Hi-Line Athlete Profile: Katie Christianson

Junior Katie Christianson has dabbled in quite a few of the Blue Pony sports while at Havre High. And while she has shown promise in all of them, it seems that she has really found a knack for distance running.

Christianson has participated in basketball and track and field the last two seasons, as well as volleyball her freshman year. But after trying her hand in volleyball, Christianson made the move to cross country last fall and has excelled for the Blue Ponies ever since.

Last year, in her first season with the HHS girls cross country team, Christianson was the top runner. Her best time of the season was 19:30, and she was named the MVP of the girls squad. Christianson was one of seven Pony girls to run at the state meet and grabbed the top finish for HHS, finishing as the No. 18 runner in the Class A with a time of 20:21.

Christianson is again running great times this season, and along with her Blue Pony teammates, the HHS girls squad is one of the of the top teams in Class A cross country

Here's five questions as Christianson prepares to run on her home course in this weekend's Havre Invitational

HDN: What do you like about running cross country?

Christianson: "I like seeing how far I can push myself. And there is more of team bond than in track I think, I like to see how far me and the team can push each other."

HDN: Do you prefer running in larger meets or small meets, and why?

Christianson: "I like larger meets because you get to see a lot more teams and a lot more competition. And knowing you are a part of something so big is fun."

HDN: Where is your favorite place to run, and where is your least favorite place to run during the season?

Christianson: "My favorite place to run is Havre, because we have more support and fans. And my least favorite place to run is probably Cut Bank. It is the first meet of the season and first meets just kind of suck because you have to get going and warmed up for the season."

HDN: What do you think about while running in a race?

Christianson: "Just to go hard and to keep pushing. But sometimes I want my mind to go blank so that I am not thinking about running because it makes you tired and makes it too mental. I just want to think about pushing myself and just run without thinking about all of the little things that are bothering me."

HDN: What do you do to stay focused and competitive during a race?

Christianson: "I just focus on the next person in front of me and try to catch them while I try to work my way up to the lead. You have to keep that person in front of you in your range and just stay focused on passing them."

Havre High's Katie Christianson leads a pack of runners in last year's Havre Invitational cross country meet. Christianson and the Blue Pony girls are off to a great start this season as they prepare to host the 2011 Havre Invite Saturday morning on the campus of MSU-Northern. The Havre meet is Christianson's favorite meet to run all season.