Ezra Ruderman [11] has become the Runnerman of Yavneh, creating the school’s cross country team.
“My passion for running started about five years ago when I wanted a sport that wasn’t like basketball. I felt like a lot of sports are team sports, and cross country was a way to put the power of the win in your own hands because the outcome of the race is entirely dependent on you and not somebody else.
“When I came to Yavneh, I thought that it would be a great thing to start a cross country team that could get other people to figure out the sport that I found to be so amazing. This year’s cross country team is looking to have six or seven races, we’re ordering uniforms to come in and now, we have a lot of separate places to practice. We also have a fantastic new coach, Coach Emily Field.
“We only have two practices a week in Yavneh, so I run a lot on my own. It’s hard, but cross country not only trains you physically, but it also trains you mentally. When you run, you’re killing two birds with one stone.
“To prepare for a run, I usually just make sure to eat and drink throughout the day. It’s not like a basketball game where you’re thinking an hour before, ‘Oh I gotta get prepped up.’ Running is a way of life, and you have to treat it like one when you’re going into a run. Always just eat well, train well, stretch in the mornings, stretch at night, stretch before you run, stretch after your runs.”
-Ezra Ruderman [11]
