This season welcomes plenty of opportunities for Hawkeye sophomore Madison Waymire.
By Connor Sindberg
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For Hawkeye sophomore Madison Waymire, the dream of becoming a college cross-country runner started in the sixth grade.
“It started when I used to go watch the Drake Relays with my dad,” Waymire said. “My dad ran track at Iowa, so ever since I was little, we would go to track meets together.”
These influences ultimately hooked her on the sport. Waymire, a native of Dallas-Center Grimes, achieved her dream as she committed to Missouri to run cross-country after high school.
But Waymire didn’t have that same emotional feeling toward the sport her freshman year at Missouri. After spending one year there, Waymire decided she needed a change; she returned to her home state to run for the Hawkeyes.
“I decided to transfer to Iowa because it seemed like a better fit for me as a runner,” she said. “I believe that Iowa has a better team environment and more opportunities for me to succeed.”
Waymire’s first opportunity to prove that she belonged came at the Sept. 4 Hawkeye Early Bird Invitational. She fit in perfectly fine with her teammates, finishing as the top runner for Iowa and taking fifth in her first Hawkeye race.
Plenty of opportunities will come for Waymire, as she becomes one of the lead runners for the Hawks. She can count on the full support and confidence from cross-country head coach Layne Anderson.
“Madison is extremely talented and has transitioned well after she transferred,” Anderson said. “She arrived in great shape, and her training has gone very well the first few weeks, so it comes as no surprise that she is a lead runner for us.”
A combination of talent and dedication to her training is what got Waymire to this point. She is strongly focused on two particular events at the end of the season.
“This year, I would like to place in the top 10 at the Big Tens and also qualify for the national meet,” she said.
Waymire is not only hungry to achieve individually, she is also eager to see her teammates attain their goals.
“My goal is to just try to set a good example for everyone and put the team before myself this year, and hopefully, that sets the stage for a great year,” she said.
She will have plenty of time to prove herself as an elite runner.
“I’m very excited to be a Hawkeye and can’t wait to see where this journey will take me,” Waymire said.