You would never guess by the way that she runs that Laurie Serrell is just 16 years old, but what she lacks in time on this earth, the Harrisonburg High School senior makes up for it with an incredible ability to run. Cross Country started for Laurie in the 7th grade, but it wasn’t until high school that she really fell in love with the sport.

“I ran in middle school and I did pretty well, so I thought, hey, maybe I can be pretty good in high school too,” Serrell said. But it isn’t the running itself that hooked her.

“I fell in love with the team. Running for the school here, it has always been so much more than just the meets and running,” Serrell said, “We do a lot of stuff together as a team and this year we have tried to have different themes to dress up for on meet days.”

Although they have only had one theme so far this year, a 50’s day, they hope to get in a princess day, or maybe a favorite character day. The team will run in around 10 meets before the start of conference playoffs. So far they have placed first in all of their meets this season.

“My favorite meet to run in is definitely Running with the Wolves at Wolf Branch Farm.

They have big blow-up signs, t-shirts, food, and there is always tons of people,” Serrell said.

Laurie has been a big part of the team’s success thus far, recording finishes of second,

third, fourth, and even a first place finish through the first four meets.

“At this school, it is just so much more than running. Everyone is in it for the team and the team’s gain,” Serrell said.

Conference playoffs will begin in late October which is where Laurie and the rest of the girls will begin their road to states.