Zabell zips to the top

It’s hard to get to the top, but even harder to stay there.

Somehow, Junior Karsen Zabell has done just that. Ever since she began her high school career, Zabell has been a fixture on the varsity girls cross country team.

Zabell began running when her father signed her and her brother up for Aurora’s community fun runs. She joined Girls on Track in sixth grade, and fell in love with the sport. She joined cross country and track in seventh grade, and has continued running ever since.

Zabell established herself as a standout during her freshman year, when she began running at the varsity level. She was a part of the state team in 2016, and went to the regional meet as an individual in 2016 and 2017. Currently, she holds the record for the 8th fastest time at AHS, with a time of 19 minutes and 37 seconds.

Her favorite part about cross country is the group of people she gets to be around every day. “Everyone is so nice, and there is never any drama. We all work really hard, and even if you are having a rough day, the team is there to support you.”

Each week of cross country consists of two workouts, two easy runs, a long run, and a meet. Even though the runs can be challenging, “Being able to run with my friends makes them doable.”

Meet days are long days, but Zabell enjoys cheering on her teammates and watching the other races.

“The feeling after you run a race is one of the best feelings in the world”, said Zabell.

Coach Laura Bell sees a bright future for this young runner, saying “Karsen has both talent and the dedication to do the hard work to have a successful future in running.”

In terms of running at the collegiate level, Zabell isn’t entirely sure what she wants to do. If she attends a Division 1 school, she most likely won’t run, due to the competitive nature of the schools. However, should she attend a Division 2 or 3 school, she might run, depending on how she feels after her senior year.

Most recently, Zabell came in 5th place overall and 1st overall for Aurora’s girls varsity team at the Suburban League meet on October 11. She intends to continue on as far as she can into the postseason.