Sunrise Christian Academy runner Matthew Chilewa is looking forward to sharing the season with his teammates and fellow competitors as he prepares for his first full cross-country season.
“What excites me most about this upcoming season is getting to run alongside my teammates because they push me every day more than they know,” Chilewa said. “I am also looking forward to connecting with other cross-country runners at meets and hearing how their running season is going.”
Chilewa has spent years running independently, but last season he got his first opportunity to compete in cross country when Sunrise Christian needed another runner for the HCAA State Championship. His coach had encouraged him to participate in cross country for years, but the timing had never worked out.
When the opportunity finally came, Chilewa made the most of it.
He competed in his first-ever cross-country race against runners from more than 10 schools across the Midwest and finished as an HCAA State Championship medaller.
“It was a big part of why I did so well,” Chilewa said of the years he had spent running on his own.
Now, with a full season ahead, Chilewa is preparing to take another step forward.
During the offseason, he regularly went on evening runs, using the time not only to improve physically but also to clear his mind.
“I have also been going on morning runs with my team to strengthen bonds and push each other’s limits,” Chilewa said.
Those workouts have helped Chilewa prepare physically while also giving him more opportunities to build relationships with his teammates.
One of his primary goals this season is improving his endurance so he can maintain a faster pace throughout a race.
To work toward that goal, Chilewa focused on four-mile tempo runs during the offseason, using the distance as a benchmark while monitoring his pace each mile. He also turned to basketball as another way to challenge his endurance.
“Another way is playing basketball with my friends because it requires me to outwork my opponent, forcing me to forget about fatigue and play hard for a long period of time,” Chilewa said.
Beyond improving his physical conditioning, Chilewa is focused on developing the mental toughness necessary to compete when races become difficult.
His individual goal is to strengthen that mindset with every race and continue pushing himself even when fatigue sets in.
“Even when I feel like I should quit, I’ll have a mindset that will keep pushing forward at race pace until I cross the finish line,” Chilewa said.
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