Brooklyne Ridder
Sr., Oak Hills H.S.
Cincinnati, OH
Highlights: Ridder (Photo by Jim Findley) is currently training on her own, except for Fridays when she runs with her team … Ran a season best time of 17:40 at the OHSAA District Cross Country Meet, placing first … Other victories this season include: Greater Miami Conference Championship (18:05); Centerville Stampede (17:43); St. Xavier Invitational (17:44); Troy Invitational (18:22); Alliance Running Invitational (18:39); Mason Invitational (18:23) … 2007 Division I Ohio State runner-up … Finished 12th at 2007 Foot Locker Midwest Regional (18:08).
Coach (Shellie Hageman) says: "Brooklyne is a very talented, determined and focused runner. She trains and competes hard everyday. She has a lot of confidence in her ability to run many different race strategies and still finish first. She is a very consistent lead runner in that she is not phased by tough courses, bad weather or intense competition. On race day she is the ultimate competitor."
Ridder says: “It’s hard because I don’t have anyone pushing me now and I have to get up the motivation to practice on my own. I have my schedule from last season, so I am kind of following that day-by-day. It’s harder in that perspective, but I feel more confident doing it this way because I know what worked for me in the past, so why change? I feel better going out there everyday and doing my own plan and doing what I know works for me the best. It’s hard on speedwork days, but because I know it works for me, I go out there and find the motivation to do it … Some of my closest friends are on the team, so I bond with them Fridays and Saturdays.”
Summer mileage (max): 55
Weekly mileage: 40-45
Training shoes: Brooks Adrenaline
Race day superstitions: Wears the same pair of gray socks. “I can’t go into a race without them,” she said.
Favorite singer: Brad Paisley