The Lincoln Log

Luong

The race is about to start. The runners prepare; tying untied shoelaces, stretching out cramped muscles, and inhaling and exhaling slowly. They get ready to line up. Adrenaline is pumping through their bodies. The gun shot sounds, and the race is off. Senior Lucy Luong is familiar with this particular routine.

Luong has been on the cross-country team since her sophomore year, and on the track team since her freshman year. She discovered her love and passion for running when she joined her middle school’s track team. Her brothers were runners in high school, so they inspired her to run also. She has been working hard and diligently to get to where she is now: a star on the Lincoln cross country and track teams. Luong placed 2nd overall in the city for cross-country her sophomore year, and 3rd overall her junior year. Also, she placed 1st in the 2-mile race for track. Luong has the amazing ability to beat out almost everybody in the entire school.

You may find Luong running around Lake Merced, at the beach, and around Golden Gate Park. She runs about five to six times a week for about an hour and a half to two hours. “I have no hand-eye coordination so running is a good substitute. [Running] is rewarding,” Luong said.

One particular race that stands out in her mind was the All City cross-country meet during her sophomore year. It was her first year on the Lincoln cross-country team and she was really nervous before the race. She did not expect to place at all, but surprisingly she placed 2nd overall.

“I was so shocked, I don’t think anyone really expected it. I was just hoping to do well,” Luong said.

Luong is also involved in extra curricular activities such as the California Scholarship Federation (CSF), Lincs service society, and the Calculus club, while juggling rigorous academic classes. She aspires to eventually major in biological sciences at University of California Los Angeles.

Now as a co-captain of the team, Luong has goals for this up-coming year for herself and as well as the team. She hopes to be 1st overall for girls in cross-country, and she hopes that her team places 1st and beats their competing rival, Lowell High School. Luong was gifted with an amazing endurance and agility. Anyone can see that her heart lies with running. Luong strongly believes that practice makes perfect and she urges others to never give up when they strive for something important to them.