Q&A with Weston XC runner Carsen Valenta
WESTON, Mass. — Carsen Valenta has been running cross country (XC) since 5th grade, even competing in the Junior Olympics with his Waltham Track Club. Add to it indoor and outdoor track for Weston Middle School and now High School (WHS), and you can see Carsen has found his sport.
Known for his dedication – never missing a day of practice or training unless for a serious injury – Carsen also makes sure he is having fun while practicing or competing. All of Carsen’s training has translated into Carsen being an intelligent racer, positioning himself well and not going out too fast, and then adding a good kick at the end of his races.
Carsen’s contributions to his team have led to the WHS team coming in 3rd in the 2022 D3 All State Meet, 1st in the 2022 D3a XC Meet, and 1st in the 2021 and 2022 Foley Division for Outdoor Track. Individually, Carsen has racked up the accolades over the years, including this year when he was named a DCL All-Star and All State Track Meet Qualifier and came in 3rd in the D3a XC Meet, 5th in the D3 All State Meet, and 2nd in the D5 State Outdoor Track Meet.
Congrats, Carsen!
What are your personal goals within your sport/athletic dreams?
Carsen Valenta: I would love to continue running in college and then post-college for the rest of my life. I really want to keep having fun with it because that’s what gets me back out there every day. Running improves my mind and body, which is really important for me.
What is your biggest challenge in your sport?
Valenta: Staying injury free. To prevent this, I pay extra attention to strength training, stretching, rolling, icing, supplements, and other recovery tools, and I have to be very consistent and use these preventative and recovery methods every day.
What was the best advice you were ever given?
Valenta: My coach told me to not focus on the other people around me. I sometimes get distracted, looking around at the other athletes, and can get intimidated. So, I have to remember to stay focused on myself and do all I can to perform.
What do you love about your sport?
Valenta: I love that I am able to constantly be working toward something and go home everyday feeling that I am a little closer to my goals and what I want to accomplish within my sport. I am able to do this at the same time as having a lot of fun with friends on the team. Running has a way of making any bad day much better!
Describe a mistake you made while competing and how you overcame it.
Valenta: There are times I have doubted myself during a race, especially if the race is hard and I’m in pain. I’ve gotten into my head and slowed down considerably. I have been training my mind to push through and focus on what I want to accomplish. My coach taught me to decide, before a race, a point where I’m going to run faster no matter how I am feeling. I do that now, and it helps me push through any self-doubts.
What has being a member of a team taught you?
Valenta: It has taught me that, even when I might be having a tough day, either in training or a race, the team is always there to have my back and pick up the slack.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Valenta: I have so much fun on the team and it has been a great life experience for me. I think this is a lot due to my amazing coaches, Coach Monz, Coach V, and Coach Bradford (a new assistant coach this year). They make coming to practice a blast every day, and it has been really great working with them and seeing the results.
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