Varsity cross country runner and junior Sophie Guilfoile races towards a brighter future, each step hitting the ground with boundless energy and ambition. Demonstrating significant improvement since her freshman year, Guilfoile took first place in the Pacific Coast League Cluster Varsity Girls three-mile race at William Mason Regional Park on Oct. 4.
Guilfoile said she broke her three-mile personal record by more than two minutes, completing the course in 17:21.
“Setting a new personal record was probably the biggest highlight,” Guilfoile said. “It was nice to finally be able to break that towards the end of my junior season. I’m very confident, and I can see that there’s a lot to come and that I have a lot of potential. So I’m excited to see what the future holds.”
Schools across Orange County—including Laguna Hills High, Northwood High and Woodbridge High—participated in the Pacific Coast League Cluster to preview CIF qualifying races, according to Guilfoile. To prepare for the competition, Guilfoile has focused on endurance-based workouts, running an average of 50 miles per week.
Cross country assistant coach Tony Martinez played a pivotal role in her training this season, guiding her through her workouts during practice, according to Guilfoile.
“Coach Tony has been key to this season,” Guilfoile said. “He’s very motivating and he’s definitely more focused on getting to know the athlete individually. He checks in on how you’re doing and likes to try to prevent any injuries from occurring. We actually do workouts one-on-one, so he basically paces me throughout my entire workout.”
Since her freshman year, Guilfoile has been a great role model for the rest of the team, providing advice on races and encouraging her teammates before competitions to build team morale, according to cross country head coach Brittany Frymire.
“As a teammate, Sophie is very supportive of everyone on the team,” Frymire said. “A lot of our runners look at her as a mentor because Sophie isn’t one to not share her knowledge. She shares her past experiences at courses and sends tips for how to run courses well. She is just there to listen to her fellow runners and be a support system for them.”
While Gulifoile has already experienced immense success in her junior season, sophomore Ella Bailey, who has been in cross country with Guilfoile since freshman year, says she predicts that Guilfoile will continue to show tremendous growth as a runner and a person.
“I really think this is the jumping off point for her,” Bailey said. “I love having cross country with her, and I think she can only go up from here. She’s an amazing person and an amazing runner. So the sky’s the limit for her.”
