Earlier this season, Hermantown cross country standout Ferrah LaLone set a personal goal to participate in the 2023 Minnesota Class AA state meet.
She met her goal with a fifth-place individual finish at the Section 7AA meet last Thursday and has earned a spot at the starting line for the 5,000-meter state meet Saturday afternoon at University of Minnesota Les Bolstad Golf Course.
“Though it was really cold, I was hoping to run fast and qualify (for state),” LaLone told Hermantown Athletics & Activities page earlier this week. “I was really, really happy afterwards.”
LaLone started running seriously with her mom, Carlie, as a seventh-grader and now has been a strong varsity contributor for three years. She fought through a minor heel injury for the first two years of varsity, but she’s running healthy this season.
Her expectations at the state meet?
“I’m super excited for Saturday, and it’s sort of surreal thinking about participating in the state meet,” she said. “I know I’ll run my fastest, and my goal is 20 minutes flat, 20 seconds faster than my p.r. (personal record). I actually like running when it’s a bit colder, 50 to 60 degrees when it’s cloudy. The forecast sounds something like this.”
LaLone encourages more of her classmates to participate in cross county and track & field, which she also competes in along with alpine skiing and karate (she is a expert junior black belt, the highest level she can reach for her age).
“Cross county and track – running -- are awesome sports, and we’re very close teammates and push each other to always be the best we can be,” she said.
LaLonde said she aspires to be a personal trainer, a police officer or firefighter.