Steven Wright: Athlete of the Week: Makenna Long, Northmont

Makenna Long, a senior cross country runner at Northmont, has been named the Dayton Daily News Athlete of the Week for Sept. 21-27, according to the wire material provided. This honor was earned through reader voting at DaytonDailyNews.com. Her performance at the Neal Charske Fairmont Firebird Invitational, where she won the blue race with a time of 18 minutes, 35.8 seconds, made her achievement even more remarkable.

Long's winning time was her personal best in competition and marked the second time she had achieved a personal record (PR) within the season, following a 18:52 performance earlier in September. This was the first time she had ever recorded times under 19 minutes. Long's success is attributed to her coach's unwavering belief in her abilities and serves as a testament to her perseverance, especially after overcoming numerous setbacks.

In her freshman year, she missed most of the season after undergoing surgery due to a rare condition that required the removal of two extra bones and repair of a torn tendon. Despite these challenges, she made a quicker-than-expected recovery and was able to get back to running. However, a stress fracture in her foot developed during her junior year, further complicating her season.

Despite these obstacles, Long qualified for state as a junior and is now on her way to achieving the three goals she set for herself in her senior season. These goals include beating 19 minutes, returning to state with All-Ohio honors, and most importantly, enjoying the process. Long's ability to maintain her love for running, even amidst setbacks, is a testament to her passion for the sport and her strong bond with her teammates.