, the girl actually got first. Some of these girls just came out of nowhere and I was definitely taken aback.

Halfway through the race, I just started thinking, 'you can do this, you got this.'

I had read Drew Coco's article ( in the Daily Interlake), and he had said, 'I know if I leave everything on the course, I'll be satisfied' or something like that. And I thought, you know, 'you ran your best race at divisionals, just be happy with that.' I'm very pleased to come out with third. It helped prove that last year wasn't a fluke. I guess there was a mishap last year, the course was a little off … I was really happy with myself and you know, I was happy for all the girls.

What are your expectations for next year?

"I don't know. Let's see, I just want to have fun again. I love the team and it's like a family. It's going to be hard, because most of the girls, (who finished) one, two and three were sophomores. Four out of the five in Whitefish were sophomores. I'm expecting it will probably be a little more competitive. But it's a friendly competition and, you know, we're friends but still competitive.

I don't worry about it too much. I just go out there to run, because that's what I like best."

What advice do you have for people who can barely run a mile?

"Just start off easy and don't push yourself too hard. And do it with friends. It's a lot easier to do it in a group and with people you like. Just make it fun. Don't got run laps around the track, because that's not fun and that's not entertaining. Go to your favorite spot in the woods, and go out on the logging roads. That's beautiful over there on the logging roads. Put on your iPod if you want, or just listen to the nature.

It's a life changing habit, and it's a healthy habit. If you start running, you can carry it on through college."

Do you have a favorite run you take around the area?

"When I'm in shape, I go up on Sunny Slope. Just way into the woods. I like being in the woods, mostly backcountry stuff. Finley point is good. Out in Jette for sure. Big Arm is fun. We go run out in the campground, that's where we get our hill training. And out by Kerr Dam, that's really fun."

Why did you get into sports writing?

"Mostly it would probably have to do with running, like "Runner's World." In Runner's World, there's some really fun articles. It just seems like a really fun magazine to be working for. That would be kind of like the ultimate, ultimate.

A lot of it is just good for any type of level of people that want to be athletic. It appeals to everyone."

What are the duties of sports editor?

"Pretty much I just keep track of the sports and I write about the most previous one before the issue comes out. It's kind of crunching, some late nights, which is fine, because I enjoy it. I keep score boards and keep track of it. Look out for top players and talk to coaches.

I really enjoy it, because I usually go the sports page first … if I read anything."

What's the best part of being the sports editor?

"I like being involved in the school and I really like being involved in other people's accomplishments. Kind of letting everybody know about their hard work."

What's the most challenging part of being sports editor?

"Probably writing last minute, before the paper comes out. Making sure everything is accurate and you get enough quotes from the seniors and the coaches. Getting everything in on time and written well."

Do you think this might be a career path you might choose?

"Yeah, possibly. Or I really like working with people. I definitely caught the traveling bug. So if I do write, something with traveling and that keeps me active. I love to be active. My family has raised me to be super active. Or maybe something in foreign relations. I really like interacting with people and I want to make a difference.

If all else fails with the traveling thing, definitely a teacher because I believe that the next generation is the future and I think teachers should get more credit than they're given."