Lyla Brew
Moon
Senior
Favorite XC Course: White Oak

How did you get started in cross-country ?
I got started in 7th grade when my mom encouraged me to try it. I did not have a lot of friends at the time and saw it as an opportunity to try something new and make friends along the way.

What do you enjoy most about cross-country?
What I enjoy most about cross country is the atmosphere around the sport. Everyone is encouraging and motivating each other to finish races, improve your time, and most importantly work hard. Competitors on the course as well as teammates, give nothing but support to each other.

What advice would you give to someone who is new to cross country running?
My advice to a new runner is to be patient. Putting in hard work does not make you change in a day. If you stay consistent, your hard work will pay off.

What is the biggest lesson you’ve learned from cross-country running?
The biggest lesson I have learned throughout my running career has been to trust the process. I finished my freshman year of cross country having a 34-minute PR, but with hard work and consistent dedication, I was able to drastically improve my times.

How has cross-country running impacted your life outside the sport?
Running has helped me get through a lot. I didn’t have many friends when I first started cross country and my parents were divorced so sometimes it was hard for me to have a permanent place that felt like home, however cross country changed that, giving me friends and an environment that feels like a second home.

What strategies do you use to maintain a positive mindset during a race?
During the race I try to maintain positive thoughts like reminding myself, “I’ve been training all summer for this”, “Stay focused and stay in the race”

How do you support and encourage your teammates during races?
During the race I always try to tell my team fantastic job or keep going if I see them. I also love cheering for my team at the last stretch of the race and encouraging them to finish strong.

How do you mentally push through fatigue and muscle soreness during a race?
If I am feeling fatigued throughout the race I mainly focus on my breathing and try to take deep breaths to take my mind off of the fact that I am tired and focus on getting back into the race.

Can you share any memorable experiences or achievements from your cross-country career so far?
My most memorable achievement so far would be qualifying for the State Championship meet for cross country in 2022. While I couldn’t race because I got sick, I was still happy to have qualified and by not going only pushed me to work harder for the next year.

What strategies or techniques do you use to mentally prepare yourself before a race?
Before I race I try to visualize myself in the race and execute a game plan for my start and how I’m going to maintain my pace throughout. I take some deep breaths and try to get in a few strides to have a better feeling for what my pace will be after I settle in.

Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions that you follow for good luck or to get in the right mindset?
My team and I like to do a chant that has been a Moon Girls Cross Country tradition for years. We chant, “I believe that we will win”, in a big huddle to get all the girls excited and help them feel better about going into the race. It helps me get my pre-race nerves out and bond with my team before we take on a race.

Can you describe the bond and support you share with your coach? How does their guidance influence your running journey?
I really enjoy the bond I have with my coach. We work well together, and he has helped me progress into a better runner through his workouts and encouragement. Even when my times were not as good as they are now, he always had faith in me to achieve remarkable things.

If there were an award for the most improved runners in the girls’ AAA field, Lyla Brew from Moon would be one of the finalists. The senior’s remarkable progress since her freshman year has made her one of the top runners in the WPIAL. Her recent 2nd-place finish at the MAC XC Championship is sure to give her a tremendous confidence boost for the WPIAL Finals next week, and she could finish in the top 10 with a WPIAL medal around her neck.

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